1. Don’t ignore Inflation.

Preservation of your money may be a top priority for you, but with inflation averaging 3% a year, if you leave your money in cash or any investment that doesn’t return more than 3%, you will actually lose money. This means what you could purchase for $1.00 this year, with 3% inflation a year, that $1.00 will purchase .97 cents worth next year. Push through your comfort level to be sure to stay ahead of inflation by allocating part of your portfolio to investments that historically return more than 3%.

2. Don’t Panic

A. When the stock market drops- think of that like a sale at your favorite department store and buy!

B. Try to keep your emotions out of your investing. If your stomach starts to drop when the market drops, review a historical stock market chart of the last 100 years. You will see evidence of the market trending higher every ten years. Also, Consult with an advisor and review your current portfolio to assess if you are allocated correctly and if you can lower your volatility by adding diversification.

3. Only look at your investments quarterly (not daily!).

Looking at your balance more than quarterly can create undue stress. Your emotions may take over instead of your logic, and you could do something you regret later.

4. Rebalance your investments annually.

A. If the stock portion of your portfolio had a good year and became 70% of your total portfolio versus the 60% you originally allocated, sell off just enough to bring stocks back to original allocation of 60% and reallocate those gains into bonds or cash.

B. Rebalancing takes the emotion out of when to buy and sell.

5. Have a sell strategy. (Especially during retirement.) Buying is the easy part -- knowing when to sell is hard.

A. Choose a growth target for when you will sell an investment. For example, you decide that when an investment grows 20%, you will sell. Therefore, if you buy an S&P 500 ETF for $10 a share and it grows to $12, you have increased 20%, and you will sell just the gain of $2.00. You are keeping your original $10 invested. Put your gain into the part of your portfolio that is under-represented.

B. Pro tip: Hold the investment for at least a year before selling to avoid a high capital gains tax bill.

Marathon Wealth Management, LLC is an Investment Advisor registered with the State of Washington. All views, expressions, and opinions included in this communication are subject to change. This communication is not intended as an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any financial instrument or investment advisory services. Any information provided has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee the accuracy, or the completeness of, any description of securities, markets or developments mentioned. We may, from time to time, have a position in the securities mentioned and may execute transactions that may not be consistent with this communication's conclusions.