The Dow Jones hit almost 23,000 Tuesday -- an all-time high!
You've heard that bell at the New York Stock Market Exchange, but it doesn't mean much because you don't invest, right?
Wrong!
The effects of an improving economy affect everyone, but it's not all good.
First, Matt Vian, founder of Northsight Wealth Management in Tempe, said it’s so unpredictable that nobody knows if it'll keep rising or not.
"It's really hard to time if the market [is] at an all-time high,” Vian said.
So here's how it breaks down for Arizonans.
You may not buy or sell stocks, but essentially your 401(k) does.
Despite Tuesday’s record Dow Jones, Vian doesn't suggest making any changes to your 401(k) just yet unless “you're starting to get closer to retirement,” he said. “You might want to start backing down off your risks and not be 100 percent in stocks.
Otherwise, he warns the market is volatile.
For those who do not have a 401(k), Vian said you will see (if you haven’t already) indirect impacts.
"Rent is getting more expensive for people,” Vian said. “This week we've had fuel prices that have started to rise as well."
And that can mean more expensive goods and services.
"Everything rises with [the market’s success]. It will create some inflation."
If you want to jump in on the trend, investing is always a risk. Vian suggests not looking for instant results.
"The Dow Jones was around 13,500 right before the (2008) crash,” Vian said. “Now it's at 23,000, so you would be up from where you bought in--almost double--if you did not sell. Now, people that sold, they locked in their losses. The stock market is thinking about the long term and just contributing consistently."