2nd time portfolio shows a loss

[ejman]

I've been ER'd for 13 years now. This is only the second time in all those years that my portfolio shows a lower balance at the end of the year than at the beginning ( I live off my portfolio except for SS started 3 years ago at 62). The loss in 2008 was 12 times greater than the loss this year so I shouldn't complain too much. It just feels kind of weird to see it go down. I guess I just got used to those NW lines that go up and up on the right hand side of the graph...

No, not changing allocation and doing much of anything other than having a nice glass of wine and wishing all a Happy New Year!

 

[aaronc879]

I'm down .55%. I can live with that.

 

[RockyMtn]

up .03%. Small gain better than no gain!

 

[ejman]

Quicken says my portfolio performance is up .32% for the year. I guess perception changes after one is actually living off the portfolio. It doesn't feel it's "up" unless the ending NW number is bigger at the end of the year as compared to the end of last year. ( It seems taking out my usual $60 - 70K a year doesn't count - weird how the mind works)

 

[mathjak107]

up .75%

 

[Tadpole]

My portfolio is up over 3% but the non-new money investments are down .2% as of EOY midnight 12/31/2015.

 

[sherrywilliam]

Down 4.10 percent but that is counting my withdrawals . Are you all counting withdrawals in your calculations?

 

[Mulligan]

Up 8.8%, no withdrawals, but I am including compounded dividends from reinvestments of my preferred stocks.


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[Ronstar]

Down .97% counting withdrawals
Up 1.97% not counting withdrawals

 

[Christine]

Well done, Ejman! Hope it was a nice wine. You deserved it!

I'm up 8% partly because I haven't quite learned how to spend.

 

[audreyh1]

Down 4.10 percent but that is counting my withdrawals . Are you all counting withdrawals in your calculations?

I don't count the 3.5% hit from my withdrawal, because that is not part of the portfolio investment performance.

Besides, technically it is already removed before the start of trading in 2015.

 

[Sunset]

This year was an ouch... including spending mine went down 15.5%

Biggest reason was foreign currency exposure.

 

[jfn111]

About to start my 5th year of retirement and I was expecting the account to decline for the first time. I was surprised when I snuck out a $19,000 gain after $48,000 worth of withdrawals and dividends received.

 

[ejman]

Down 4.10 percent but that is counting my withdrawals . Are you all counting withdrawals in your calculations?

Counting all withdrawals my liquid NW is down 1.4% for the year. The methodology I used for this calculation is: (year end 2015 liquid net worth - YE 2014 liquid NW)/YE 2014 liquid NW. As mentioned @ earlier post, Quicken calculates my investments Average Annual Return as 0.36% (this number now includes dividends paid out yesterday).

Its interesting to see the different ways used to calculate return @ various posts and what gets included (or not). Maybe there should be a ER.org "approved" calculation methodology so we can all compare apples to apples or maybe not...

 

[ejman]

Well done, Ejman! Hope it was a nice wine. You deserved it!

I'm up 8% partly because I haven't quite learned how to spend.

Wow well done, maybe that's a bit of learning you don't need just yet...

 

[NW-Bound]

I've been ER'd for 13 years now. This is only the second time in all those years that my portfolio shows a lower balance at the end of the year than at the beginning ( I live off my portfolio except for SS started 3 years ago at 62). The loss in 2008 was 12 times greater than the loss this year so I shouldn't complain too much. It just feels kind of weird to see it go down. I guess I just got used to those NW lines that go up and up on the right hand side of the graph...

No, not changing allocation and doing much of anything other than having a nice glass of wine and wishing all a Happy New Year!

Besides 2015, I count 2001, 2002, and of course 2008 as the years my portfolio was down.

Down -2.5% this year. Me worry? Nah, I have been down a whole lot more before. Party on.

I went to bed early last night. At midnight, some guys in the neighborhood set off some firecrackers and disturbed my sleep. The partying is later today with my extended family. Just finished the food preparation to cook and grill later this afternoon.

Life's good when you are surrounded by family, lots of food, and of course booze.

Down 4.10 percent but that is counting my withdrawals . Are you all counting withdrawals in your calculations?

I don't count the 3.5% hit from my withdrawal, because that is not part of the portfolio investment performance.

Besides, technically it is already removed before the start of trading in 2015.

Of course I count only the market effect, not the withdrawal which is self-inflicted.

 

[sherrywilliam]

I don't count the 3.5% hit from my withdrawal, because that is not part of the portfolio investment performance.

Besides, technically it is already removed before the start of trading in 2015.

ok then down .26 not counting distributions. Took out the money when the market was up

 

[audreyh1]

My portfolio was also down in 2011 - by 1.9%.

2015 was slightly better at down 0.8%.

 

[Andre1969]

I've been ER'd for 13 years now. This is only the second time in all those years that my portfolio shows a lower balance at the end of the year than at the beginning ( I live off my portfolio except for SS started 3 years ago at 62). The loss in 2008 was 12 times greater than the loss this year so I shouldn't complain too much.

How did you do in 2011?

My records only go back to 1998, which was when I finally recovered from a bad divorce and was able to get serious about saving and investing. My net worth has only dropped twice since then...2002 and 2008. However, I've had a negative return in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2008, and 2011...it's just that since I'm still working and contributing, the additional investments have offset the losses in some of those years.

If I was retired and living off of my investments, 2011 would definitely have been a down year for me, net worth-wise. And 2015 would have, as well.

 

[HadEnuff]

On accounts that got no new money, down .8%...
2015 was the last year that I will have put new money in. From here on out it's living on the portfolio and SS....well not completely true,,DW is still working, but for how long is uncertain.

Now I'll really find out what my risk tolerance is. It's all fun while it's going UP...

 

[DROPOUT]

Down 0.93% ...

I DCA'ed in quite a bit this year. Overall, not terrible ...

 

[ejman]

How did you do in 2011?

My records only go back to 1998, which was when I finally recovered from a bad divorce and was able to get serious about saving and investing. My net worth has only dropped twice since then...2002 and 2008. However, I've had a negative return in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2008, and 2011...it's just that since I'm still working and contributing, the additional investments have offset the losses in some of those years.

If I was retired and living off of my investments, 2011 would definitely have been a down year for me, net worth-wise. And 2015 would have, as well.

According to Quicken, my investment return in 2011 was 3.44%. My liquid NW was up a small amount for the year. (My WD rate is generally between 2-3%)

 

[NanoSour]

My total portfolio went down 1.15%. This includes deposits (IRA Cont as DW still works) and Withdrawals (monthly living expenses). This is not the return, but rather the net change in value. My portfolio return for 2015 was -0.43%.

 

[W2R]

I think my portfolio might have shown a gain had I left it untouched, but this year I chose to use part of it to buy a more expensive house in cash, sell my previous home, and move, all of which involved some costs. And then there was the crummy market, and the fact that I used some of my portfolio for 2015 living expenses.

So, between my investment portfolio and bank accounts, my 12/31/2015 balance compared with my 12/31/2014 balance, is down 5.7%. I expected this, planned it, and can afford it, but it isn't pretty. My WR for 2016 is still in the 1.x% area so it will be OK.

Long ago my ex and I had a blue and gold macaw named Lucy who was terrified of thunderstorms when she was a baby. When thunder shook the house, I would comfort her by snuggling with her and saying, "It's OK, it's OK". As she grew older, she wasn't as upset by thunderstorms. Then, when thunder rang out, she would look directly into my eyes and say in such a tender voice, "It's OK, it's OK". So, I am imagining Lucy saying that to me this morning as I look at these balances.

 

[Lsbcal]

W2R, let's face it -- it's tough when you are enjoying life.

We enjoyed life to the tune of down -5% on the portfolio: -3.5% expenses and -1.5% investment losses.

I'm taking a good look at portfolio benchmarks to honestly compare alternate strategies going forward. No immediate plans for changes ... yet.