Your 401(k) Took a Hit—And You’re Not Even Driving

President Donald Trump and his surrogates recently offered a dose of market morale: “Don’t sell.”
It’s classic Trump—part pep talk, part warning, all confidence. But here in Texas’ 3rd Congressional District, where retirement dreams and stock charts often cross paths in the same household, plenty of folks raised an eyebrow and asked: “Sell what, exactly?”

Because here’s the truth neither President Trump nor our very own Congressman Keith Self seems eager to spell out:

For the vast majority of 401(k) holders in Collin County—from Plano to McKinney to Allen—there’s not much they can sell, even if they wanted to.

Your 401(k) isn’t a trading desk. It’s a collection of preset mutual funds and target-date packages, curated by plan managers and fund executives who make the buy/sell calls for you. You’re not pulling the levers—they are.

🛑 You’re Not Driving That 401(k)

Most workers don’t pick stocks. They’re defaulted into 401(k) plans built around mutual funds and target-date funds. These “set-it-and-forget-it” vehicles sound safe—but they still hold a large portion of equities that move with the market.

And here in TX-3, where tech professionals, healthcare workers, and business owners all rely on these plans, many are discovering something they weren’t told:

You can’t sell stocks in your 401(k)—because you never bought them in the first place.

🔒 Who’s Actually Selling?

Fund managers. Not you. Not your HR department. Not even your friendly neighborhood congressman. Mutual funds and target-date funds have internal turnover and can sell stocks at any time without asking your permission.

Even if you wanted to “stay the course,” you were never steering the ship.

📉 So… When Do You Bounce Back?

If your 401(k) balance has taken a dip lately, you’re not alone. But history tells us that unless you panic and cash out, which depending on the plan you might not be able to do, 401(k) balances usually recover in 1–3 years.

At least some consolation: If you still have a job and keep contributing, you’re likely buying low—and that can help accelerate your recovery.

🧘 What You Can Do (Besides Panic)

• ✅ Reallocate to more conservative funds like bonds or stable value funds
• ✅ Disable auto-rebalancing (if your plan allows it)
• ✅ Check if your plan has a brokerage window for more control
• ✅ Don’t panic-sell—studies show missing the market’s 10 best days can cut your long-term gains in half

🎯 TX-3 Perspective

In North Texas, where financial planning is practically a weekend pastime, the phrase “Don’t sell” doesn’t quite land the way it’s intended. Whether you’re a retired Lockheed engineer, a Frisco tech worker, or a McKinney teacher watching your 401(k) balance shrink in real time—it’s worth remembering that this rollercoaster doesn’t come with your hands on the wheel.

What does matter now? Smart adjustments, straight talk, and knowing that campaign slogans make great soundbites—but lousy investment advice.

Here’s hoping that by the next election cycle, we’ve all read the fine print—and make our voices count where it matters most.