[tempetom]

There are obviously more than one way to invest for the long haul. I have to tell a story about something that happened to me years ago. We had a layoff in the company where I was working and I landed another job with another company. A guy who used to work with me got a job selling life insurance backed up with mutual funds. He showed the 5 year record and professed that I'd never have to pay premiums for the ins. It sounded fishy to me but I felt sorry for him and bought $500 worth of a mutual fund from him. I think it was Enterprise, but it changed names many times over the years. This was right around 1970 ± a year or two. I never bothered to get rid of it and since it was a non-qualified account, I did have to pay taxes on cap gains and other dividends on it. Two years ago, I wanted to replace my AC/furnace and get high efficiency doors and windows so I sold the fund for around $9,000. This wasn't a particularly good fund but if the gains had been allowed to grow untaxed, it would have been pretty good especially if I had more money in it. I was about the same age as the OP coincidentally.
I have no idea what banks closing will do to the market, but I suspect it too shall pass. When unemployment finally lessens, I think the market will show more steady growth (but don't quote me lol).