Investments
Definitions and FAQs
Physicians can prepare for the future you want with financial planning solutions that help you reach your goals.
Financial Planning
Definitions
A registered investment advisor (RIA) manages your assets and sits on the buy-side of the investment field. They can create portfolios of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds to streamline asset allocation.
An investment advisory representative (IARs) are licensed and authorized personnel who work for investment advisor companies and are permitted to work with clients. IARs primary provide investment-related advice as a financial advisor.
Risk tolerance is your willingness to take on risk. Understanding and calculating your risk tolerance helps to design an investment portfolio that’s right for your unique financial situation and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How should I diversify my portfolio?
A diversified portfolio is achieved by holding a mixture of assets such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and also across a variety of different sectors. You should also consider growth versus value and the size of the company you are investing in.
Does Physicians Thrive have access to private equity investments?
Yes. Our team has non-publicly available investments available for our clients.
How often can I meet with my advisor to review my portfolio?
Our rule of thumb is that you can meet with your advisor ss often as you want. For many physicians, that means meeting monthly or quarterly. This also may depend on what circumstances are happening in your life; change in employer, if your family is growing, funding a family members education, etc. or if major events are happening in the world that impact your investments.
At the minimum, we will want to review your portfolio annually.
How much can I afford to invest?
Physicians Thrive recommend building an emergency fund before you start investing. This should include 3-6 months of your average monthly expenses and spending that you can tap into if something unexpected happens.
Our team also recommends prioritizing credit card debt repayment first before investing.
If you have student loans, you don’t have to wait until they are completely repaid to begin saving. Start investing when the growth of your investments can double the rate of interest costs on student loans. In many cases it’s a better strategy to invest and repay your student loans at the same time.
If you have access to an employer matched retirement plan, prioritize contributing there first.
What is a backdoor Roth IRA?
A backdoor Roth IRA allows for high-income earners to avoid a Roth IRA’s income limits. To set up a backdoor Roth IRA, you contribute to a traditional IRA account then convert it to a Roth IRA. Since only post-tax dollars can go into a Roth IRA, you will need to pay a tax deduction in order to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.
Start Your Financial Planning & Taxes Guide Today
Strong financial plans should include strategies designed to minimize your tax liability and make sure you are not making any mistakes with your tax returns.