Everyone’s Predicting a Market Correction—Should I Move to Cash?

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Everyone’s Predicting a Market Correction—Should I Move to Cash?"

Podcast: Ramsey Everyday Millionaires
Date: March 20, 2026
Hosts: Ramsey Network (George Kamel, Rachel Cruze, et al.)
Theme: Should you move investments to cash due to fears of a market correction? Real advice from financial experts to help everyday people build and preserve wealth.

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around a common concern during uncertain economic times: is it wise to move retirement investments to cash if everyone is predicting a market downturn? The discussion features a listener, Robert from Nashville, who is approaching retirement and worried about current market indicators. The Ramsey Network hosts provide both practical and reassuring financial advice rooted in their core investing philosophy, emphasizing the importance of staying the course during volatile times.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Robert's Retirement Concern and Financial Snapshot

• Robert's Situation:
  • Planning to retire in 11 months
  • 401k and Roth investments: $400,000
  • High-yield savings: $100,000 (for supplementing retirement living costs)
  • Historical mutual fund returns: 10.89% annually over 23 years
  • Invested aggressively (93% in equities) after finding Dave Ramsey later in life

2. Fear of Market Correction: Should He Move to Cash? (00:26 – 01:31)

• Robert’s Main Question:
  • With gold high, dollar down, and major investors moving to cash, should he move a portion of his holdings into a money market fund (essentially cash)?

3. Ramsey Network Response: Stay Invested in Equities (01:13 – 02:14)

• The team praises Robert’s past investment choices and long-term approach.

• Quote:

  • "Way to go. That's exactly what we tell people." — George Kamel (01:10)

• Core Ramsey advice is not to reactively shift to bonds or cash out of fear, since long-term returns come overwhelmingly from staying invested in equities.

• Quote:

  • "Dave is not a fan of the asset allocation theory of let's move you to 60% bonds because we're spooked. Because the truth is you are missing out on a whole lot of returns because you could live another 30 years." — George Kamel (01:31)

4. Market Timing vs. Time in the Market (02:14 – 03:59)

• The danger of making investment decisions based on fear and current indicators is emphasized.

• Robert acknowledges being "spooked by the indicators," noting his proximity to retirement.

• The hosts provide reassurance:

  • With cash in savings, Robert can weather short-term market dips without selling investments at a loss.
  • If the market drops, he can adjust spending or dip into cash rather than disrupt his retirement nest egg.

• Quote:

  • “If you ignored headlines for the rest of your life, I guarantee you, you would be twice as wealthy than the person who goes, ‘well, I'm spooked. Let me jump out. Let me jump back in.’ I always say time in the market beats timing the market.” — George Kamel (02:44)

5. Learning from History: Don't Try to Predict the Market (03:03 – 03:32)

• The hosts and Robert discuss past downturns, especially the COVID-19 crash.

• Robert admits he exited the market out of fear, missed much of the recovery, and now regrets it.

• Quote:

  • “Most of the best days happen right after the worst days... usually, you stick around in cash, sitting on the sidelines way longer than you should, and then you jump back in way later when the market's already back up.” — George Kamel (03:32)

6. Reassurance and Philosophy Recap (03:59 – 04:56)

• The hosts provide reassurance and remind listeners of the typical speed of recoveries.

• Clickbait financial headlines or influencers trying to sell alternative investments often amplify market fears unnecessarily.

• The long-term recovery of the market is reaffirmed, regardless of age.

• Quote:

  • “Whether you’re 25 or 75, heed that advice. Time in the market beats timing the market.” — George Kamel (04:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "My annual rate of return on my mutual funds is 10.89% over the last 23 years." — Robert (00:58)
• "If you ignored headlines...you would be twice as wealthy than the person who goes, 'well, I'm spooked. Let me jump out. Let me jump back in.'" — George Kamel (02:44)
• "Most of the best days happen right after the worst days. And nobody knows how long the worst days are going to be..." — George Kamel (03:32)
• “We’re happy to talk you off the cliff.” (04:02)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:26 – Robert outlines retirement plans and concerns about the market
• 01:10 – Discussion of Robert's investment returns
• 01:31 – Ramsey Network’s stance on bonds vs. equities
• 02:44 – Time in the market vs. timing the market discussion
• 03:03 – Reflecting on past market dips (COVID-19 example)
• 04:02 – Reassuring Robert about staying invested
• 04:49 – Parting advice: time in the market beats timing the market

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Conclusion & Actionable Takeaway

The episode strongly reinforces the Ramsey philosophy: do not attempt to time the market or make major portfolio changes out of fear, especially right before retirement. Even in the face of scary headlines and dire predictions, history shows that sticking with a disciplined, long-term investing strategy—staying invested and weathering downturns—yields the best results. Listeners are reminded that “time in the market beats timing the market,” regardless of age or market conditions.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

This episode is brought to you by SmartVestor. Connect with an investing pro near you at RamseySolutions.com SmartVestor Robert is in Nashville, Tennessee.

[A]

Hey, Robert, how are you?

[C]

Hey, guys. I'm fine. How are you today?

[A]

Excellent. How can we help out?

[C]

Okay, I'll tell you my questions first, and then I'll give you all the particulars if you want them.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

I'm looking at retiring at the end of the year, and I'm looking at all the indicators. Gold's high, dollars down. Warren Buffett's moved a bunch of cash, has the biggest cash position ever. Should I take part of my 401k and move it into my cash mutual fund for now?

[B]

How much money do you have? What's your. What's your total nest egg?

[C]

Okay. Total nest egg. My wife and I have 400k and a 401k in Roth. We have 100,000 in the high yield savings account. We plan on using that interest, draw off it yearly for part of our retirement living. My annual rate of return on my mutual funds is 10.89% over the last 23 years.

[B]

Way to go. That's exactly what we tell people.

[A]

That's where you should be.

[B]

So you've been doing it right. So you're heavy in equities. You don't have a lot of bonds right now. What's the split?

[C]

It's probably. I've been very aggressive because I found Dave later in life.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

I've been very aggressive. It's worked out I'm probably 93% in stocks right now.

[B]

Dave Ramsey would like. So here's the deal. Dave is not a fan of the asset allocation theory of let's move you to 60% bonds because we're spooked. Because the truth is you are missing out on a whole lot of returns because you could live another 30 years. Right. How old are you?

[C]

Well, I'm 70. My wife plans to live to be a hundred, but I'm going to die first.

[B]

Well, she'll outlive you out of sheer will. That's how the women are.

[C]

She fights me. Yes.

[B]

So here you're saying you want to pull it into cash.

[C]

No. No. I have a money market fund within my Roth and in with it. Within.

[B]

Yeah. You want to pull out of the market.

[A]

It would be basically a high savings account at that point.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

I would not do that. And is it because you're spooked by the indicators?

[C]

I'm spooked by the indicators. You know, I've lived through These corrections before, but now I'm 11 months from retirement.

[B]

Yeah, here's the good news. You guys have some cash. And so if the market was way down, what would you do? You would cut way down on your spending for a little bit and maybe dip into your high yield savings and try to not touch retirement, right?

[C]

Correct.

[B]

Which means you can weather the storm. Because here's the truth. If you ignored headlines for the rest of your life, I. I guarantee you, you would be twice as wealthy than the person who goes, well, I'm spooked. Let me jump out. Let me jump back in. I always say time in the market beats timing the market. And right now you think you have the crystal ball and so does everyone else, but I'm telling you, put away the crystal ball and just keep it riding.

[A]

But, Robert, you also have the gift of time, which means you have the gift of knowledge. And think back, because you said you've survived it all. Think back on those times where there was a dip and. And think how quickly the market corrected itself. What was it, a year? Two years?

[C]

Yeah, that's true. Because I jumped out when Covid hit.

[B]

And what happened? It spiked back up, didn't it?

[C]

And do you regret that I did because I missed a big part of that roller coaster.

[B]

You're living proof. Most of the best days happen right after the worst days. And nobody knows how long the worst days are going to be. But. But usually you stick around in cash, sitting on the sidelines way longer than you should, and then you jump back in way later when the market's already back up. And so if I'm you, I'm just gonna let it sit there and let it grow. And again, if there is a market correction, not a crash, if there's a dip, you'll be able to ride it out.

[C]

Okay, well, I need. I just need somebody to talk me off the cliff.

[A]

Yeah, we're happy to.

[B]

I hope I did. And you're right. There's indicators that are freaking people out right now. And a lot of people are taking advantage of that. And it gets clicks, it gets views, it gets you to buy their crypto and their course and their gold and silver. Yeah, but, man, I would not adjust anything you're doing right now.

[A]

I wouldn't either. And like I said, somebody like Robert, who's had 70 years to watch this all play out, he knows better than you. And I, you know, me in my 30s and you in your 40s, you know that. That was a joke, George.

[B]

Thank you. I am an old soul. I'm a 70 year old, I'm in my 40s.

[A]

But the point is he, he's seen this happen and he knows better than all of us that the recovery is real. And usually in a couple of years, you're right back actually in a better position than you were before the negative downturn.

[B]

So remember that, Robert, whether you're 25 or 75, heed that advice. Time in the market beats timing the market.

[A]

Yes.