This comment is wrong and here's why.  A RIF of ours totaled $217,783- before May 2007 and contained only dividend paying stocks.  It hit a low in Feb 2009 of $127,579- and because we didn't sell anything, it rose again to $320,890-.  The key is, not to panic and sell.  The market over time always trends up.  Long term charts prove it.  I probably can't convince the unhearing.