Should I keep contributing to my 401(k) during a market downturn?

In most cases, yes — and a downturn is arguably the best time to keep going. Each contribution during a slump buys shares at lower prices, a benefit of the steady, automatic investing called dollar-cost averaging, so your recurring deposits pick up more shares when the market is cheap. Stopping contributions when prices fall locks in the worst behavior: you'd miss the discounted buying and the eventual recovery, which historically follows every decline given enough time. If your income is stable and your timeline to retirement is long, keep your contributions steady and avoid trying to time the bottom. The real risks are panic-selling existing investments or pausing the match. The exception is a genuine cash-flow emergency, where capturing the match and preserving liquidity comes first. Stay invested, stay diversified, and let the automatic discipline work for you.