How I did during the Great Recession

[ripper1]

Yep. The years following the crash were my biggest accumulation years in my 401k- maxing out contributions with catchup contributions at highly reduced share prices. I never changed my AA. I've had a 133% gain in the 401k balance since the bottom.

+1......I was able to do the same thing for the last three years at work from 2007-2010. The catch up clause in my 457 allowed me to almost double my contributions at that point. I remember people at work telling me I was going to lose everything.

 

[Lsbcal]

FWIW, here is our portfolio's ride over the last decade. Currently 9% above inflation adjusted starting value.

and the AA picture:

Please note the pretty colors .

 

[redduck]

First thing I noted was the pretty colors.

 

[NW-Bound]

... and I see some "bang-bang" control on international/US stock allocation. No visible effects on the bottom line though. Or am I missing something here?

 

[Lsbcal]

... and I see some "bang-bang" control on international/US stock allocation. No visible effects on the bottom line though. Or am I missing something here?

My international allocation is split between large international and midcap international. Each international component is tested against it's US cap equivalent and I go with whatever is doing best. This is a broadly based, completely mechanical algorithm, and employs monthly data. Have done this since 2009 after doing studies going back decades. So far it has done better then holding just straight international.

The portfolio graph includes spending so one cannot easily infer performance from the AA.

 

[sengsational]

Agreed, though that data is not readily available, and I'm too lazy to figure it out from spotty records...

It probably looks like one of these anyway.