This blog post originally came out in March of 2020, during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, we were all trying to make sense of dramatic market swings—and the temptation to time the market was real.

While the headlines have changed, the market’s unpredictability hasn’t. Fast forward to today, and we’ve seen plenty of fresh waves of volatility—this time fueled by things like the ongoing tariff wars, geopolitical tensions, and policy uncertainty. But here’s the thing: the core principles we shared back then still hold true.

In this updated version of the original blog, we’ll revisit the timeless question: “What should I do about the volatility in the markets?” This post focuses on a common urge—timing the market—and why it rarely works out the way we hope.

One of the most under considered aspects of 401(k) plans, especially smaller ones, is overall plan design. This can happen when a small plan chooses a very large 401(k) provider who provides more standardized plan designs due to their sheer size. These plans may work satisfactorily but it is possible that rethinking and customizing a smaller plan's design might better suit both the principals and the employees in the sponsoring company.