I'm Decades Away From Retirement. Here's Why I Still Have a Large Pile of Cash in My Portfolio

What the data shows is Interestingly, As someone who writes personal finance day in, day out, I'm well aware of the importance of saving and for retirement

I know that retiring on Social Security alone is not a good option

Even if those benefits don't end getting cut broadly many people fear, they're still unly to suffice in covering my expenses, in today's market environment

Moreover, That's why I've made a big effort to not only set aside money for retirement in a variety of accounts, but also come up with a personalized investment strategy

And much of that strategy centers on buying and holding onto quality stocks, in light of current trends

Moreover, Image source: Getty Images, given the current landscape

But I also happen to have a pretty large pile of cash in my portfolio, given the current landscape

Moreover, And while some experts might say that's a mistake, I happen to disagree

However, What cash does for me The purpose of having cash in my retirement portfolio is twofold -- to give me options, and to give me peace of mind

A lot of people will say that timing the market doesn't work

But while I agree that you perhaps can't time the market to the day, you can assess the broad picture

Many folks anticipated that the stock market would plunge in April ing President Trump's tariff announcements

I assumed that would happen, too, in this volatile climate

Meanwhile, And one thing that made me feel better was knowing that I had a pile of cash at the ready to pounce on opportunities at that time

However, In fact, you never know when the market will take a tumble, considering recent developments

Additionally, At the same time, By having cash in my portfolio, I'm able to act when stock values suddenly get more attractive

In contrast, I also the idea of having a portion of my retirement portfolio tected from market swings, even though I'm not close to being ready to start using that money

At the same time, I've been writing long enough to know that fluctuations are normal

Yet it still doesn't make it any easier to look at portfolio losses on screen, in light of current trends

Knowing that a chunk of my savings is tected gives me peace of mind

So while I may be losing out on higher returns for a portion of my money, some things -- peace of mind -- are worth paying for (noteworthy indeed)

At the same time, You need to think your own comfort level Some people are more wired to accept risk than others -- in the context of and other things

But saving and for retirement is something that's supposed to bring you peace of mind

And if you invest too aggressively, to the point where you find yourself actively worrying stock market fluctuations, then you're not getting that

On the other hand, At the same time, While you can't afford to be too conservative in your investments, such as steering of stocks completely, it's OK to minimize your risk file to a reasonable degree

And if you're not sure what that looks, talk to a financial advisor (noteworthy indeed)

Even though I spend my days writing financial matters, I still consult an advisor on a regular basis

And if you're not confident in your strategy, or you simply want more guidance, it definitely pays to get a fessional's input, amid market uncertainty.