Betting on crypto and meme stocks has made many people rich, but it's also caused significant losses for those who haven't been as lucky. Investing for the long term is safer, and it's much more likely that you'll end up with a big profit in the end. There's no sugar-coating it: It does require patience. And below, I'll show you just how long it may take for an investment of $25,000 to get to $1 million, without having to take risks to score a windfall.
Even a 1-percentage-point difference can have a massive impact on your portfolio
It may seem trivial, but even a difference of a percentage point or two can have a dramatic impact on your investment. If your $25,000 investment averaged an 11% growth rate, it would take 36 years of compounding before it would reach $1 million. At a 13% growth rate, you would hit that mark at the end of year 31. And if you've got a top-performing investment that has been rising by an average of 15%, then it would take 27 years to hit $1 million.
Chart by author.
The key takeaway here is that unless you average a significantly high return of more than 15%, it'll likely take more than 25 years of compounding for a $25,000 investment to get to $1 million. One way to accelerate these gains is by investing more money.
Achieving high growth rates can be difficult over the long term (especially while also keeping your risk low), but one way you can do so is by investing in the healthcare industry.
Healthcare stocks can be ideal options for long-term gains
The S&P 500 has historically returned 10% per year. However, there are many growth stocks that can do better, such as drugmaker Eli Lilly. Over the past five years, it has generated total returns (including dividends) of 345% versus the S&P's 75%. Another top drugmaker, AbbVie, has also achieved impressive total returns of 160% over the same period. These stocks could make for solid long-term investments that have the potential to outperform the markets. They're both growing, profitable businesses in a relatively safe sector.
NYSEMKT: XLV
Key Data Points
One of the benefits of investing in healthcare stocks is they can provide more stability given the nature of their business, which is to provide essential products and services for patients. And with the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF, you can gain exposure to healthcare stocks within the S&P 500. This includes Eli Lilly, AbbVie, and other top healthcare stocks like Johnson & Johnson and UnitedHealth Group. During the past five years, the Health Care Select Sector SPDR has generated returns comparable to those of the S&P 500.
The S&P serves as a good benchmark for 10% returns. But if you've found a solid growth investment, it's possible to outperform it.
Investing for the long haul gives you better odds of success
It can be mighty tempting to buy up the latest new cryptocurrency and jump on the bandwagon, especially when you see its value rising rapidly. But the danger of following short-term trends and hype is that it can lead to disaster for your portfolio. When you invest for the long term and focus on companies with strong fundamentals, you'll be more likely to earn a great return in the end.
