There’s a longstanding belief propagated in financial services that withdrawing no more than 4% of your portfolio might provide you with a 30-year time horizon before running out of money. We certainly don’t base our advice on rules of thumb, and in this recent essay, the author reminds readers not to overly rely on any assumed rate of withdrawal. Click here to request a copy of the essay.

The first few weeks of 2016 were the worst start for the S&P 500 in history. So what should you do? The attached article serves as a reminder that negative returns in January (or any single month) are not meaningful because the subsequent 11-month returns have been positive 59% of the time, with an average return of 7%.

Accept the periods of negative volatility and remain disciplined. As the time period increases, the probability of realizing positive expected returns increases. Let patience lead to prosperity.

With 2015 behind us, here’s a chance to review some overall market performance alongside prominent headlines throughout the year. Click the image to view in greater detail.