The S&P 500 Is 3% Below Its Record. Should You Buy Vanguard's Index Fund Now, or Wait for a Correction?

With the S&P 500 trading 3% below its record high, the article examines whether investors should buy the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF now or wait for a deeper correction. Historical data shows that buying at or near record highs has outperformed average days, with 88% of purchases at all-time highs generating positive returns over the following year. While corrections of 10% or more occur in roughly half of calendar years, timing such declines is difficult, and waiting often costs investors more than it saves. The author recommends buying for long-term investors, potentially through dollar-cost averaging.