In general, savings and retirement plans have been devastated by misguided policies. Stage one of any financial plan is to understand the environment we find ourselves in.
https://www.mauldineconomics.com/images/uploads/pdf/2013_09_03_2OTB.pdf

Dollars Distort Our Understanding of Wealth
Most investors measure wealth in dollars — but what if the ruler itself is shrinking? Since 2000, the S&P 500 is up nearly 5x in dollar terms, yet priced in

