Stock market 2023–2025 returns: 26%, 25%, 18%
Dave Ramsey cited the S&P's recent annual returns: 26% in 2023, 25% in 2024, and 18% in 2025, with 13% already achieved in 2026.
Where this was said
Neo in Jacksonville: Convincing Aging Parents to Start Investing
At 1:58 · chapter starts 0:50
Neo from Jacksonville opens the show with a question that resonates with millions: his parents, aged 55 and 62, have zero retirement savings, and he wants to know how to convince them to start. Dave Ramsey's answer is rooted in selling hope through real numbers [1] — Dave Ramsey "A dollar invested at 25 is worth $72 at retirement. Dave Ramsey shows that even parents in their 60s can build meaningful wealth if they st…" 00:50 — he directs Neo to the Ramsey retirement calculator to show his parents the concrete impact of even $500 a month invested now. He backs it with recent market data: 26% returns in 2023, 25% in 2024, 18% in 2025. Rachel adds urgency, noting that a dollar invested at 25 is worth $72 at retirement — the clock is ticking even for a 62-year-old. The recommended next step is bringing his parents to a SmartVestor Pro who will teach rather than talk down. Dave closes with the classic proverb: the best time to plant an oak tree was 30 years ago; the next best time is today.
It's Never Too Late to Invest — The Math Proves It
A dollar invested at 25 is worth $72 at retirement. Dave Ramsey shows that even parents in their 60s can build meaningful wealth if they start now — and uses real market returns (26%, 25%, 18% in recent years) to make the case. The best time to plant an oak tree was 30 years ago; the second-best time is today.
The Dow Is at 54,000 — Nobody 'Lost Everything' in 2008
People who claim they 'lost everything' in 2008 are mathematically wrong — unless they sold at the worst possible moment and never bought back in. The Dow went from 13,000 to 6,300, then all the way to 54,000. Holding through the drop turned a paper loss into a massive gain. An investment psychologist found that losing $1 requires $3 in gains just to feel even — that's the negativity bias keeping people out of the market.
Dow dropped from 13K to 6.3K in 2008
In 2008, the Dow peaked at 13,000 then dropped to 6,300 — but investors who stayed in have since seen it reach 54,000.
Losing $1 requires $3 gain to feel even
An investment psychologist's study found that for every dollar lost, investors need to gain $3 to feel the same emotional level — illustrating negativity bias.
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