Here's a question that probably keeps a lot of new investors up at night: What do you do when famous market predictors start yelling about crashes?

That's exactly what one anxious beginner asked on Reddit's r/investingforbeginners. Their concern? Peter Schiff and Michael Burry have been warning about a stock market crash coming in 2026. Should they sit on the sidelines or jump in?

For context, these aren't random internet commenters. Schiff is a gold enthusiast who correctly predicted the 2008 financial crisis. Burry is the former hedge fund manager immortalized in "The Big Short" for his prescient bet against the housing market before it collapsed in 2008.

The Reddit Community Wasn't Having It

The thread exploded with responses from more experienced investors, and let's just say they weren't impressed by either forecaster's recent track record.

"Peter Schiff has called 58 of the past 3 bear markets," one person joked. Another added, "He's like the Cramer of calling bear markets," taking a shot at CNBC host Jim Cramer's notoriously spotty predictions.

The criticism got more pointed from there. Schiff was branded a "permabear" who uses fear to push his gold investments. As one commenter bluntly put it, "Schiff is always predicting crashes because he is always shilling his gold funds."

Burry didn't fare much better. "He ONLY predicts crashes," someone wrote. "He's been calling for a crash for years. It means nothing."

The Steady Path Forward

Despite all the scary predictions floating around, nearly every experienced investor in the discussion gave the same advice: keep investing.

"Dollar cost average and relax," one person suggested. "Put a little in when it's high, and put more in when it's dipped. I contribute every check, that's what matters most for me."

The classic investing wisdom made multiple appearances: "Time in the market beats timing the market."

One highly upvoted response took the long view: "If you're young – under 30, and are planning to live beyond your 60s, invest, and stay invested. Keep buying, and only sell if you lose conviction in your picks."

And what if those doom predictions actually come true? "If we have a crash, then we have a crash. It goes with the turf," a commenter explained. "The crashes are like a sale at the grocery store."

One veteran shared their own journey through the tech bubble, the housing crash, and COVID—and still came out ahead by simply staying invested through it all.

Why Predictions Usually Miss the Mark

Several commenters pointed out the fundamental problem with market forecasters: they're wrong far more often than they're right.

"Of the hundreds of people making predictions, some statistically will get it right," one person explained. "It's like a hundred people flipping coins five times. Statistically it's 97% probable that at least one person will flip heads all 5 times."

Others noted the disconnect between what famous bears say publicly and what they actually do. "Peter Schiff voices those fears every year. He doesn't sell his equity portfolio. The two are not aligned," someone observed.

The Bottom Line

The overwhelming majority landed on the same answer: yes, you should invest now if you're in it for the long haul.

"When is the best time to invest? Yesterday. When is the second best time? Today," one commenter summed up.

Some users did suggest keeping a slice of your portfolio in gold or silver as a hedge, but even they stressed the importance of maintaining a consistent investment strategy rather than jumping in and out based on predictions.

The message to nervous beginners was clear: ignore the noise, stick to your plan, and remember that nobody can reliably predict market crashes—not even the people who got famous for calling one correctly years ago.