The average new optometrist graduates at an average age of 28 year old (significantly behind non-OD peers in terms of income generation), with an average student loan debt of over $220,000+, with little or no retirement investments. Often new grad optometrists find themselves practicing in oversaturated cities and most importantly without any formal financial education. This is the perfect storm that often leaves many doctors mentally overwhelmed and prone to devastating financial mistakes. In this article, we will address 8 common financial mistakes that new OD graduates make and how you can avoid them to be financially successful.

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KEY POINTS: (1) No $10,000 Student Loan Forgiveness (2) Temporary Tax Relief for Student Loans Forgiveness until January 1, 2026 (3) Biden hasn’t extended the 0% payment and interest CARES student loan freeze, so the bill is still set to expire by the end of September 30, 2021. (4) Small Business Relief For Business Owners…

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Hello ODs on Finance Family, Well 2020 has surely been a year!  Let’s be honest, we all went into the year 2020 with big expectations – but the so-called Year of the Optometrist had some nasty surprises up its sleeve.  Despite the trials and tribulations that 2020 brought, it also brought important lessons, and the…

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KEY POINTS: (1) Max out Your Roth IRA Early (2) Automate Your Savings (3) Make Sure You Have an Adequate 3-6 months Emergency Fund (4) Create a Budget…or a Spending Plan (5) Set an End of the Year Net Worth Goal (6) Re-evaluate Your Insurances (7) Plan for Expenses, and Fun! (8) Get Professional Help…

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Like many optometrists, I graduated from Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) with over $221,245 in student loans back in June 2015. It was a combination of both federal loans ($198,303) and high interest private loans ($22,942) that I took out for other living expenses during my 4th year rotations. In early October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I made my final and last student loan payment, roughly 5 years later.

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Editor’s Note:  Becoming debt free is one of the most rewarding and positive things one can do on their quest to financial freedom.  Eliminating student loans comes in many shapes and forms, and many paths can be taken to metaphorically eliminate that weight on one’s back. Dr. Justin Jackman is a 2013 graduate of Southern…

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As we approach the end of August, we have experienced the worst market down-spiral in mid-March since the 2008 housing recession, with a -20% stock market crash. Luckily, year to date (YTD), the S&P 500 index has recovered nicely to roughly baseline. While we are not out of the woods yet, I have learned some important financial lessons, both as an investor and as an individual during this once-in-a lifetime catastrophe. Here are 8 things the pandemic has taught me.

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The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside down. Face coverings and hand sanitizer, once foreign objects only wielded by the most righteous germaphobes, have now become a reality and requirement for nearly everyone. In the SF Bay Area, where ODs on Finance’s physical headquarters are located, many large tech companies have adopted a permanent work from home policy – which has lightened morning traffic, allowed many workers to move out of the area into more affordable areas and has undoubtedly reduced overhead cost for these large companies in terms of commercial real estate needs.

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As we approach September 30, 2020, when the temporary 0% Federal student loan and forbearance period are both expected to end, here are some important updates:

Key Points:
DeVos fires all 4 major loan servicers that handle federal student loans starting December 14, 2020.
What to expect when receiving a welcome letter from your new servicer and what to do?
10 year PSLF Borrowers: Download your payment history before End of 2020
Student Loan servicers chaos could extend student loan relief
Refi Student loans are trending lower

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