MtoM #202: Radiologist Gets PSLF and Finance 101: Charitable Giving
Dec 23, 2024
auto_awesome
A radiologist shares her journey to achieving public service loan forgiveness while reflecting on her academic career and strategies for debt management. She saved diligently for potential bumps in her financial path, now considering transforming her PSLF fund into a future home down payment. Additionally, the discussion shifts to the realm of charitable giving, emphasizing intentional strategies that maximize tax benefits and the advantages of donor-advised funds. This episode is packed with insights on financial empowerment and philanthropic impact.
The podcast highlights the importance of strategic planning in achieving debt forgiveness through PSLF, enabling the radiologist to manage her loans effectively.
An intriguing aspect discussed is how physicians can earn additional income through paid surveys, leveraging their medical knowledge to diversify their income streams.
Deep dives
Achieving Debt Freedom through Public Service Loan Forgiveness
A major milestone discussed is the achievement of debt freedom through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The guest radiologist shares her journey, highlighting that she graduated with approximately $220,000 in student debt, which increased to around $340,000 by the end of her training due to a lack of principal payments. By strategically choosing a career in academia and making use of the PSLF, she managed to have her total loans forgiven after making only a minimal contribution of $30,000 over the course of her payments. This showcases how careful planning and taking advantage of available programs can lead to significant financial relief for medical professionals.
Supplementing Income with Surveys
Another key point is the opportunity for physicians to generate extra income by participating in paid surveys. This side gig allows medical professionals to utilize their expertise and knowledge while earning additional money during their downtime. An example from the episode highlights how one columnist made an impressive $30,000 per year from taking surveys alone. Such opportunities emphasize the potential for health professionals to diversify their income streams without requiring substantial time investments.
The Importance of Financial Education in Medicine
The guest emphasizes the role of financial education for medical trainees, acknowledging that many come from modest backgrounds and might feel overwhelmed by student debt. She and a colleague established a finance curriculum for their residents to equip them with essential financial knowledge early in their careers. By providing resources like books on financial planning, they aim to empower residents to manage their finances effectively and prepare for their future. This commitment to financial literacy illustrates how educators can help shape the financial well-being of the next generation of physicians.
Today we are chatting with a radiologist who has received PSLF. She learned about PSLF back in 2009. She knew she wanted to go into academics so she planned from the beginning to go for PSLF. She knew the ins and outs of the program and maximized keeping her payments low and benefitted from the COVID student loan freeze. She dutifully saved up a PSLF side fun incase something happened and her loans were not forgiven. Luckily that did not happen and she now has a big chunk of money in there. As a highly debt averse person she is now considering turning that fund into a 'saving-for-a-home fund' in hopes to be able to pay cash for their first home. After the interview stick around for a discussion about charitable giving for Finance 101.
As a white coat, you have valuable knowledge. Various companies want that knowledge. And they’re willing to pay you for it! That’s why we’ve put together a list of recommendations for companies that pay you to take surveys. If you’re looking for a profitable side gig for not too much effort, getting paid for surveys could be the perfect solution for you. You can make extra money, start a solo 401(k), and use your medical knowledge to impact new products. One of the WCI columnists makes an extra $30,000 a year just doing these surveys. Sign up today and use a fraction of your downtime to make extra cash! Go to https://whitecoatinvestor.com/MDSurveys
The White Coat Investor has been helping doctors with their money since 2011. Our free financial planning resource covers a variety of topics from doctor mortgage loans and refinancing medical school loans to physician disability insurance and malpractice insurance. Learn about loan refinancing or consolidation, explore new investment strategies, and discover loan programs specifically aimed at helping doctors. If you're a high-income professional and ready to get a "fair shake" on Wall Street, The White Coat Investor channel is for you!