Physician Family Finances Podcast

Starting a new job always brings changes and new opportunities. For some docs, it may bring the question if being a 1099 contractor will create tax savings or a headache? Nate Reineke breaks down what you should consider if you are deciding between being a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor. We discuss how things like benefits and employer costs should factor into the decision. Be sure to listen to the end to hear what you ...

Old IBR, New IBR, PAYE, REPAYE, RAP, it may seem like a fruit salad of letters. In reality, these are just some of the payment plans doctors have used on their quest to PSLF. It can be confusing, especially in recent years, to understand what plan is best for you. Listen in as Nate Reineke breaks down the history of PSLF, the chaos and uncertainty in recent years, and where the program stands now. We also discuss recent ch...

There are a thousand opinions out there on how to raise kids, but the one thing everyone can agree on is that raising kids is expensive. Luckily, there’s a way that doctors like you can save on taxes and use pretax dollars to pay for childcare. Nate Reineke breaks down how a dependent care FSA can be used to pay for daycare or nannies and how it helps physicians get an easy tax break. We also answered your colleagues’ ques...

Before Amazon was Amazon, some people took a huge risk and bought stock in the company. Luckily, that risk paid off for them! Now, history is repeating itself with some AI stocks where they could be the next Amazon, or they could completely fail. So, how should physicians who want to invest in AI take an appropriate level of risk? Nate Renieke and Kyle Hoelzle answer exactly that and break down how you can make riskier inv...

Disability insurance may feel like just another thing physicians have to figure out. Like a retirement account, your employer may offer a plan, but that is almost never enough to cover your bases. Nate Reineke and Ben Utley are joined by Lawrence B. Keller, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, RHU®, LUTCF (or Larry to us). From his New York office, he’s been working with doctors for more than 30 years. We break down when an individual, priv...

You’ve planned, you’ve saved, and finally, you've retired. Now it’s time to spend what you’ve saved and enjoy all the retirement vacations you’ve been planning. Listen in as Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones dive into when you should start proactive backdoor Roth conversions and what accounts you should withdraw from first. We also break down what approaches you can use if donating to charity is part of your retirement goals ...

Summer means vacations, and vacations can lead to splurges. While following a plan is important, the occasional splurge is inevitable, even for the pros. Listen in as Nate Reineke, Chelsea Jones, and Kyle Hoelzle reveal their recent splurges and give some ideas on what extra cash can be used for. They also break down steps physicians can take to protect their accounts from being hacked, the general order you should follow ...

Summer is a great time to teach kids about finances by running a lemonade stand or selling ice cream at the park. However, if you try to teach them too much, kids will miss some of the important stuff. Physicians are no different and can miss some vital elements when it comes to investing. Listen in as Nate Reineke and Kyle Hoelzle break down some of the most common mistakes physicians make when it comes to investing. We d...

As a physician parent, you went through more school than the average Joe. You may think you know the system but college admissions is constantly evolving. Listen in as Nate Reineke and Ben Utley are joined by Lorry Krone, M.A., C.A.C, a certified college admissions counselor. From the San Francisco Bay Area, Lorry helps students from across the country get into the school that is the right fit for them. We discuss some of ...

The One Big Beautiful Bill remains long and confusing. Some people think that the new tax laws are barking mad, while others are wagging their tails with delight. Listen in as Ben and Nate are joined by Ken Eremita, CPA and his dogs. From his Los Angeles office, Ken breaks down what SALT deductions are and how the changes could result in big tax savings for docs like you. We also cover qualified business income deductions ...

Finally being ready to retire is a huge milestone. It takes years of planning and hard work. There is nothing worse than feeling like you missed something in all that preparation. Listen in as Ben Utley and Nate Reineke break down whether it is worth it to open a new backdoor Roth account right before retirement. We discuss the factors to consider and how your time will come into play when m...

Whether you are excited about the budget bill that just passed, or it causes you to be SALTy, we can all agree it’s big, with 870 pages, and it’s confusing. Listen in as Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones dive into some of the changes this new bill brings and what those changes mean for physicians like you. From SALT deductions to PSLF to the Trump Savings Accounts, we’ll break down what it all means for you and your family. A...

Even as a physician mom or dad, the thought of taking your kid to the ED can be scary. Lots of docs, especially self-employed docs, also dread the idea of taking on the IRS alone. If that's you, listen in as Nate Reineke and Ben Utley discuss tax strategies with Ken Eremita, CPA. From his office in Los Angeles, Ken offers tax planning, preparation, and hands-on bookkeeping services for self-...

Happy 4th of July! Summer vacation is in full swing, but that doesn’t mean financial planning is taking time off. Even though Ben and Nate are taking a much-deserved break, podcasts can’t miss a week. This week is a special episode of Physician Family Finances. It features the guest appearance Ben Utley made on Kevin M.D. In this episode, Ben and Kevin talk about how physicians can find true happiness beyond wealth. They e...

Some tax strategies are fishier than others. This week, you’ll hear about how things are going with Nate and his son’s development as a fisherman, and we’ll also tackle a somewhat fishy 401(k) question: can you, or SHOULD you, hire your spouse for your 401(k)? Like a fresh-caught fish, it’s a slippery question with a tricky answer. You can also catch answers to your colleagues' questions from Ben Utley and Nate Reineke.&nb...

To a child, a father is often their first hero and is always one of their first teachers. Parenting doesn’t come with an instruction manual or a training period, so it can be easy to feel like you’re flying, or rather parenting, blind. In this special Father’s Day episode, Nate Reineke and Kyle Hoelzle chat about how they are raising their kids to understand the value of money, why delayed gratification can be a good thing...

Paperwork is boring, and we all try to avoid it. While estate planning is a lot of paperwork, it is a crucial part of making sure your children and family are taken care of after you’re gone. Listen in as Nate Reineke and Ben Utley chat with special guest Christine Roberts, an estate planning attorney with a background in ERISA law and over 30 years of experience. She breaks down some common misconceptions and mistakes phy...

We all love it when something costs less than we think it will, especially something pricey like college. If you plan to send your kids to a private university and they go to a state school, what can you do with the extra money? Listen in as Nate Reineke and Ben Utley celebrate graduation season and break down the most effective ways to save for college and what you can do with leftover 529 funds. 

We also answer your...

Bug infestations are stressful. Having an established relationship with a “bug guy” helps exterminate that stress. All emergencies are more stressful when you try to handle them alone, but having a financial planner who enables you to understand where funds can come from helps decrease your stress. Listen in as Ben Utley and Nate Reineke discuss what funds you should use to save for retirement and how those funds help cove...