Sure, we can talk about implementation details but that should come after debunking the myth that a) everyone can be a millionaire if they are cute little savers and start so early on, and b) that investing money each month or whatever period you chose is the right way to go about that. Are the details tricky to work out? Absolutely yes. But what a lot of amateurs don't understand is that looking at how spx appreciated, return wise, from fixed point a to fixed point b is not the same in terms of total return than investing at all the midpoints. It creates a completely different return profile. And that is why beating the SPX buy and hd is so hard for many PMs. They must reinvest money. Why Buffet beats them is because he reinvest at superior price levels while those PMs and mom and Pop buy at any price level, their behavior is not price level optimized but time optimized. Do you want me to make a quick spread sheet to demonstrate that?
ok, even if that is your point - the math is still not right.
yes, buying after a correction is a known edge... I do that too, have a small % of cash on hand for that purpose... 12 month return after vix hits 30 has about a 5% extra return on the historical average.
problem is you don't know how long you have to wait before the correction comes - the execution is not as easy as it sounds.... due to the interval volatility, instead of the average mom and pop just put a few bucks into the 401k, now that cash needs to accumulate for who knows how long and then how do they buy in? lump sum at 10% correction? or save some for 20% down? you are opening up a can of worm even experienced investors may not be able to handle.
401k/ira participation is fairly high among the middle class and it has produced millionaires and that is a fact.
of course there are many poor people who can't participate, but that will exist regardless.
and just think this way - if it were that easy, just buy after 10% down, why can virtually zero managers beat the qqq?

