Retirement investing doesn't have to be complicated. A few well-chosen exchange-traded funds can go a long way toward providing you with the capital preservation, growth, and income you'll need to fund a long and happy retirement.
But if you'd like to supplement the core of your investment portfolio with funds that could potentially boost your returns, then read on to learn about two ETFs that may be just what you're looking for.
Healthcare costs can put a dent in your retirement piggy bank. Here's how to fill it back up. Image source: Getty Images.
Doctors, insurance, and drugs...oh my
Many retirees are deeply concerned about the rising cost of healthcare, and rightfully so; a 65-year old couple retiring in 2017 will need $275,000 to cover these costs, according to Fidelity. That's a 6% increase from 2016.
Retirees can hedge these expenses somewhat by investing in the businesses set to profit from rising healthcare costs. And for ETF investors, one of the best ways to do so is via the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV 0.27%).
This exchange-traded fund gives investors convenient access to the roughly 60 primarily healthcare-focused companies in the S&P 500 Index. It has slightly more than a third of its assets invested in pharmaceutical stocks and about 20% each in biotechnology, healthcare providers, and healthcare equipment makers.
Importantly, the fund's fees are very reasonable, at 0.14%. That's only about $14 per $10,000 invested per year. And with its 1.4% dividend yield, the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund can add a solid stream of income to a retiree's portfolio.
Looking ahead, healthcare stocks should benefit from multiple long-term trends:
- Population growth means more people will need access to proper healthcare.
- An expanding global middle class will make healthcare more affordable for millions of people around the world as their purchasing power improves.
- And increasing life expectancies will lead people to depend on health products and services for longer, and likely more often, than they do now.
In turn, the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund gives investors an easy and inexpensive way to profit from all of these megatrends.
Hackers are trying to steal what's yours. Here's a way to invest in the businesses trying to stop them. Image source: Getty Images.
Profit alongside the cyber guardians
Retirees may also wish to gain some exposure to the increasingly vital realm of cybersecurity.
It seems we can't go more than a few weeks without hearing about some new cyber attack. In fact, just days ago, consumers received news that Equifax (EFX -1.45%) -- one of the three major credit reporting agencies -- suffered a data breach that exposed the personal information of 143 million Americans.
This attack highlights a worrisome trend: the increasing frequency, scope, and scale of cyber attacks. The number of U.S. data breaches surged 40% to an all-time record high of 1,093 in 2016, according to a report by the Identity Theft Resource Center and CyberScout. Commenting on these figures, CyberScout Chairman and Founder Adam Levin issued a warning:
The database compromises of 2016 confirmed yet again that breaches are the third certainty in life and we are all living in a constant state of cyber insecurity. Hackers and identity thieves continue to evolve. They are very sophisticated, extremely creative and dogged in their pursuit of what is ours.
In response to this threat, cybersecurity spending will exceed $1 trillion over the next five years, according to research firm Cybersecurity Ventures. And investors looking to profit from this megatrend can do so via the First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF (CIBR 0.13%).
CIBR tracks the Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity Index, which includes companies "primarily involved in the building, implementation, and management of security protocols applied to private and public networks, computers, and mobile devices." In turn, this ETF offers investors convenient access to 30 cybersecurity stocks, including businesses that provide a diverse range of cyber defense solutions such as hardware, software, and services. All for an annual fee of 0.60%, which, while higher than more diversified funds, is still reasonable for a targeted fund of this nature.
Perhaps most importantly, the ETF gives investors the opportunity to benefit from the growth of the cybersecurity market as a whole, rather than attempting to identify individual winners -- a difficult endeavor considering that new tech developments can rapidly disrupt the competitive landscape within this dynamic technological arena.
All told, the First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF gives investors a way to profit alongside the businesses that protect people from increasingly harmful data breaches and other menacing cyber attacks -- defenses that are likely to only grow in importance in the years ahead. As such, you may wish to consider adding some to your retirement investment arsenal today.
