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Wednesday 23 July 2014

Information You Should Know About Physician Financial Planning

By Paulette Mason


Although doctors typically earn high incomes once they begin practicing, it is easy to assume that you are managing your money wisely. Having a high income is not enough to secure your financial future; you also need to think about physician financial planning. There are many financial experts in boston ma that can help you to draw up a savings and investment plan.

Financial planning is a means to achieving financial independence. Financial independence means having the freedom to practice whenever and wherever you want. The secret to achieving this is to live below your means. This is sometimes difficult for new doctors you have studied hard and accumulated a lot of student debt. In addition, because doctors are presumed to earn a lot, people expect them to spend a lot. So there may be a lot of pressure to buy a big house, fancy car and take luxury vacations as soon they are qualified doctors.

The first thing you need to be aware of when planning your finances is to diversify your investments. Most financial advisors recommend that you not keep all your investments in one class, for instance, all bonds or all equities. Having a good balance across all classes can protect your portfolio if the market experiences a bear session.

The primary goal of any doctor should be to save at least ten percent of their income every year. Saving twenty percent or more is even better if possible. How much you save will depend on your future goals and priorities, such as what age you plan to retire. By spending less now and sacrificing some luxuries, you can live more frugally and be able to retire sooner than many of your peers.

Once you finish medical school and your residency, you can start making really good money. If you are starting your practice with lots of student debt, you will have to decide how quickly you want to pay that off. This will depend on the interest rate on the debt compared to the savings rates on other investments.

Aside from having savings and investments, you should also purchase life insurance. It is important to have life insurance if you are supporting a spouse and children, so that if anything happens to you, they will not be left penniless without your income. Most advisors recommend purchasing a policy that is ten times your annual income. You can normally buy a twenty year term insurance policy for this coverage.

Another concern for many physicians is how to fund college for their children. One popular method of saving for college is using a 529, which is a tax-advantaged plan similar to an IRA. As long as the funds in the plan are used to pay for educational expenses, you will not be taxed on any gains. But it is important to remember that saving for emergencies and your own retirement should be done before saving for college.

You should also consider setting up an automatic investment plan so that you do not have to think about it every month. Many people choose tax-efficient investment vehicles such as the 401(k) or Roth IRA. Remember to pay attention to the fees on your investments, as some fund managers charge high maintenance fees that eat into your investment returns.




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