Here's some more advanced, slightly politically cynical advice.

If you're planning to just plop money into an index fund, hold your cash for now because you've missed the train.

Look at the SPX, DJIA and NASDAQ performance during the past 3 years and notice the pattern.

Every year, there's a "major" politically-driven economic scandal which tanks the market and then after a few months, things claw to a new all-time high. The (1) threat and (2) then follow-through of the Chinese tariffs with a little bit of chaos after the election of the Squad and their Green New Deal, then (3) COVID.

After we win, the Dems even as a minority party will cook something up and you'll get another chance to invest come mid-2021.

In the meantime, there's a ton of other stuff you can do with your money. This is the best time to finance a house purchase in perhaps a generation so try that.

Here's some more advanced, slightly politically cynical advice.

If you're planning to just plop money into an index fund, hold your cash for now because you've missed the train.

Look at the SPX, DJIA and NASDAQ performance during the past 3 years and notice the pattern.

Every year, there's a "major" politically-driven economic scandal which tanks the market and then after a few months, things claw to a new all-time high. The (1) threat and (2) then follow-through of the Chinese tariffs with a little bit of chaos after the election of the Squad and their Green New Deal, then (3) COVID.

After we win, the Dems even as a minority party will cook something up and you'll get another chance to invest come mid-2021.