Should I get back into the market at age 71 after I got scared and pulled out?

Getting spooked and selling everything is one of the most human things an investor can do, and this piece sits with a British Columbia couple in their seventies who did exactly that and are now wondering whether they made a mistake. Living on disability and government pensions, they are asking whether it makes sense to take on more investment risk again at this stage of life. The thinking here goes beyond the urge to chase what was lost. It looks at what role their savings actually need to play, given that steady pension income already covers the essentials, and how much volatility they could genuinely stomach a second time. It is a grounded read for any retiree who pulled out during a rough patch and is now weighing whether to step back in, and a reminder that the right amount of risk depends on the life you are funding.