If a Stock Market Crash Is Coming, History Says This 1 Strategy Has a Perfect Track Record

A Motley Fool investment analysis recommends buying low-cost S&P 500 index funds and holding them for at least 20 years as a strategy to weather potential market downturns. The S&P 500 and its predecessors have never produced negative returns over any 20-year period in history, including during the Great Depression, World War II, stagflation, and the 2008 financial crisis. The strategy's success stems from the market's long-term upward trajectory, dividend reinvestment (accounting for roughly 44% of returns over 30 years), and minimal fees from low-cost index funds like Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF, which charges just 0.03% annually.