Investing & Taxes
for Physicians
Backdoor and mega backdoor Roth, retirement accounts, HSAs, and tax strategy written for high-income physicians.
On a physician’s income, taxes are often the largest expense in a year, and the order in which you fund accounts can matter as much as what you invest in. Small, repeatable moves, like a yearly backdoor Roth or a fully funded HSA, add up over a career.
These guides cover backdoor and mega backdoor Roth contributions, HSAs, retirement contribution limits, tax planning for W-2 and 1099 income, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and how to choose a financial advisor.
Start here
- 1Tax Planning for PhysiciansThe main levers for lowering your tax bill, in one place.
- 2Backdoor Roth IRA GuideRoth savings when your income is over the limit.
- 3The Mega Backdoor RothMuch larger Roth contributions, if your plan allows them.
- 4HSA Strategy for PhysiciansUsing an HSA as a long-term, tax-free account.
- 5Retirement Contribution LimitsThis year’s limits for every account type.
- 6The One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Your TaxesWhat the 2025 tax law changed for physicians.
- 7Investing Your First $100,000A simple framework for where to start.
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All investing & taxes guides
Cash Balance Plans for Physicians: Limits, Costs and Who They Suit (2026)
How a cash balance plan works for doctors: the 2026 $290,000 benefit limit, why contributions rise with age, pairing with a 401(k), PBGC rules, costs, exit.
457(b) Plans for Physicians: Governmental vs. Non-Governmental (2026)
A 457(b) at a nonprofit hospital stays the hospital's property until paid. 2026 limits, payouts, taxes, the Steward case, and when physicians should use one.
1099 Physician Taxes (2026)
Estimated tax dates and safe harbors, self-employment tax with a W-2 job, solo 401(k) vs. SEP, when an S-corp helps or hurts, QBI, and PSLF for contracted physicians.
2027 Retirement Contribution Limits for Physicians
The 2027 HSA limits are out at $4,500 and $9,000; 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) and IRA limits come later this fall. Every 2026 limit, and which ones a physician with several plans can stack.
The Mega Backdoor Roth for Physicians (2026): How to Put an Extra $47,500 Per Year Into Tax-Free Retirement Savings
What most physicians do not know is that their employer's 401(k) plan may contain a mechanism that allows them to convert an additional $47,500 per year into tax-free Roth money.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act: What Every Physician Must Know About Their Taxes in 2026
The scheduled 2026 tax increase was averted. Here is exactly what the new tax law means for your practice, your student loans, and your net worth.
The 12 Best Physician Finance Books (2026): Ranked and Reviewed by a Doctor
Build wealth on a doctor's timeline. These are the only finance books worth your limited reading time — organized by career stage, ranked by usefulness, and honest about what each one gets wrong.
Estate Planning for Physicians (2026): Wills, Trusts, and Making Sure Your Wealth Survives You
The complete physician estate planning framework in 2026 — the five core documents every physician must have, revocable living trusts, beneficiary designations, and 529 plans.
Physician Net Worth by Age (2026): What the Data Shows and Whether You're on Track
Most physicians do not know where they stand financially relative to their peers. Learn what the 2026 Medscape data shows, calculate your Expected Net Worth, and avoid the major wealth destroyers.
How to Choose a Financial Advisor as a Physician: Questions to Ask and What It Costs (2026)
How to choose a financial advisor as a physician: fiduciary duty, how advisors are paid, what financial planning for physicians costs, and the questions to ask before you hire one.
How Physicians Should Invest Their First $100,000 (2026 Framework)
A step-by-step framework for physicians to deploy their first $100,000 in attending capital across tax-advantaged accounts, debt paydown, and taxable investments.
Fee-Only vs. Fee-Based Financial Advisor: Why It Matters for Physicians (2026)
Understand the critical differences between fee-only and fee-based financial advisors for physicians, including compensation conflicts, fiduciary standards, and what you should really be paying.
Physician FIRE: How Much Do Doctors Need to Retire Early in 2026?
The complete guide to calculating your physician FIRE number in 2026, including timelines, savings rates, and why spending is the only variable that truly matters.
What Can You Spend Your HSA On? A Physician's Complete Guide to HSA-Eligible Expenses (2026)
A complete guide to HSA-eligible expenses for physicians in 2026, including common misconceptions, the new OBBBA rules, and the stealth IRA reimbursement strategy.
HSA Strategy for Physicians (2026)
The Triple Tax-Advantaged Account You're Underusing. Learn how to use it as a stealth IRA.
The Complete Guide to High-Yield Savings Accounts (HYSA)
Everything a physician needs to know to use high-yield savings accounts (HYSA) correctly. Maximize your emergency fund yield.
Tax Planning for Physicians (2026)
12 sourced strategies: retirement accounts, HSA, backdoor Roth, the $40,400 SALT cap, 2026 charitable rules, 1099 income, investments and student loan tax traps.
Backdoor Roth IRA Guide
Step-by-step tutorial for high earners to contribute to a Roth IRA legally.
The Physician's Multimillion-Dollar Mistake
How lifestyle inflation destroys your paycheck, and what to do about it.
Best Credit Cards for Doctors and Residents (2026)
Nine cards compared on what each issuer publishes, plus the two-card setup by career stage, business cards for 1099 income, and CME travel.