re: historical rally
Japan was the mother of all rallies. the Japan Stock Market Index (JP225) reached an all time high of 38957.44 in December of 1989.
In 1983 it was at 7584 before going up 5x
followed by80% loss. Index bottomed at 7854 in Dec. 2002.
What's a increase of one dollar or 60% up move between friends? The Saudis are happy. The prostitutes in Monaco. are happy. What could be a more favorable scenario to the average American?
There is no such thing as equilibrium. It is a moving target. You keep going with your system until the greatest cooler in the universe, the stock market, gives you a dose of reality. Then you tweak your system or take time off.
Your anecdote is a reminder that the Euro crisis is only in hibernation and will reveal itself with force again in the future,
When the euro crisis erupts again I will remind people of the old quote from Yogi Berra it ain't over till it is over.
private investor will not be subject to a self-employment tax. The question than becomes are you then better off being classified as self employed than an ordinary tax payer