Still you can't really expect a constant 7% return. Looking at S&P 500 since 1990 there haven't been that many years when growth was between -10% and +10%: 201

Still you can't really expect a constant 7% return. Looking at S&P 500 since 1990 there haven't been that many years when growth was between -10% and +10%: 2018: -6.24% 2016: 9.54% 2015: -0.73% 2011: 0.00% 2007: 3.53% 2005: 3.00% 2004: 8.99% 1994: -1.54% 1993: 7.06% 1992: 7.06% 1990: -6.56% in all other years it was double digit in either direction (of course it more often increased than fell). So it's still a huge gamble, if you start this at the beginning of recession and/or need to eat into your capital it won't end great.