Happy 529 Day!

In this special 529 Day re-release of the Doctor’s Eyes Only® podcast, Vestia Partner and CEO Lauren Oschman revisits one of the most common questions physician families ask: Are you using your 529 plan the right way?

Originally recorded in 2024, this episode remains one of our most popular conversations on college savings and education planning for physicians. Before the episode begins, Lauren shares several important updates reflecting legislative changes that have occurred since the original recording. These updates include an increase in the annual gift tax exclusion amount from $17,000 to $19,000 per person for 2026, expanded 529 plan benefits that increase the amount available for private K-12 education expenses from $10,000 to $20,000 per year, additional qualifying K-12 education expenses in certain situations, and an increase in the annual Roth IRA contribution limit from $7,000 to $7,500 for individuals under age 50. Lauren also discusses the continued availability of the 529-to-Roth IRA rollover provision, which allows eligible beneficiaries to roll up to $35,000 of unused 529 assets into a Roth IRA, subject to applicable rules and annual contribution limits.

Many physicians, surgeons, and other high-income medical professionals worry about saving too much into a 529 plan, especially if a child receives scholarships, chooses a less expensive school, or decides not to pursue graduate education. In this episode, Lauren explores how 529 plans have become significantly more flexible than many families realize and why outdated assumptions may be causing some physician parents to miss valuable planning opportunities.

You’ll learn how 529 plans work, when they make sense for physician families, how state tax benefits can affect your decision, what happens if your child receives a scholarship, how beneficiary changes work between family members, how 529 funds can be used for certain K-12 education expenses, and how the newer 529-to-Roth IRA rollover rules may create additional flexibility for long-term family wealth planning.

Whether you’re an attending physician, surgeon, anesthesiologist, cardiologist, radiologist, dermatologist, emergency medicine physician, pediatrician, OB/GYN, practice owner, or part of a dual-physician household, understanding the evolving rules around 529 plans can help you make more confident decisions about education funding, tax planning, and building wealth for the next generation.

At Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors, we specialize in financial planning for physicians. Our team helps doctors navigate complex financial decisions involving taxes, retirement planning, practice compensation, college savings, investment strategy, and long-term wealth management so they can focus more of their time and energy on medicine, family, and the life they want to build.

If you’re a physician looking for guidance on 529 plans, college funding strategies, retirement planning, tax-efficient wealth building, or comprehensive financial planning, we’d love to connect. myteam@vestia.com

Subscribe for more physician-focused financial planning insights from Vestia Partner and CEO Lauren Oschman and the Vestia team.

#529Day #529Plan #PhysicianFinance #FinancialPlanningForDoctors #PhysicianFinancialPlanning #CollegeSavings #EducationPlanning #DoctorFinances #WomenPhysicians #Surgeons #MedicalProfessionals #TaxPlanning #WealthManagement #PhysicianParents #HighIncomeProfessionals

Physician burnout, digital overload, inbox stress, and after-hours charting are challenges many doctors face while balancing clinical work, administrative responsibilities, and life outside of medicine.

In this episode of the Doctors Eyes Only podcast, Lauren Oschman, CFP®, CDFA®, speaks with Dr. Melinda Rathkopf, board-certified allergist and immunologist and co-founder of Declutter Docs, about how organization, productivity systems, and intentional workflows can help physicians reduce stress and create more sustainable routines.

They discuss:

• How physical and digital clutter affect stress and mental load

• Why many physicians struggle with “pajama time” charting

• Inbox management and notification strategies for doctors

• Productivity systems for busy physicians and working parents

• Time management and energy management for physicians

• How workflows and organization impact physician wellbeing

• Practical ways to reduce overwhelm at home and at work

• Using systems and routines to support focus and efficiency

• Creating more space for what matters most

Dr. Rathkopf shares insights from her experience as both a practicing physician and the co-founder of Declutter Docs, an organizing and productivity consulting firm that helps professionals build sustainable systems for work and life.

Doctors Eyes Only® is presented by Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors, a financial planning firm specializing in financial planning for physicians.

Learn more about Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors:

https://www.vestiapersonalwealth.com

Learn more about Declutter Docs:

https://www.declutterdocs.com

Follow Vestia:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vestiapwa

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vestia-personal-wealth-advisors

Follow Declutter Docs:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/declutterdocs

References Mentioned in This Episode

The following books, podcasts, tools, and concepts were referenced during this conversation for educational purposes only:

• Getting Things Done by David Allen

• Inbox Zero methodology and email management systems

• Mel Robbins podcast discussions on time management and productivity

• Carey Nieuwhof’s work on productivity and energy management

• The “Big Rocks” time management illustration using rocks, sand, and a jar

• Ambient AI documentation tools used within electronic medical record systems

• Google Calendar and digital family calendar systems

• Montessori organizational and educational approaches

• AI-assisted productivity tools for meal planning and workflow support

Disclosure

References to books, podcasts, tools, software platforms, productivity systems, or third-party resources are provided for informational and educational purposes only. Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors and Doctors Eyes Only® do not receive compensation from, endorse, or have a financial relationship with the individuals, companies, products, or services mentioned in this episode unless explicitly stated otherwise. Viewers and listeners should evaluate any resource independently based on their own needs and circumstances.

#PhysicianBurnout #WomenPhysicians #PhysicianWellbeing #DoctorsEyesOnly #ProductivityForDoctors #FinancialPlanningForPhysicians #MedicalProfessionals #WomenInMedicine #PhysicianLife #DeclutterYourLife

In this special Mother’s Day episode of the Doctor’s Eyes Only® podcast, Vestia CEO Lauren Oschman sits down with emergency medicine physician and Bluebird MD founder Dr. Jessica Rosen for a candid conversation about what it actually looks like to build a meaningful career in medicine while raising a family.

They talk through the realities many women physicians quietly navigate every day. The pressure to succeed professionally while also trying to be the kind of parent they want to be, the exhaustion that comes with constantly shifting schedules, the emotional weight of carrying the “mental load” at home, and the challenge of finding space for yourself somewhere in the middle of it all.

Jessica shares her journey through emergency medicine, practicing in a two-physician household, raising children during demanding seasons of training and practice, and eventually creating a different kind of career through the launch of Bluebird MD. Along the way, the conversation explores how motherhood changes the way many physicians think about ambition, time, success, and what a sustainable career in medicine actually requires.

Lauren and Jessica also reflect on perfectionism, guilt, childcare, physician marriage dynamics, night shifts, burnout, and the often-unspoken feeling that women in medicine are expected to somehow do everything well at the same time. Instead of offering simplistic answers, the episode focuses on something more honest: learning to let go of impossible standards and building a life that works for your real priorities and season of life.

This is a thoughtful conversation for physician moms, women in medicine, medical trainees, dual-career families, and anyone trying to navigate the intersection of career, family, identity, and purpose with a little more grace and a little less pressure.

A warm and deeply relatable Mother’s Day episode about medicine, motherhood, and why “doing it all” may not be the goal after all.

About Dr. Jessica Rosen and Bluebird MD:

Dr. Jessica Rosen is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and founder of Bluebird MD, an in-home urgent care practice serving families in the Nashville area.

Bluebird MD Website

https://www.bluebird-md.com/

Meet Dr. Jessica Rosen

https://www.bluebird-md.com/about-dr-jessica-rosen

Instagram

@bluebirdmdnashville
Books and resources mentioned during the episode:

“Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time” by Brigid Schulte
https://www.brigidschulte.com/overwhelmed

“Fair Play” by Eve RodskyFor book and card deck
https://www.fairplaylife.com/

Please note: Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or compensated by any of the links above.