#148 New Year, New 401K Catch-Up Contribution Rules for Doctors

#148 New Year, New 401K Catch-Up Contribution Rules for Doctors

Author: Nate Reineke December 31, 2025 Duration: 27:58

It’s New Year’s Eve! We hope that you have had a wonderful 2025. As we look ahead to 2026, you may be making resolutions or setting goals for yourself. This is a time we all reflect on what changes we’d like to make. As we ponder these changes, it is important to note that things are changing in the finance world, too, and that there are some changes regarding 401K catch-up contributions. Nate Reineke and Kyle Hoelzle break down what these changes are and how they may impact physicians like you. We also answer your colleagues’ questions. It's New Year's Eve. What contributions do people still have time for? An Infectious Disease Doctor in NY asks, “Does it make more sense for us to have separate HSA-eligible plans or one family plan?” A Surgeon in Illinois says “I have a new HSA, can I just leave the old where it’s currently at?” A Psychiatrist in New York wonders, “My new employer is letting me choose between being a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor. Which should I choose?” A Family Medicine Doc in Minnesota asks “When opening a solo 401(k) as a sole proprietor, should we use our SSN or get an EIN?” 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


Finding a clear path through financial planning feels uniquely challenging when your career is in medicine and your heart is at home with family. The Physician Family Finances Podcast exists in that specific, demanding space. Host Nate Reineke, alongside co-host Chelsea Jones, brings their experience as Certified Financial Planner™ professionals directly to conversations with physician parents. They understand the dual pressures of managing a practice, caring for kids, and making smart long-term decisions with your earnings. Each episode moves beyond generic advice to tackle the real questions you face, from navigating student loan strategies and investment options tailored to a physician's timeline to planning for retirement without sacrificing your family's present. This isn't about quick tips; it's about building a sustainable framework that aligns with your values and goals. Tune in for a candid, practical discussion that makes complex topics like tax laws and wealth building accessible, so you can gain confidence and clarity with your finances. The entire podcast is built on the principle that securing your future should feel like an achievable part of your life's work, not an overwhelming distraction from it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Physician Family Finances Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Should physicians hire their spouses? Fishy or fine? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
Some tax strategies are fishier than others. This week, you’ll hear about how things are going with Nate and his son’s development as a fisherman, and we’ll also tackle a somewhat fishy 401(k) question: can you, or SHOUL…
Fishing for Conversions: Physician Mistakes on Backdoor Roth Accounts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:03
If fishing were easy, they’d call it catching. If backdoor Roths were easy, they’d call it a loophole. Listen in as Nate Reineke and Ben Utley answer a cumbersome backdoor Roth question from a physician who fears they ma…
From Scrubs to Shrubs: A Doctor’s Guide to Financing a Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:52
Buying a home is hard. As a physician, you want to make sure you get the best rate, use the right type of loan, and avoid the mistakes that drag out the process. Listen in as Ben Utley and Nate Reineke dissect the comple…
Physicians, Flowers, and 403(b)s: A Mother’s Day Finance Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:54
Let's be real here: You spent your first 20 years of life rolling your eyes at your mom's advice and the rest of your life realizing she was right. So right now, make sure you have a table reserved (or groceries bought)…