The holiday season brings many fun traditions, like going to see the lights, opening Advent calendars, baking, or shopping for the perfect gift. Since the holidays also signal the end of the year, it can be a time to think about taxes, too. Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones break down some of the tax breaks doctors like you can try to catch at the last second, like maxing out contributions. We also look at some tax breaks that take a bit more planning, like charitable donations, that you could plan for in 2026. We also answer your colleagues' questions. An Anesthesiologist in Iowa says, “I want to help my son with a home purchase - what is the best way for me to do this?” An Oncologist in Colorado asks, “Do you think a really early retirement is worth pursuing?” A Family Medicine Doc in Texas says, “I’ve heard about this opportunity from a few colleagues to buy into this cash flow business (storage units). The projected return seems really appealing (20-30% over 3 years). What do you think?” Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

That benefits packet you skimmed might hide a major opportunity. When it comes to saving for retirement, it can seem like there are a million account types, and it is becoming more common for employers to offer even more options. While that flexibility can be great, it can also be confusing, especially when a plan includes the Mega Backdoor Roth. In this episode, Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones break down what the Mega Backdoor Roth is, how it works inside your employer plan, and when doctors like you should consider using it. We also answer your colleagues’ questions. A Pediatrician in California says, “My Morgan Stanley advisor doesn’t want me to buy and hold our index funds. Why do you think that is?” An Emergency Medicine Doc in Arizona asks, “I have been attending for about 18 months now, and everyone is telling me to buy a house, but what is wrong with renting for another year or two?” A Retired Oncologist in Oregon says, “My expenses are sporadic, and when I had a regular monthly withdrawal set up previously, I found that the cash just started to build up. What do you think about me taking withdrawals out in chunks instead of a regular monthly withdrawal?” Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

If we had a crystal ball, we’d all like to know what the housing market will do. However, we do know that rates have dropped in the last 8 to 12 months, in some cases saving people a whole percent! Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones break down why it may be beneficial to refinance even if you bought within the last year or if you have an ARM. We also discuss when it may be smart to move to a 15-year mortgage or buy points up front to have a lower rate. We also answer your colleagues' questions. An oncologist in Oklahoma says, “I received an unexpected bonus from work that we did not work into our original financial plan. I could see us either investing it in our brokerage account or putting it into a 529. What are your thoughts?” An OBGYN in Florida asks, “I know estate planning is something I need to do, and I have heard about a trust, but I don’t know much beyond that. Can you tell me how it works?” A Urologist in Oregon says, “We are retired and want to upgrade our house, but we don’t have the cash, so we would need to take money out of our brokerage account or sell our rental property to buy the new house - should we do it?” Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

If you are on track for retirement, college, have an emergency fund, have bought all your cars in cash, and check all the other planning boxes, but find yourself with extra cash, where is the best place to put it? It may seem like a simple math problem to decide if investing is a better option than paying down your mortgage, but the math isn’t actually that easy. Nate Reineke and Kyle Hoelzle break down why it’s not an easy question to answer and the caveats that complicate the math. We also discuss how paying off your mortgage faster helps reduce risk as you head into retirement. We also answer your colleagues’ questions. An ENT in New York says, “If my employer updates the plan’s default investment option, does that change how my current retirement account is invested?” A Critical Care Doctor in Ohio asks, “My oldest child is in college, and we have some of his tuition money in a high-yield savings account. Should we move it to his 529?” An ENT in Oregon wonders, “How should investors think about owning broad index funds when they disagree with the practices of some of the companies inside them?” Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

The seasons have changed, and fall is coming to an end, which means the holidays are here! While Nate may not be the biggest fan of Thanksgiving food, he and Chelsea take some time to reflect on life and money lessons they are thankful to have learned, often around a dinner table. Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones break down some of the valuable lessons they learned when they were young, like “don’t spend money you don’t have yet,” and Chelsea’s favorite, “pay yourself first.” We also discuss your colleagues' questions. A Neurosurgeon in New York just got a bonus payment and has a large lump sum to invest. Should they do a one-time deposit to their taxable account or dollar cost average? A Cardiologist in Oregon says, “We earn $700k/year and we watch what we spend to some extent, yet at the end of the month, we are out of money. What do you think the problem is?” The wife of a retired General Surgeon in Oregon asks, “My husband is on Medicare, but I am not, and my insurance covers our youngest son. Should I have an HSA?” A Dermatologist in Texas says, ”My in-laws are selling their home and we are thinking about buying it and turning it into a rental property. What do you think?” However you celebrate the upcoming holiday season, we at Physician Family Financial Advisors are thankful for you! Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

If you get a distribution from your 457, it may feel like income that you can do whatever with. This time of year, it may be tempting to spend it on a Christmas retreat or a New Year’s reset, but is that going to steal your retirement nest egg? Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones break down how that distribution can be used to bolster your retirement plans and how for Physician Family clients, it is already factored into their plan. We also answer your colleagues' questions. A Surgeon in New York says, “We are a little bit ahead on college savings for our 7 and 9 year old children, should we slow down?” Retired Family Medicine Doc in Oregon wants to know if they should do QCDs next year? A Psychiatrist in Chicago asks, “We want to move to a better neighborhood and buy a house that is twice as expensive as our current home. If we can afford the monthly mortgage, why not do it?” A Retired Urologist in Oregon is wondering, “Should we consider taking more than just the RMD in our inherited IRA in order to reduce ballooning during the end of the 10-year period, causing our taxable income to spike?” Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

CAUTION: Tax season is quickly approaching. We know that it can be shocking to see a huge or unexpected tax bill, and this time of year, it seems like everyone is advertising a way to save. How can physicians like you know if these methods are legit or a good idea? Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones break down some of the ways you may be able to save on taxes throughout the year and what accounts could offer you tax savings. We also talk about ways you could lower your “lifetime tax bill.” We also answer your colleagues' questions. A Cardiologist in Oregon says, “As I approach my retirement date, what should I be doing to optimize my taxes for the near future?” Another cardiologist in Oregon asks, “I am retiring next year, and we plan to downsize. If we have to buy the smaller house before our current house sells, should we liquidate part of our portfolio to pay for it/ have a sizable down payment?” An Orthopedic surgeon in Illinois was just reading a story that, in the future, catch-up contributions to our 401(k) will have to be put into a Roth. They are pretty sure their company does not offer a Roth. In the event that their company does not offer a Roth, can they just put those into my Betterment Roth? A Family Med doctor in California is having trouble with their CPA. They ask, “Should I just do my own taxes, or do I need a tax professional?” Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

The market is always moving, and it can be tempting to try to rebalance when you’d have to pay the least capital gains taxes. Tax savings are great, but is this really the best way to decide when to rebalance? Nate Reineke and Kyle Hoelzle break down how the market may play into rebalancing and what doctors like you should consider when deciding to rebalance. We also discuss why it is worth paying some taxes in order to manage your risk. We also answer your colleagues' questions. A listener emailed in and said, “I’m a 58-year-old surgeon in Pennsylvania and have been practicing for about 25 years, always as an employed physician. Over that time, I’ve built up several retirement accounts — a 401(k) with TIAA, a 457(b) plan from my second job that was frozen when the hospital was acquired in 2011, and my current 401(k) that started in 2011. I also have a cash balance pension plan that appears to be invested in a money market fund. As I start thinking about retirement in the next five to seven years, would it make sense to consolidate these accounts in one place — and if so, when is the best time to do that?” An OBGYN from Maryland got an email offering to put an ACATS Block on their account. They’re curious what that is, and why they would need one? The spouse of an OBGYN in Texas asks, “What is the Pro Rata rule, and how does it affect having/ opening a backdoor Roth?” A family med doc in California owns 2 properties that they use as investments, and they want to get a third so they can leave each child a property. They are three years from retirement and have enough for a down payment, but not enough to buy outright. Is it a good idea to buy? Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It’s time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we’re a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures