In investment circles, a tenbagger is the Holy Grail, the nirvana of investment strategies. According to Motley Fool, “A big winner -- like a 10-bagger -- doesn't happen in a quarter, a year, or even five years (most of the time). If you want the really big gains, you need to be prepared to hold for a long time.” For my clients, I like to do the math, especially in times when a headline topic like the Fed raising (or not) interest rates hits the current news cycle. Enough to make Hercules drop his lion’s head and buy gold, but hold off following a myth publicized by media. These financial strategies may put your portfolio—and your concerns—on a better path. If you invested $10,000 in the S & P 500 Index (500 Largest U.S. Companies) 5 years (2010) ago how much would you have now (Jan. 2016)? $16,494.00 What if you started 25 years ago? $10,000 in 1991? How much do you have now? $94,743.00. This personal portfolio increase sounds good to me! What if you started 50 years ago? $10,000 in 1966? How much do you have now? $965,142.00. Not too bad! If you invested $10,000 in the S & P 500 Index in 1927 and just let it grow, untouched, until now, how much would it be worth? $33,134,335.00 Yes, you are seeing that correctly. Over 33 MILLION dollars. You would have made $33,124,335.00 in profits, not counting the original $10k investment or any fees. It’s strange. I never hear the media talk about how the “stock market” has created unprecedented wealth to those who are patient and maintain a long-term view. And for those of you who say, “But Dave, I’m retired. I have a short time- not a long time.” I say, “You will live 20-35 years in retirement. To me, that’s a long term plan.” That could be your tenbagger.   The return of principal for bond funds and for funds with significant underlying bond holdings is not guaranteed. Fund shares are subject to the same interest rate, inflation and credit risks associated with the underlying bond holdings. The value of fixed-income securities may be affected by changing interest rates and changes in credit ratings of the securities.  Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. Indexes are unmanaged portfolios and individuals cannot invest directly in an index.  Actual results will vary. This communication is for informational purposes only and nothing herein should be construed as a solicitation, recommendation or an offer to buy or sell any securities or product, and does not constitute legal or tax advice. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable but we do not guarantee accuracy or completeness. Do not act or rely upon the information and advice given in this publication without seeking the services of competent and professional legal, tax, or accounting counsel.