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On September 18, the S&P 500 closed the day at 2,011.36. As of my writing, the S&P 500 sits at 1,864.84. In other words, the S&P 500 has lost 7.3% of its value in less than a month.

Let’s put that in dollars and cents.

Let’s say that on September 18, I had $100,000 in my retirement account invested in a stock mutual fund that’s made up of something very similar to the S&P 500. This is pretty typical for people who are saving hard for their retirement.

Right now, that investment is only worth $92,715.38. $7,284.62 has vanished into thin air.

If you had $500,000 invested on September 18, $36,423.12 has vanished since then.

That kind of quick drop is scary to a lot of people. It’s not altogether different than the feeling you get when you’re riding a roller coaster and you start to drop off of a tall hill. It can make you feel a bit queasy if you think about it too much.

I’ve had a lot of successes in changing my life for the better. Over the course of approximately five and a half years, Sarah and I managed to pay off three student loans, three car loans, four nearly-maxed-out credit cards, and a full home mortgage, moving ourselves from financial disaster to complete debt freedom. I essentially built a new career for myself out of whole cloth, too, practically making my own job up along the way. I switched from a meat-heavy diet to a vegetarian diet (with rare fish consumption).

At the same time, I’ve had a ton of failures along the way. I’ve failed at many of my personal fitness goals. I’ve failed repeatedly to write a novel that I felt was publishable. I’ve failed in countless other things, too.

When I look back at my own successes and failures, I can’t help but ask myself what the difference is between the successes and failures. Why did I succeed at some things and fail at other things?

I’m on a quest to find the best retirement plan to roll over my old 401(k). Since millions of other people are in this same boat, and don’t know where to turn for sound advice, I figured I would conduct the most thorough research I could — publicly — then put my money where my mouth is. At the end of my research I will literally roll over my old 401(k) worth approximately $85,000 to the best plan and company I can find!

A Bit of Background

I’m 33, have two kids under the age of three, and a wife who also has a full-time job. Because my plate is full both at home and at work, I have been desperately searching for the easiest and cheapest way to manage my passive long-term stock and bond investments. I want no hassles and no extra hidden costs.

Hurricanes and earthquakes can wreak havoc on your business, but too many owners overlook these risks.

Running a business is fraught with challenges that must be addressed on a daily basis, ranging from personnel and payroll to competition and cash flow. Most business owners recognize the need to insulate themselves from risks, both internal and external. After all, hazards abound, whether they’re the result of honest errors on the part of the business or third-party negligence. Each of these risks are usually protected against by insurance, such as business property coverage or errors and omissions insurance.