A Good Problem to Have

I sat down with Kyle Claussen, founder of Resolve, to talk through employed physician contracts. His team reviews thousands of them, and over 80% end up with changes. We cover: Why your contract often doesn't match what you heard in the interview The vague language that lets an employer change your schedule, call, or location How to negotiate without the fear of losing the offer Whether non-co...

This week I'm joined by Dr. Sravan Panuganti, a private practice urologist I've known on social media for years, for a wide-ranging conversation. We get into the question of AUM versus fee-only advisors, whether his fellowship was actually worth the lost income, why he chose practice ownership over an employed role, and what he tells residents trying to figure out their next move. A lot of...

(Part 4) A lot of new attendings skip own-occupation disability insurance because of the price tag. In this episode, I explain why that's a mistake you don't want to make. This isn't optional risk management, it's what protects your income if you're ever unable to do your specific job. I cover the five companies that offer real own-occupation policies, why you need an independe...

Before you refinance or pick a payoff plan, you need to think through your career path, especially if public service loan forgiveness is a possibility, your tax filing status, your mental relationship with debt, and how any of this fits into your broader cash flow. These four pieces are more connected than most people realize, and getting them wrong can cost you options you can't get back.

This time, I'm talking about the written financial plan, why so many people avoid making one, and why that avoidance can cost you. A plan starts with your values, not your numbers: what you want your life to look like, what matters to you, who you're building this for. It sounds like a lot, but you don't have to tackle it all at once. You just have to start. And that's what this ep...

In this episode, I talk about the first mistake I see new attendings make: getting stuck on one extreme of spending. Some overspend the moment the new paycheck hits, buying the house, the car, the lifestyle before they've stopped to think it through. Others go the opposite direction and freeze, unable to spend on anything because the scarcity mindset from training hasn't caught up with rea...

Physician mortgages can be a great tool for doctors, but they aren't automatically the best option just because you're a physician. In this episode, I walk through five things to watch out for, from lenders who don't really understand physician loans to getting too focused on the lowest rate. If you're thinking about buying a home as a physician, there are some important questions...

If you’re trying to pay off a credit card but still using it for everyday expenses, it can feel like you're failing when the balance goes up. You need to account for the old debt AND the new spending. This episode explains exactly how I approach it.

In this episode, I walk through why paying off high interest debt is often the smartest first move, even if it doesn't feel as exciting as investing. Wealth isn't built by doing everything at once. It's built by making good decisions in the right order.

In this episode, I walk through why a taxable investment account can become one of the most valuable tools for building long-term wealth and creating flexibility in retirement. We cover how to invest tax-efficiently, common mistakes to avoid, why automatic rebalancing can create unnecessary taxes, and when strategies like direct indexing may start to make sense.

In this episode, I explain how guaranteed physician salaries work, why they're often temporary, and what happens when your compensation shifts to production. We talk about work RVUs, lifestyle inflation, and why buying a home, financing a car, or making other major financial commitments too early can create unnecessary stress down the road.

In this episode, I share a common theme from several recent conversations with physicians facing major life transitions. Some of those changes were exciting. Others were unexpected. But they all had one thing in common: the feeling that a carefully built financial plan suddenly needed to be rewritten. You work hard to build a solid plan, so what happens when life changes and that plan no longer fi...

Buying a new construction home can come with some attractive incentives. Lower interest rates, closing cost credits, upgrades, and other perks can make the builder's preferred lender seem like the obvious choice. But are you actually getting the best deal?

In this episode, I sit down with interventional radiologist Dr. Shamit Desai to discuss one of the most confusing parts of a physician's career: compensation. We cover RVUs, guaranteed salaries, productivity-based pay, contract negotiations, and why understanding your value matters long before you sign your first employment agreement.

We explore how high-income physicians often approach tax planning, why many doctors end up paying significantly more in taxes than other professionals with similar incomes, and the opportunities that can come from understanding the rules of the tax code. If you've ever wondered whether you're leaving opportunities on the table, this episode is worth a listen.

In this episode, Noah shares the story behind KaufCare, a direct acute care practice designed to bridge the gap between urgent care and the emergency room. We discuss what it takes to launch a medical business, how he evaluated the financial viability of the idea, and the realities of stepping away from traditional employment. We also talk about risk, liability, burnout, and the type of physician...

A lot of physicians are facing the same thing right now: waiting on PSLF buyback while trying to decide what comes next. Do you keep making payments as a hedge against uncertainty? Or do you stop paying, preserve cash flow, and trust that your buyback request will ultimately be approved? In this episode, I walk through both approaches, explain the factors worth considering, and share what I've...

In this episode, I break down the mechanics of reasonable salary decisions, how retirement contributions affect business profits, and the ethical side of aggressive tax planning. If you’ve ever wondered whether an S-Corp is truly saving you money or just adding another layer of administration and stress, this episode is for you. Financial advice for quality of life-focused physicians: www.olsonfp....

In this episode, I break down the three most common ways financial advisors get paid: commissions, AUM fees, and flat fees. Learn why compensation structures matter, where conflicts can show up, and why the “best” fee model is rarely as simple as the internet makes it sound. But more importantly, I explain what actually matters when choosing someone to trust with your financial life.

In this episode, I talk about why emergency medicine doctors face a unique financial challenge after training, why “can I afford it?” is the wrong question to ask, and how to think about spending in a way that protects your future flexibility. We cover intentional spending, avoiding overcommitment, and how to create a lifestyle that gets better without trapping you into needing maximum income fore...

In this episode, I walk through the pros and cons of 1099 income for doctors, including retirement planning opportunities, solo 401(k)s, tax considerations, malpractice insurance, health insurance, and how to properly compare a 1099 offer to a traditional W-2 role. If you’re considering consulting income, moonlighting, or a transition away from a W-2 job, this episode should help you think through...

Today, I’m sitting down with Dylan and Cambra, a couple navigating residency life, a growing family, and the constant tension between saving for the future and actually enjoying life right now. They’re doing a lot right. They’re saving, investing, tracking their spending, and making intentional decisions. But like a lot of people in training, it still doesn’t feel like enough. For Cambra: 35:38

In this episode, I walk through why having a will & power of attorney in place matters, even if you’re just starting out and don’t feel like you have much to protect. We also talk about how to get this done quickly and affordably, so it doesn’t sit on your to-do list forever. It’s not complicated, but it is important.

If you’re in residency, investing is not about maximizing returns or building massive wealth. It’s about creating the habit. Future you is going to have a lot more income to work with. This phase is about making sure you’re ready for it.

In this episode, I walk through why an emergency fund matters, how to approach it on a resident salary, and where to actually keep the money so it’s working for you but still accessible when you need it. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about building a little bit of stability, one step at a time.