Adrian Volenik
7 min read
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One investor in their late 20s says they made a decision that now feels impossible to undo. After years of steadily investing in index funds, they pulled all of their money out of the stock market in 2025 after their father warned of an impending crash. Now, with markets near historic highs, they’re struggling to figure out how to get back in.
“I am in a huge pickle,” the investor wrote in a Reddit post that quickly attracted hundreds of responses. “My dad keeps waiting for the stocks to drop to get his money back in but I’m wondering if I can afford this long term.”
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Trying To Time The Market
The poster admitted the decision wasn’t entirely their father’s fault, but they also revealed that their father had been managing investment accounts for all three of his adult children and moved everyone’s money into a money market account after becoming concerned about market risks.
The investor said they originally planned to leave their money invested for decades.
“That was the plan… lasted 8 years,” they wrote, adding that they now have “big regrets.”
The situation became even more frustrating after markets recovered. At one point, the investor recalled, the S&P 500 had fallen sharply and appeared to offer an opportunity to buy back in.
“Yeah I remember in April the S&P 500 was down 23% at one point and my dad still didn’t want to get back in, ‘it will drop lower’ that was my cue to wake up,” they wrote.
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One of the most common responses from commenters was that the investor had fallen into the classic trap of trying to time both the exit and the reentry.
Several pointed out that successful market timing requires being right twice: knowing when to sell and knowing when to buy back in.
Others argued that sitting in cash while waiting for the perfect correction can sometimes be riskier than staying invested.
Taking Control Of The Plan
The discussion also shifted toward the investor’s relationship with their father. Many commenters were surprised that a parent still had access to investment accounts belonging to adult children.
