The 3 things you need to know about your money right now for peace of mind.

And just like that, March break was over. The news hit and my clients needed us - not to change anything but to confirm what they already knew.

In times like these, worrying about your investments is a completely understandable and normal response, no matter how well your portfolio has been customized and managed for you.

As a portfolio manager with 20 years under my belt in the financial industry, I have been through similar dramatic market downturns in the past. This I know for sure: uncertainty creates stress.

Knowing the answers to the following three questions goes a long way to calm your fears so that cool heads can prevail.

1. Is all the negativity in the media and markets actually reflected in your portfolio?

2. Has your portfolio been managed on an ongoing basis - weekly, monthly or even dailywhen markets are volatile?

3. Have you been meeting with your advisor on a regular basis sharing details about your life so that they understand your goals and your concerns as a way to gauge your risk tolerance?

By now hopefully, you will have been personally contacted by your advisor so you should have a sense of where you stand. If not, get in touch with them and get the answers you need.

In addition to being fully informed, trim the amount of time you watch the news, keep your conversations with your pessimistic Aunty Norah short and remember that as overused as this phrase can seem, this too shall pass.

Because it will.