It depends. If you’re employed by a qualifying non-profit or government hospital and plan to stay for 10 years, PSLF is often the best path. If you’re entering private practice, refinancing might offer a lower interest rate. We can run a personalized analysis to compare both options.
It’s wise to secure coverage as early as possible. For many residents, an employer-sponsored group disability plan is a great, cost-effective starting point. As your income increases as an attending, we can supplement that with a private, true own-occupation policy to ensure your future earnings are fully protected. This strategy balances cost with comprehensive coverage.
Lifestyle inflation. The temptation to immediately buy a luxury car and a large house is strong. We recommend creating a “catch-up” savings plan first to max out retirement accounts before significantly increasing your spending.
It’s a multi-layered approach. It starts with adequate malpractice and umbrella insurance. Beyond that, we can explore strategies like properly titling assets, using trusts, and ensuring your retirement accounts are structured correctly for creditor protection.
Moonlighting income is 1099 income, meaning no taxes are withheld. You’ll need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS to avoid penalties. We can also explore setting up an LLC or S-Corp to potentially lower your tax burden.