The Optometry Money Podcast

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary It's July — half the year is gone, but you still have half a year to make an impact on your tax result. That makes right now the ideal time to sit back and ask: where do things actually stand? In this episode, Evon walks through four questions every optometrist should b...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary Most optometrists believe the path to a better bottom line runs through growth — more patients, more marketing, more demand. But what if that's the wrong problem to solve? In this episode, Evon sits down with Dr. Kerry Reeves, owner of Advanced Eye Care in North and Sou...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary Most practice owners spend close to two decades building their business — and too often only a few months planning how they exit it. That imbalance shows up in the outcomes. This episode kicks off a new series on planning for the sale of your practice, built around five ques...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary The largest IPO in history is here. SpaceX goes public this week with an expected total value of $1.77 trillion, and OpenAI and Anthropic have both announced plans to go public this year at valuations around $1 trillion each. In optometry forums and online communities everyw...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary With the stock market trading near all-time highs again, it's natural to wonder — should you be worried? Is a crash inevitable? Should you hold off on investing? In this rewind of one of our most popular 2024 episodes, we dig into what history actually tells us about al...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. The Department of Education just released its final rule implementing the federal student loan changes we’ve been tracking over the past couple of years — and while most of it lines up with what we expected, two surprises stood out.  In this episode, we recap how we got here (the official e...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Whether you're five to ten years from exiting your optometry practice or just starting to think about it, the decisions you make right now have a major impact on what your practice is ultimately worth.  In this episode, Evon is joined by Erich Mattei of Akrinos — a returning guest who...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. It's tax day — and whether you're celebrating a finished return or still working through an extension, tax payments are on your mind. In this episode, we walk through a practical framework for planning your quarterly estimated tax payments so you're not scrambling, stressed,...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. In this replay of a popular 2023 episode, Evon revisits an important topic for optometry practice owners and independent contractors - the differences between different business entities! How do the different business entities work? How are they taxed? How are they different? In this episod...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Remote optometry is growing fast - and there's quite a range of opinions on what that means for optometry. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Crystal Edison, a remote optometrist practicing across nine states from her home office, to break down the ins and outs of providing comprehen...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. We're back with our second listener Q&A episode, tackling real questions from ODs around the country. From S Corp salary decisions and how much cash to keep in your practice, to buying your commercial real estate, preparing your practice for sale, and whether you're overfundin...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. As an optometrist—especially a practice owner—you face real liability exposure from both your professional work and your business. So how well are your retirement accounts and investments actually protected if something goes wrong?  In this episode, we walk through the different layers of l...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Congress created a brand new investment account for kids called Trump Accounts, and the questions from optometrists have been flowing in. In this episode, we break down exactly what these accounts are, how they work, who can contribute, and - most importantly - whether they actually add any...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. In this episode, we break down tax-efficient investing for ODs, showing you how to pair the right investments with the right accounts to maximize your after-tax wealth over your career. What You'll Learn Taxes can be the difference between two optometrists with identical investment ret...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. In this first-ever OD listener Q&A episode, we tackle seven questions covering practice ownership, retirement accounts, student loans, and tax strategy. From why your practice is your most important investment to navigating the backdoor Roth IRA maze, we break down what actually matters...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Tax filing season is here, and for married optometrists planning toward student loan forgiveness, how you file your taxes can save you thousands of dollars per year.  In this episode, we break down how tax filing status impacts your income-driven repayment calculations and when filing separ...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Even though we're already into 2026, tax planning for 2025 isn't over. While most tax planning happens before December 31st, there are still several impactful levers you can pull before filing your return. In this episode, Evon breaks down four specific tax planning opportunities...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. 2026 brings several important financial and tax changes that can directly impact optometrists - especially practice owners and those with student loans. In this episode, Evon walks through five key updates to be aware of as you plan for the year ahead, including changes to retirement contri...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary: As your practice grows and profits increase, one of the most powerful tax and retirement planning tools available to optometry practice owners is profit sharing within your 401(k) plan. But what exactly is profit sharing, and how can you optimize it for both you and your em...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Tax planning is more than just finding deductions—it’s about pulling the right financial levers at the right time. In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, walks through the five key areas of a tax return that optometrists and practice owners should focus on when working with their financial an...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode 146 – Four Common Investment Mistakes Optometrists Should Avoid As an optometrist and practice owner, you’ve got enough on your plate running a household, practice, and career - but what about your investments? In this episode of the Optometry Money Podcast , Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSL...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary: You’ve done the hard work of creating your estate plan. But is it actually ready to work when you need it most? In this episode, Evon breaks down the four critical gaps that can make or break your estate plan's effectiveness — especially for busy optometrists and pract...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Episode Summary In this timely episode, Evon unpacks the Department of Education’s recent surprise announcement that interest will resume accruing on the SAVE plan’s current forbearance beginning August 1, 2025. We explore what this means for optometrists managing student loans - especially...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. In this packed episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP® and host of The Optometry Money Podcast, breaks down the biggest tax and student loan law changes optometrists need to know from the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Evon discusses what’s changing—and what’s not—for individual an...

Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! We'll answer your question on the show. Are individual bonds better than bond funds? What’s the actual difference between the two—and why does it matter for your investment strategy? In this episode, Evon Mendrin , CFP®, CSLP®, dives into the key distinctions between individual bonds and bond funds, and what private practice opto...