Recession fears landed the S&P 500 in a bear market last year, and the broad-based index is still down 17%. That decline has undoubtedly put a dent in many portfolios, and steep losses often lead to irrational decisions. But investors need to focus on the facts: Every past bear market has ended in a new bull market, and drawdowns brought on by widespread fear have historically been an excellent time to invest. In fact, Warren Buffett has often encouraged investors to "be greedy when others are fearful."

Here are two perfect index funds to buy and hold forever.

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) measures the performance of the S&P 500, a diversified financial index comprising 500 large-cap U.S. stocks. Those equities span all 11 market sectors, ranging from value stocks to growth stocks, and the underlying businesses represent the very heart of the U.S. economy. To that end, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF lets investors buy a slice of the most influential American businesses.

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Source Fool.com