Why "Right Now" Is the Best Time to Invest

"It's just too crazy right now...I'll wait for things to settle down before I invest."

If you've ever had this thought, you're not alone. And by now you should now how the world works, things never seem to settle down...

Markets are hovering near all-time highs. Economic headlines swing between optimism and concern. Many smart, successful people are sitting on cash — waiting for a “better” entry point or the next market dip. But here’s what the data actually shows: Right now — today, with the money you have available — is statistically one of the best times to invest for the long term. Charles Schwab studied this exact question. Their analysis reveals that the cost of waiting for the perfect moment almost always outweighs the benefit of even flawless market timing. And let's be real, perfect timing is impossible, so the smartest move for most long-term investors is to invest as soon as possible.

5 Hypothetical Investors: A 20-Year Experiment

Schwab modeled five investors who each received $2,000 at the start of every year from 2005 through 2024; a grand total of $40k. They all had the ability to invest in the S&P 500, but used various methods/timing:

Meet Your Investors:

• "Peter Perfect": Invested at the absolute BEST time each year; buying at the lowest stock market price each year.
• "Ashley Action": Invested the full $2,000 on the first trading day of the year—no waiting or guessing.‍
• "Matthew Monthly": Used dollar-cost averaging, splitting $2,000 into 12 monthly investments each year.‍
• "Rosie Rotten": Invested at the absolute WORST time, buying at the market’s highest price each year.‍
• "Larry Linger": Never invested in stocks—kept everything in cash (Treasury bills).

The results speak for themselves. After 20 years, here are the portfolio values for our 5 hypothetical investors:

• Peter Perfect: $186,077 -no surprise, considering his ability to time things perfectly.
• Ashley Action: $170,555; her immediate action only lagged "perfect timing" by ~$776/year.
• Matthew Monthly: $166,591- solid results without investing all at once.
• Rosie Rotten: $151,343- even if your timing is terrible, you can still profit.
• Larry Linger: $47,357...proof that "waiting for things to calm down" can be costly.

The gap between perfect timing and simply investing immediately was surprisingly small. And what's even more telling-consistently bad timing beat sitting on the sidelines by a wide margin. Procrastination was the real portfolio-killer.

Was This an Anomoly?

No! Schwab also reviewed 80 different 20-year rolling periods going back to 1926. The pattern held strongly: getting money into the market quickly consistently outperformed waiting.

Key Takeaways

• Time in the market beats timing the market. Stocks tend to rise far more often than they fall, use this to your advantage.
• Perfect is the enemy good enough. If you wait for the perfect time to invest, you'll never get off the sidelines. Accept that today's conditions are good enough to put capital to work.
• Dollar cost average to remove emotion. If you just can't pull the trigger with a lump sum investment, begin making smaller monthly purchases. It’s an excellent way to deploy money steadily without second-guessing your timing.

Of course, stocks involve risk, and past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. But the data is clear: the longer your money stays on the sidelines, the more potential growth you leave behind.  

Bottom Line

Stop waiting for the “perfect” time. Right now is one of the best times to put your available money to work according to your long-term plan. Whether you invest it as a lump sum today or set up automatic monthly contributions, the most important step is getting started. The market’s long-term upward bias rewards participation far more than prediction. Create (or revisit) your investment plan, take action, stay diversified, and let time and compounding do the heavy lifting.

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Thanks for reading, tune out the noise, and always be compounding!

‍_{Important Disclaimer: The information provided in this guide is for educational purposes only. Any examples used are based upon a fictitious client(s) that resembles our typical clients. Nothing here within should be considered investment or tax advice. Please consult with a financial advisor and/or CPA when considering investment and tax decisions. Based on Schwab’s analysis (updated July 2025). This is not personalized investment advice.}