This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.

Check your bias: It likely comes down to your personal political beliefs. A Nationwide survey reveals that a significant percentage of investors believe a recession is imminent if the political party they least align with gains more power in federal elections. Here, author Mark Newfield analyzes historical market patterns and finds that performance varies throughout different years of a presidential term (regardless of who is president). Year three is often the best for S&P performance, while years two and four show more volatility.

The donkey and the elephant: Democratic regimes show better long-term market performance historically, but as with all data, the past doesn’t dictate the future. Ultimately, it’s no secret that markets are good at being unpredictable, so basing your investment strategies on the party in power is ineffective over the long term.

You might feel apprehensive of the economic environment when national leadership positions are in flux, but don’t let these emotions deter you from following the personalized investment strategy that is designed to protect and grow your money.