How To Profit From The Graying Of America

Aug 24th, 2012 | By Josh Grasmick | Category: Featured, Investing Strategies, Investor Education, Technology

Roberta Deetz celebrates her 65th birthday today. And on her birthday, she’s handing you… as an investor… a huge present. One worth potentially thousands of dollars. More on that on a moment.

Mrs. Deetz is among the 10,000 baby boomers to turn 65 years old today. Tomorrow, another 10,000 boomers turn 65. And 10,000 the next day… each day… for the next 18 years.

This is all part of the “graying of America” theme we’ll be covering here at the Sleuth.

Boomers, as I’m sure you’re aware, are perhaps the most-famous generation in United States history. Through every stage of life, they’ve transformed America.

And now they’re about to do it again.

This time, they’ll be transforming the entire health care system — offering you what could be the most-important investment trend of the next few decades.

You see, unlike the generations before them, boomers are living longer. And the cost of health care is drastically rising. That makes everything from annual physicals to cancer treatments more expensive for Mrs. Deetz and her cohorts.

According to Fox Business:

“Couples who retire in 2012 will need almost a quarter of a million dollars, an average of $240,000, to cover health care needs after leaving the workforce.”

You very well may be one of these retirees. If so, here’s how to get some of your money back.

In light of the baby boomer retirement extravaganza and rising health care costs, it’s a good idea to gain exposure to the health care industry.

An easy way to do this, without having to pore over hundreds of pharmaceutical, health care and medical device companies, is to simply buy select exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Each fund diversifies your investment across many different companies. As the “graying of America” continues, and health care costs rise, so will your portfolio.

Remember, these investments have the wind of nearly two decades of 10,000 boomers a day turning 65. Spending on health care costs is only going up. These investments will be riding a steady trend.

Here are five companies that have already shown a good year-to-year track record: