Financial Clarity for Doctors

For those of you that are interested in giving, let’s try to do so as tax efficiently as possible!  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff walk through a few ways you can give money to the causes that are near and dear to your heart and pay a little less in taxes at the same time.  Often, the larger the gift, the more tax benefits, but even small g...

There is a lot of “common knowledge” in life that may or may not be right for you.  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff debunk some financial planning myths that simply don’t hold true for most people any longer.  As always, you should take the specifics of your situation into consideration when making any financial decisions. “Myths” discussed...

Some investments are flashier or more exciting than others.  But do you really need flashy and exciting to meet your financial goals?  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, hosts Corey Janoff and Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff talk about alternative investment strategies and whether you may need them as part of your investment strategy. This episode covers some basics of altern...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, hosts Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff discuss how our expectations adjust over time.  If we continue to want more and more, how will we ever be satisfied with what we already have? Discussions in this episode include: Nostalgia about the “good ol’ days”. Comparisons of expected standard of living in the middle of the twentieth century and to...

Public Service Loan Forgiveness is a hot topic for many medical professionals still trying to work their way out of school debt.  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff walk through the current state of the program and whether or not it’s still worth pursuing. This episode discusses: The basic parameters of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). H...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors Finity Group financial advisors, Corey Janoff and Rachelle Vanderzanden, discuss a few ways you can work through how to value your own time. Valuing your time: Why does it matter? This can help you decide all sorts of things!  Such as…. How much to work (assuming you have the flexibility to decide) Whether it makes sense to do something yourself or...

Headlines, federal government funding issues, and stock market volatility can lead people to question how secure their own place is in the economy. How will this impact my job and my income?  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff, walk through a few things that MAY impact the job market for physicians and other medical professionals. As always – I...

One of the questions our advisors get most frequently from clients is, “Am I on track?”  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey Janoff and Rachelle Vanderzanden, walk through a few ways to evaluate progress toward your goals. Steps to assess your progress: First, decide on what you are trying to achieve! Goals are different for everyone. This can be retirement, college savings, de...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey Janoff and Rachelle Vanderzanden, discuss some of the basics of pensions.  How do you get one, what are the benefits, and exactly how do these things work? Some pension basics covered in this episode include: What type of employers off these retirement plans and who contributes to them. The types of investment risk associated with these plans...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey Janoff and Rachelle Vanderzanden walk through some of the most common questions they hear from clients.  Everything from ‘why is the sky blue?’ to ‘how do you capture a swarm of honeybees?’  Just kidding!  They’re all questions about money.  Below are a few examples. Common questions include: Is now a good time to invest? Should I make change...

Most folks, including doctors, do not end up staying in their first jobs long-term.  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey Janoff and Rachelle Vanderzanden talk over some of the financial implications of career transitions. These implications include: Changes in income amounts and the structure of pay Differences in work requirements Tax differences from place to place Things to...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, hosts Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff walk through some of the attention-grabbing headlines during the first few weeks of President Trump’s second term.  Most people have at least some reaction to everything we see, but how might this affect your finances? Topics covered in this episode include: Policy proposals and potential economic impact...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, hosts Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff discuss all the fun expenses that come along with pet ownership.  When you love something, it tends to cost you a little more! Topics covered in this episode include: Basic ongoing expenses of pet ownership. How the costs of pet ownership have changed over time. The ins and outs of pet insurance. How to...

If you’ve researched financial planning and professional advice, chances are you have come across the word ‘fiduciary’.  But what does it really mean?  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, hosts Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff unpack the word and other qualifications for Financial Advisors. Tune in to hear more about: The different standards financial professionals are held to...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey and Rachelle check the accuracy of their crystal ball and try out some predictions for next year (even though they have proven they’re not great about it!). Tune in to hear more about what they expect on: The stock market Student loans Interest rates Basically, everything that you can’t really predict! For 2024, moderate guesses tended to be...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, our hosts Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff chat through some upcoming changes to retirement savings rules. A handful of adjustments happen every year, but there are also some new updates coming up because of the Secure Act and the Secure Act 2.0. Updates include: Details on increases to contribution limits. New 401k/403b catch up rules for fo...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey and Rachelle walk through when it makes sense to tackle home renovations (and when it doesn’t).  As always, think about your goals and the resources needed to achieve those goals. Good examples of renovations include: Necessary repairs and maintenance. If you don’t do it now, you’re likely going to NEED to do it later. Smaller cosmetic update...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey and Rachelle talk about the pros and cons of paying extra on your mortgage.  When interest rates were lower, there was not a lot of incentive to pay down a very low-interest rate debt faster than necessary.  But with higher rates, it may make sense for you. Some things to consider include: Your mortgage interest rate Do you have a magical pre...

The economy is doing well, but if that’s the case, why do day-to-day expenses feel tight for so many people?  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey and Rachelle tackle one expense that has been hit hard by inflation.  But why has home and auto insurance become so much more expensive? In this episode, we tackle: The basic structure of home and auto insurance A few reasons why thes...

In the midst of a housing shortage, Corey and Rachelle walk through some of the reasons housing has become so expensive in this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors. Is it possible for this to get better in the future? Some of the topics discussed include: Supply and demand for housing The influence of the 2008 housing crisis and the pandemic The affects of regulation on housing costs The chan...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey and Rachelle tackle planning for couples.  Whether you are working on moving in with someone, getting married, or separating after a long-term relationship, you will have some big financial decisions.  Open communication can be key, but what should you even be talking about? Financial topics that affect couples include: The simple things like...

Politics can certainly make life spicy and a little stressful!  But how should things like a presidential election affect your investment decisions?  Should they at all?  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff discuss some of the implications of investing during a presidential election year.  In this episode you will hear about: A few basics on how...

It’s September and that means we are diving into life insurance awareness month!  The reason we need a whole month to raise awareness on this topic is because nobody wants to think about their own mortality; but it’s still important.  In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff discuss why, when, and how to explore life insurance.  In this episode you w...

In this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors, Corey Janoff and Rachelle Vanderzanden discuss the changing interest rate environment and a few things to think about as the economy adjusts.  Interest rate discussion topics include: How the Federal Reserve uses interest rates to influence the economy. How interest rates can potentially affect the stock market. Mortgage interest rates and refinanc...

Rachelle Vanderzanden and Corey Janoff revisit the topic of saving for college in this episode of Financial Clarity for Doctors.  We walked through some basics on this topic a few years ago, but things change over time!  Some of the topics covered include: Discussing how you would like to support your children with higher education. Establish some goals! The increasing costs of higher education. S...