You are thinking about stopping contributions to your retirement plan because your investments are doing so badly.

• Are your investments diversified, or concentrated in your employer’s stock?
• Do you have a sufficient emergency fund?
• Did you select these investments as part of an overall plan?

You are retired, or planning to retire, and you planned to sell some investments each year to generate income.

• Do you have savings to cover expenses for a year or two, to give your investments a chance to recover?
• Could you return to work, or continue working, in order to delay tapping your investments?
• Can you cut expenses so that you need less income?

Your child is starting college, and these investments were intended to pay for college expenses.

• Do you have savings to cover the first year or two, to give your investments a chance to recover?
• Can your child attend a less expensive school for the first year or two, or work to pay part of the costs?

The value of your investments has dropped a lot. You’re nervous and wondering if you should sell and put the money somewhere safe.

• What would be the downside of selling now?
• How will you feel if you sell, and miss the rebound of stock prices?
• How long will it be until you need to tap these investments?
• Did you select these investments as part of an overall plan?

A lot of your money is invested in your employer’s stock, through your 401(k), employee stock purchase plan, or stock options and other special programs.

• If the stock value drops and doesn’t recover, how would that affect your overall financial security, your retirement, or other financial goals?
• What would happen if you lost your job and the stock lost much of its value at the same time?