February 13, 2023

If you’re thinking about selling or buying an investment, it’s important to walk yourself through a traditional process to determine whether or not it really makes sense to change your overall strategy. It is a common experience to see that your investments may not yield the returns that you had hoped, which means you might be thinking about pulling them out and reinvesting them somewhere else.

If things are going well overall in your investment portfolio, it may make sense to cash out on those poorly performing investments and move on to the next one. Always look at your long-term investment plan and analysis of your overall goals to determine whether this makes sense for you.

There are a few different questions you can ask yourself to decide if this is the right fit. The first of these is, “Have my financial circumstances changed?” You may want to update your investment strategy when your financial goals shift. Similarly, if you’ve experienced any major life events such as having a child, changing jobs, getting divorced or married, or receiving a promotion with a raise, now may be the right time to alter your investment strategy. The second question to consider is, “Has my risk tolerance changed?” Over time, you may find that your tolerance for risk in investments has altered. Determine how much risk you are prepared to accept, and this may alter your decision about how much you want to invest in things that may be riskier. If you are looking at longer than a one-decade horizon, higher-risk investments offer potential for higher returns, and this may make sense to invest in items such as stocks.

However, if your time horizon is between two and 10 years, a mix of conservative investments and stocks might make a better approach. Make sure to work with a qualified and experienced financial professional to determine what is most appropriate given your unique situation.