What to think about when saving for near-term goals amid choppy markets

As inflation soars and markets slide, many investors are wondering what’s coming next.

Traditional advice dictates that long-term investors — those who are focused on retirement dates further down the road — should stay the course in the markets.

But those with shorter time horizons of three- to five-years for a closer goal, like saving for a down payment to buy a home, should take a different approach.

“Principal preservation and access when you need it are really the main things you’re after for time horizons of up to five years,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com.

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