This month marks nine years since I retired from practicing medicine.At age 54, even though my wife, an accountant, assured me we were financially ready for retirement, I wondered if we had enough passive income and retirement savings to meet our needs for the rest of our lives. I also wondered if I would miss … 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
When I discuss living on half of one’s income, I’m almost always met with, “that would be impossible for me.” They say it as if it were a fact, that some outside source is preventing them from living on significantly less than they make. This outside source is somehow keeping them from saving a good … Read more
When I was 25 years old and in my third year of medical school, I laid out a plan to make me financially secure and able to retire by age 50. I began by calculating an estimate of the monthly income I would need during my retirement years. I then converted that to how big … Read more
Tomorrow many of us will take the day off to celebrate our country’s independence. Thank you to those who report for duty at hospitals around our country making it possible for the majority of physicians to celebrate this special holiday with their families. This year, let’s also celebrate the quest for our own financial independence. … Read more
Everyone has an idea of what they want their retirement years to be like. But when we finally pull the trigger and retire, we are traversing a new path for the first time. With no prior experience, we are likely to hit some snags. It’s best to learn about these snags from others and not … Read more
I have often written about the benefits of becoming debt free. In fact, last month I listed 20 good reasons to pay off your home mortgage. Whenever I write about becoming debt free, I get mail informing me that being debt free is a stupid idea. They say things like “I can invest my money … Read more
(If you’ve had a chance to read The Doctors Guide to Finding Joy in Your Work, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon. Reviews help people find good books to read.) I have dabbled at playing pickleball a few times a year since the late 70s, even going so far as to … Read more
(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