Wall Street is its own worst enemy: And the prevailing theory is that it is the time to buy beaten down good value investment. The Federal Reserve cut rates again last week, investors thought with their wallets, and prices continued to tumble, yet again.

Analysts and money managers watch for signs of a bottom to take cash off the sidelines and get back into the market knowing that when the distress is the worst, usually the worst is over. If you are not real comfortable with stock market fluctuations to start with, it takes a great deal of courage to place cash on blue chip stocks and mutual funds during down days.

Baby Boomers obsess about everything, and their retirement is no exception: There are other factors that will contribute to the upward momentum. If interest rates continue to fall to the lowest levels in several years, those baby boomers getting close to the magic retirement age will be looking hard at what their future lifestyle projections will be.

Reacting to the simple math concept that $50,000 at ten to 15 percent (they hope) grows a heck of a lot faster than three to five percent per year, they will create their own momentum once again by investing in stocks. Tremendous investor psychology comes into play during these market events, and while money decisions should not be made on an emotional basis, they frequently are.

In many respects, these close-to-retirees have no choice; their time horizon is short, they don't want to be working until they are 75, and truth be known, they have not saved enough (many of them) for those meaningful golden years.

Even those who have managed to accumulate a fair amount, ventured into uncharted territory in attempting to increase those retirement investments.

Some were wise, took their profits and got out; many were not, and are now looking at a significantly reduced pension distributions come age 65. Emails to investment websites are full of tales of regret and stories of how much has been lost; many again, in spite of their better judgment, will seek to bolster those new returns. This time, hopefully, they will remember to invest prudently, with diversification and by not trying to time the market.

Review Your Bermuda National Pension Scheme After one full year under the Bermuda National Pension Scheme, many employees are not exactly enthusiastic about their year returns either. For those who have never been in an investment scheme before, the year-end results have been pretty discouraging and certainly not what was expected.

If you are 25, 35, or 45, or even 50, you have to keep in mind that this money is invested for the long-term. Historically, the market has returned over time, more than an average of 11 percent. The key words here are over time; one year in the stock market is not indicative of what your entire pension will ultimately generate. You may be simply buying cheap shares and will see your pension managers take advantage of the upward bounce. Next year's results, may be entirely different. Those of you who feel terribly nervous or are within five years of retirement, may wish to revisit your asset allocation model with your pension advisor. Keep in mind, if you elect to move to less riskier investments, you may need to save more to compensate for the lower rate of return.

The times they are a changin' Times have changed, readers; this Island is subject to global investment forces, just like anywhere else. Well, not everywhere, we can rule out Macedonia, where today ordinary civilised people flee for their lives. What must it be like to see yourself on CNN making your way across a border with nothing left but the clothes on your back? Viewing these hapless refugees, one would think they were out for a country stroll after a nice dinner, except for the extreme distress and pain displayed on their faces.

They don't have to worry about the markets because they have more important things to worry about, such as whether an artillery shell will blow them all to smithereens. Financial planning and savings are totally irrelevant issues, although they all know that their lives have been changed, irrevocably. What must it feel like to know that if you escape with your life you will have to start all over again? Put every thing into perspective. Carpe diem.

Martha Harris Myron CPA CFP, is a Bermudian, a Certified Financial Planner ( with a NASD Series 7 license and a US tax background. She is Program Director for the Financial Planning Association of Bermuda. Questions regarding this article may be sent to Email: marthamyron y northrock.bm Under no circumstances does the information in this column represent a recommendation to buy or sell stocks or any other investments. Readers needing specific assistance should seek advice from an experienced professional financial advisor.

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