Your 401K is likely worth more today than it has been in several years since the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 13,000 for the first time in nearly 4 years.

"I think it is pretty significant that the Dow closed up 23 points today above 13,000- first time since the middle of 2008.  It reflects a lot of optimism that some of the moves that the Central Banks have made around the world are going to right the global economies and we will be able to continue to grow,” says Brian Henderson, investment manager with Bank of Oklahoma Financial Services.

May, 2008, was four months before the financial crisis and 6 months after the official start of the recession.

Henderson tells me the Dow has seen tremendous gains in recent months and is up 25% since October, 2011.

“A big portion of this rally that we’ve had in the equity market this year and since the beginning of October has been an increased willingness to take risks,” says Henderson.

He thinks it is a reflection of better outlooks for economic growth.

With today’s closing above 13,000, the Dow is less than 1,200 points away from an all-time high.

The Dow first broke 13,000 in 2007.