(The photo with this article is the view I have as I write this from a timeshare resort in Escondido, California. I couldn’t travel as much if I was still working.) I’m a physician who retired from medicine early, based on most people’s thinking. But at what age is retirement early? The Social Security department … Read more
There are many misconceptions about money and money principles floating around. Most of the time when someone contacts me for help with their finances, there is a financial principle they are not using, or they have fallen prey to a myth that is hurting their family. Some myths are perpetuated by those who would like … Read more
(Keep an eye out for my upcoming book The Doctors Guide to Finding Joy in Your Work, coming March 11th on Amazon. We can all use a little more joy in our lives and this book will help attain it.) Money is a lot like oxygen. When we have enough, we don’t think about it. When we feel we do not have enough, we can’t stop … Read more
Professionals who realize something is wrong with their finances, but can’t pin down the problem, often contact me. Although they make a very good income, they are not accumulating wealth as rapidly as they feel they should. Or they feel at their current trajectory, they will not have enough savings to retire in the manner … Read more
As another year ends, there are a few tasks we should all consider completing. Some of the tasks have penalties assessed if they are not completed on time and others just lead to a lost opportunity if the deadline is missed. I missed a big opportunity the year I retired when I didn’t realize my … Read more
Why do so many physicians complain about not having enough money? Almost every physician’s earnings are in the top 10% of income earners in the country. Yet we feel broke, even those who make $600k a year. The median household income in the United States is about $75k. The average physician’s income is more than … Read more
There are times in life when we stand at a fork in the road where our future can be greatly altered. Once we choose which tine of the fork to take, it sets in motion many changes that can lead to very different outcomes. When I was recently asked to perform in a musical, I … Read more
Physicians go through extensive training to become doctors bringing in a high income. Unfortunately, they have no training in how to manage all that money. Consequently, we make a lot of money mistakes. I have taught personal finance for the last three decades. It has been both fun and rewarding, especially when someone finally realizes … Read more
Last night I read a very interesting article about a woman who just discovered her husband had more money in his 401k than she had is hers while making the same income. They have both been saving for several years, but he had been putting a larger percentage into his plan than she had put … Read more
Debt is a very touchy subject. Some people think there is such a thing as “good” debt. Then there are others who mistakenly think they will become wealthy by hanging onto their 3% loan as long as possible. And still others can’t tell the difference between being able to afford a car vs being able … Read more
