Posts by Daniel Jeffry Rivera
The Hidden Cost of Delaying 401(k) and Roth Decisions Until Mid-Year
High-earning physicians rarely procrastinate with patients.But with money?Different story. Many doctors wait until summer or even fall to decide: How much to put into a 401(k) Whether to use Roth vs pre-tax How their practice and side income change the plan On paper, it feels harmless.You still “maxed out,” right? In reality, delaying these decisions…
Read MoreThe First Quarter Advantage: Why Early Action Beats Perfect Timing
January hits, and most physicians are still catching their breath from year-end schedules, flu season, and family holidays. Taxes feel like something “Future You” will deal with in March or April. That mindset is expensive. For doctors, the first quarter isn’t just paperwork season. It’s when you quietly lock in most of the tax result…
Read MoreStart the Year Tax-Smart: A January Guide
January shapes the entire financial year for physicians. The schedules get full, obligations pick up, and the pace never slows. But the real shift happens behind the scenes — in how you set up your taxes, structure your income, and prepare for the decisions that will follow you into every quarter. This is the month…
Read MoreThe Cost of Ignoring January Tax Planning
January hits differently for physicians. Most doctors walk into the new year already overloaded—patient volume spikes, administrative tasks pile up, and burnout lingers from December. So tax planning becomes something you’ll “deal with later.” But later always costs more. January is the only month where your tax year is still fully adjustable. Every missed decision,…
Read MoreWhy January Is When You Win or Lose on Taxes
January doesn’t feel like a tax month. It feels like a reset. New schedule. New goals. New motivation. But here’s what most physicians don’t realize until it’s too late: January is when your tax outcome starts getting locked in.Not April. Not October. January. Because what you decide in the first few weeks of the year…
Read MoreWhat to Fix in January Before It’s Permanent
January feels calm.The year is wide open.No deadlines are screaming yet. That’s the trick. For physicians, January is when small decisions turn into patterns.Payroll settings.Bookkeeping habits.Business structure.Estimated tax assumptions. You don’t “feel” the consequences in January.You feel them in September.Or at tax time.Or when you realize you can’t undo something without pain. If you want…
Read MoreWhy January Is the Right Time to Hire a Tax Advisor
January feels calm on the surface.The holidays are over.Your schedule stabilizes.You finally have a little room to think. That’s exactly why it’s the best time to hire a tax advisor. Not in April.Not when you’re rushing to upload documents.Not when you’re trying to undo decisions from 11 months ago. January gives you leverage.It gives you…
Read MoreJanuary Tax Questions to Ask Before Filing
You can file taxes fast.Or you can file taxes right. For physicians, “right” usually means one thing.You don’t just report what happened last year.You spot what you missed.You fix what you can.And you build a plan before the year gets away from you. January is the best time to do that.Because it’s early enough to…
Read MoreEarly Retirement Planning Starts in January
You don’t retire early because you “saved a lot.”You retire early because you built a plan that works in real life. And the weird part? The plan usually gets decided in January.Not December.Not during tax season when everything feels rushed. January is when your income, cash flow, benefits, and habits reset.It’s also when you still…
Read MoreWhy January Is the Best Time to Build a Tax Roadmap
January feels calm for about five minutes. Then you’re back in clinic. Your schedule fills up. Life starts running again. And tax planning turns into “we’ll deal with it later.” That’s the exact reason January matters. If you’re a physician with high income, your tax outcome doesn’t get decided in March or April. It gets…
Read More