The Grow Your Wealthy Mindset Podcast

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Where should I open a brokerage account?”you’re not alone. This is a common question I see in personal finance groups, and it can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to make the “right” choice.

In this episode, I break down how to choose a brokerage account for investing outside of retirement accounts, or where to open an IRA, without overcomplicating the decision. We’ll walk through the key differen...

Starting in 2026, new rules will change how charitable tax deductions work. In this episode, we break down key provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and what they mean for your charitable giving strategy.

You’ll learn how the new $1,000 deduction for standard deduction filers ($2,000 for married couples) works, why itemized charitable deductions now have a 0.5% AGI floor, and how a new cap on itemized deductions may affect ...

This podcast episode discusses a blog article from the White Coat Investor website written by Dr. Jim Dali, titled "Will Your Retirement Go As Planned.” The article highlighted unexpected challenges faced by retirees, such as early retirement due to job loss, health issues, and the death of a spouse.  Elisa shared insights from the article, emphasizing the importance of considering life expectancy and health risks in retiremen...

Can you take money out of a retirement account early without paying penalties? Many people assume retirement accounts are locked until age 59½, which leads them to avoid maxing out contributions—especially if they’re planning early retirement.

In this episode, we explain when early withdrawals from retirement accounts don’t trigger the 10% penalty, including common IRS exceptions and strategies like Substantially Equal Periodic Paym...

In this milestone 200th episode of The Grow Your Wealthy Mindset Podcast, we explore the difference between being rich and being wealthy and why the distinction matters more than most people realize.

While being rich is often visible through income and lifestyle, true wealth is usually invisible. Drawing from real-life examples and insights from The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel, this episode breaks down how spending can crea...

High-income professionals often find themselves locked out of direct Roth IRA contributions. The "Backdoor Roth" is the gold-standard workaround, but it is a strategy where small administrative errors can lead to big tax bills. In this episode, we break down the mechanics of the Pro-Rata Rule, why your Form 8606 is the most important document in your tax return, and the specific steps physicians must take to keep their ba...

If you have children, you may have seen a prompt in TurboTax or other tax software about opening a Trump Account. But what exactly is a Trump Account, and is it right for your family? 

In this episode, we break down everything you need to know:

• Who is eligible and how to open a Trump Account
• Contribution limits, employer contributions, and federal seed money
• How the accounts are invested and what restrictions apply
• Impact on financi...

What if money isn’t just money—but stored life energy?

In this episode, I reflect on the core premise of Your Money or Your Life by Joseph R. Dominguez and Vicki Robin and how it’s showing up in my own life as a physician. From reviewing Medicare reimbursement rates to comparing insurance-based care with cash-pay work, I share why the trade between effort, responsibility, and compensation is starting to feel misaligned.

We explore wh...

Long-term care is one of the biggest unknowns in retirement planning. While many physicians can estimate their retirement spending, it’s much harder to predict if, and for how long, long-term care will be needed.

In this episode, Elisa breaks down the real costs of long-term care, how long most people actually need care, and whether long-term care insurance makes sense for physicians.

Learn about:

• What counts as long-term care and...

How much do physicians actually need to retire comfortably? If you’ve heard numbers like $4 million—or more—and felt overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

In this episode, we break down where these retirement numbers come from, why physicians tend to think they need significantly more than the average American, and how to calculate a retirement target that actually fits your life.

Using data from Medscape, Northwestern Mutual, and the U.S. ...

Why do physicians earning multiple six figures still feel financial pressure?

In this episode, we talk about why a high income doesn’t automatically lead to financial ease—and why many doctors feel stressed about money despite “doing everything right.” This isn’t about budgeting harder or cutting out every joy. It’s about understanding the real reasons behind that stuck, anxious feeling.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it really m...

Most physicians assume that every dollar in their employer-sponsored retirement account belongs to them. That assumption can be a very expensive mistake.

 In this episode of The Grow Your Wealthy Mindset Podcast, we break down vesting—what it means, how it’s governed by federal law, and why it matters when physicians change jobs or negotiate contracts. I also share a personal early-career mistake that cost me my employer contributio...

If you’re a physician with 1099 income, locums work, or a small private practice, choosing between a Solo 401(k) and a SEP IRA can have a huge impact on how much you’re able to save for retirement.

In this episode, we compare Solo 401(k)s and SEP IRAs in plain language and walk through real physician examples to show how contribution limits change based on income type, age, and whether a spouse works in the business.

In this episode,...

In this episode of The Grow Your Wealthy Mindset, we take a practical look at the differences between working as a 1099 independent contractor and a W-2 employed physician — and how each option affects your income, taxes, autonomy, and long-term wealth.

Whether you're thinking about locums, considering a new job offer, or re-evaluating your career path, this episode gives you a clear framework to make a confident, informed deci...

Are you a physician thinking about buying a home but tired of the usual “30% of your income” rule? In this episode, we explore how to figure out how much house you can really afford as a doctor, without relying on arbitrary percentages or just what a lender says you can borrow.

We talk about the smarter way to approach physician home buying, including:

·         How to calculate the total cost of homeownership, factoring in property ...

Trump has proposed bringing back ultra-long mortgages — including a 50-year option — as a way to make housing more affordable. But would stretching a loan over half a century really help?

In this episode, we break down the real math behind the idea. You’ll learn why a longer mortgage term might look affordable month to month, but could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars more over time.

We’ll cover:

·         Why home prices hav...

As the year ends, take a moment to pause and reflect. Instead of chasing resolutions, what if you designed a year that feels truly wealthy — rich in meaning, freedom, and joy? In this episode, learn how to align your money, time, and energy with what matters most, set financial intentions instead of goals, and take small, intentional steps toward your ideal life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

·         How to reflect on what wo...

This Christmas Eve episode invites you to slow down and reflect on one of the biggest myths we tell ourselves — the myth of more time.

As physicians, we often believe that at some point in the future, life will finally calm down. We’ll have better systems, more support, and more space to breathe. But the truth is, time doesn’t just appear — we have to choose to make it.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• Why physicians fall into the ...

This is the last episode in the How of Happiness Series that follows the 12 exercises outlined in The How of Happiness by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky

This episodes explores how meditation and physical activity can boost happiness and well-being. You’ll learn how meditation trains the mind for calm and awareness, how exercise can be as effective as medication for improving mood, and why both practices strengthen emotional resilience. Disco...