A lot of people were probably pretty well prepared for the downturn in 2022, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any uneasiness along the way. If you didn’t fall into that group of people who were ready, let’s talk about what you can do to change that before the next downturn. 

One of the most important things to remember is that risk can never be eliminated entirely, but it can be managed. That’s why it’s so vital to diversify your investments and spread out any gains or income you have as much as possible. This will ensure you’re protected from suffering too great a loss should the market take a turn for the worse. If you don’t have a good understanding of the risk in your portfolio, now is the time to get a handle on that.

In addition to managing risk, you need to be comfortable protecting your gains as you go.  This can be done through rebalancing your portfolio, meaning you’re selling some of the more profitable investments and using that money to buy other investments that are not performing as well at the time. By doing this, you’re able to protect most of your gains while also diversifying your portfolio.

It’s always really important to remember that panicking the next time the market crashes usually won’t help you make prudent decisions. Emotions often lead us to react negatively as it relates to our financial plan. It’s much better to have a plan in place beforehand so that you don’t feel panicked or overwhelmed when it does happen.

While a market downturn can naturally cause some anxiety, it doesn’t have to spell disaster for your investments. By taking the time to manage and protect your gains, diversifying your portfolio, and having a plan in place ahead of time, you can be prepared for whatever comes next.

If you need further assistance understanding how best to prepare yourself financially for a potential downturn, don’t hesitate to take advantage of our complimentary Money Map review.

Here are some of the things we discuss in this episode:

1:22 – Always have an understanding of the risk you’re exposed to

2:47 – Protecting gains as you go

4:05 – Are you diversified enough?

5:49 – Don’t panic when the next crash comes

8:45 – On the Case with Heath: Underfunded retirement

14:33 – Mailbag question on rental income

16:50 – Mailbag question on funding a wedding

19:12 – Is it fake, Jake? Gold could rise dramatically