Doctor’s Finances

April 28, 2008

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This is part of our Financial Literacy Month Question and Answer series

Question: I’m a doctor and my finances are a mess! I make good money but I’m behind in taxes, I have too much credit card debt and I bounce a lot of checks. What can I do? ~ Dr. Debbie

Answer: Hi Dr. Debbie, I’ve worked with a lot of different Health Care Practioners and your situation is shared by many.

First, most of you start off with a lot of student debt and many years of deprivation.

Suddenly, you’re making a “lot” of money. Some make up for lost time by purchasing a lot of toys, others get behind in paying their income taxes. Either way, you woke up one day and found yourself in trouble, right?

While there are some basic things you can do, this is a good time to start working with someone like me to address your particular situation. Just like your patients, there’s no “one size fits all”.

Here are some basic things to do:

  • Get a clear vision of where you’d like to be in 6-12 months. These goals can help you make spending and saving choices that will help you achieve the goals.
  • Start using cash for purchases instead of your credit cards. If you have credit card balances, any new purchases get charged interest immediately — no grace period.
  • Take the minimum credit card payments from this month and make the same payment every month regardless of what the card says. If you’re not using your credit cards for new purchases, the balances will start to go down.

These same items work for all professions and walks of life. It is hard to do this on your own. I have coaches I work with, too.

Warmly, Cindy Morus

Posted by Cindy Morus | Filed Under Self-Employed 

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