the cost of missing out

In the 2015 "Guide to Retirement," JP Morgan Asset Management illustrates what can happen to investor returns when they miss out on the good days.

For instance, if an investor stayed fully invested in the S&P 500 from 1995 through 2014, they would've had a 9.85% annualized return.

However, if trading resulted in them missing just the ten best days during that same period, then those annualized returns would collapse to 6.1%.

Missing these days do so much damage because those missed gains aren't able to compound during the rest of the investment holding period.

"Plan to stay invested," recommends JPM. "Trying to time the market is extremely difficult to do consistently. Market lows often result in emotional decision making. Investing for the long-term while managing volatility can result in a better retirement outcome.