The Optometry Money Podcast
Welcome to the Optometry Money Podcast, hosted by Evon Mendrin CFP®, CSLP®, where he helps optometrists make better decisions around their money, careers, and practices. He explores cold-starts, practice buy-ins, career decisions, tax planning, student loans, and other money issues ODs are navigating. Evon cold-started Optometry Wealth Advisors LLC, a financial planning firm dedicated to help optometrists nationwide master their money, build wealth, and plan purposefully with their finances. Learn more about the show, and Evon, at www.optometrywealth.com.
Episodes
Episode Summary
Most practice owners spend close to two decades building their business — and too often only a few months planning how they exit it. That imbalance shows up in the outcomes.
This episode kicks off a new series on planning for the sale of your practice, built around five questions worth answering long before a ...
Episode Summary
The largest IPO in history is here. SpaceX goes public this week with an expected total value of $1.77 trillion, and OpenAI and Anthropic have both announced plans to go public this year at valuations around $1 trillion each. In optometry forums and online communities everywhere, ODs are asking the same question: s...
Episode Summary
With the stock market trading near all-time highs again, it's natural to wonder — should you be worried? Is a crash inevitable? Should you hold off on investing?
In this rewind of one of our most popular 2024 episodes, we dig into what history actually tells us about all-time highs in the stock market — ...
The Department of Education just released its final rule implementing the federal student loan changes we’ve been tracking over the past couple of years — and while most of it lines up with what we expected, two surprises stood out.
In this episode, we recap how we got here (the official end of the SAVE P...
Whether you're five to ten years from exiting your optometry practice or just starting to think about it, the decisions you make right now have a major impact on what your practice is ultimately worth.
In this episode, Evon is joined by Erich Mattei of Akrinos — a returning guest who specializes in practice transitions...
It's tax day — and whether you're celebrating a finished return or still working through an extension, tax payments are on your mind. In this episode, we walk through a practical framework for planning your quarterly estimated tax payments so you're not scrambling, stressed, or surprised come tax time.
We cover the two...
In this replay of a popular 2023 episode, Evon revisits an important topic for optometry practice owners and independent contractors - the differences between different business entities!
How do the different business entities work? How are they taxed? How are they different?
In this episode, Evon provides optometri...
Remote optometry is growing fast - and there's quite a range of opinions on what that means for optometry. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Crystal Edison, a remote optometrist practicing across nine states from her home office, to break down the ins and outs of providing comprehensive remote care.
We cover contracts and...
We're back with our second listener Q&A episode, tackling real questions from ODs around the country. From S Corp salary decisions and how much cash to keep in your practice, to buying your commercial real estate, preparing your practice for sale, and whether you're overfunding your kids' 529 plans — we cover a lot of g...
As an optometrist—especially a practice owner—you face real liability exposure from both your professional work and your business. So how well are your retirement accounts and investments actually protected if something goes wrong?
In this episode, we walk through the different layers of liability protection avai...
Congress created a brand new investment account for kids called Trump Accounts, and the questions from optometrists have been flowing in. In this episode, we break down exactly what these accounts are, how they work, who can contribute, and - most importantly - whether they actually add anything new to the lineup of options you a...
In this episode, we break down tax-efficient investing for ODs, showing you how to pair the right investments with the right accounts to maximize your after-tax wealth over your career.
What You'll Learn
Taxes can be the difference between two optometrists with identical investment returns ending up with vastly different retirement...
In this first-ever OD listener Q&A episode, we tackle seven questions covering practice ownership, retirement accounts, student loans, and tax strategy. From why your practice is your most important investment to navigating the backdoor Roth IRA maze, we break down what actually matters for ODs at different career stages.
Subm...
Tax filing season is here, and for married optometrists planning toward student loan forgiveness, how you file your taxes can save you thousands of dollars per year.
In this episode, we break down how tax filing status impacts your income-driven repayment calculations and when filing separately makes financial sense.
Key Take...
Even though we're already into 2026, tax planning for 2025 isn't over. While most tax planning happens before December 31st, there are still several impactful levers you can pull before filing your return.
In this episode, Evon breaks down four specific tax planning opportunities still available to optometrists in early 2026, incl...
2026 brings several important financial and tax changes that can directly impact optometrists - especially practice owners and those with student loans.
In this episode, Evon walks through five key updates to be aware of as you plan for the year ahead, including changes to retirement contributions, student loans, health insurance,...
Episode Summary:
As your practice grows and profits increase, one of the most powerful tax and retirement planning tools available to optometry practice owners is profit sharing within your 401(k) plan. But what exactly is profit sharing, and how can you optimize it for both you and your employees?
In this episode, Evon welcom...
Tax planning is more than just finding deductions—it’s about pulling the right financial levers at the right time. In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, walks through the five key areas of a tax return that optometrists and practice owners should focus on when working with their financial and tax professionals.
By...
Episode 146 – Four Common Investment Mistakes Optometrists Should Avoid
As an optometrist and practice owner, you’ve got enough on your plate running a household, practice, and career - but what about your investments?
In this episode of the Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP®, walks through the four most...
Episode Summary:
You’ve done the hard work of creating your estate plan. But is it actually ready to work when you need it most? In this episode, Evon breaks down the four critical gaps that can make or break your estate plan's effectiveness — especially for busy optometrists and practice owners.
We’re diving into...
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