After the sub-prime mortgage market collapsed in 2008, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 30 percent in value in less than a year. The retirement savings of many individuals plummeted, forcing them back to work when they thought they would finally be able to relax. It is a gut-wrenching feeling to check your portfolio every week just to find that you are continually worth less money, especially considering how hard you worked in order to save that money.