The Dentist Money Show | Financial Planning & Wealth Management

Learn how to take your decision making beyond pros and cons. You hear it at the beginning of every show: "We help dentists make smart financial decisions." In this episode of Dentist Money, Reese and Ryan (with a shout out to Benjamin Franklin), dive into the decision-making process. You'll learn how a combination of information, well-defined processes, and personal accountability lead to more confidence and better outcomes. Plus, you'll hear them discuss if and when it makes sense to trust your personal instincts.

Individual stocks, do they have a place inside your investment portfolio? What's on the mind of the Dentist Money™ Show listeners? You're about to find out! With tax season around the corner, discover how to best utilize pre-tax savings accounts like 401(k)'s and IRAs vs after-tax options like Roth IRAs. Listen as Reese and Ryan talk about individual stocks and where they might fit in your overall approach to investing--and what growth strategy will actually have the biggest effect on your net worth. It might surprise you.

Reese's guest on this Dentist Money™ Show is Jonathan VanHorn, owner of DentistMetrics, a national CPA and accounting firm that helps dentists reduce their tax burden. With 2018 almost in the books, taxes may be on your mind. On this episode, Reese and Jonathan talk about the best money-saving uses of the Section 179 tax code when it comes to equipment depreciation. It's a timely discussion that includes why trying to move into a lower tax bracket can be significant. Get ready for some year-end planning ideas, and a conversation that should interest every dentist.

The actual cost of market timing could be higher than you're willing to pay. On this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese and Ryan discuss the difference between thinking you're in control—and actually being in control. They examine, how acting on that impulse can lead to poor financial performance and the emotional cost of market timing. They tie it all together with some suggestions on how to rethink your approach to market fluctuations and why a long-term, globally-diversified approach to managing your portfolio helps eliminate the risk of emotional investing. Are you ready to dive into the actual cost of market timing?

Dr. Justin Short, founder and creator of "The Lifestyle Practice," and co-author of the new book "The Titans of Dentistry: How the Top Performers Think and Act Differently," is Reese's guest on this episode of Dentist Money™. Reese and Justin discuss the top traits and skills it takes to move into the top 10% of dentists - and Justin shares the good, bad, and ugly moments that shaped his career path and led him to both personal and professional success.

One simple formula can bring your entire financial picture into focus. Do you know what it is? On this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese and Ryan discuss an English Friar, the Principle of Parsimony, why Reese hates peacocks—and why tracking your net worth is a critical part of understanding your financial health. They break down the net worth formula and explain the pace at which yours should grow. It's a back-to-basics conversation to help you spend your energy on the fundamentals that matter most.

On this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese and Ryan discuss how dentists can successfully position practices to "know what they are not" - and how to avoid becoming a "drive-by" dental practice. Plus, they discuss ways to build a thriving team, celebrate success with patients and - and why dentists could learn a thing or two from the Foo Fighters.

On this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese interviews Dave Monahan, CEO of Kleer. Dave offers his expert take on why uninsured patients are avoiding the dentist because they overestimate the cost of treatment, and how implementing subscription pricing can help overcome that concern. Plus, you'll hear some surprising statistics on dental insurers' profit margin, and why cutting them out—when you can—will increase your bottom line.

You need financial advice, but how can you judge whether you're getting real value from your "advisor?" In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese and Ryan discuss how financial planning services are still in their infancy, and why so many advisors misuse the word "planning." They also discuss the building blocks of a comprehensive plan. And, since financial planning isn't a term either of them care for, you'll finally hear why every Dentist Advisors podcast opens with "helping dentists make smart financial decisions."

When's the last time you gave your practice a financial x-ray? Would an expert accountant find any hidden problems? Morgan Hamon, founder of HDA Accounting Group, is Reese's guest on this episode of Dentist Money™. By focusing his firm's tax, accounting, and consulting services solely on dentists, Morgan has gathered valuable benchmarking data to measure key performance indicators of a dental practice. During this interview, he shares his thoughts on profitability improvement and overhead management. He also discusses if and when it's time to invest in more growth.

Are you ignoring the most effective shot in your financial planning arsenal? In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese and Ryan discuss how to rethink your approach to personal spending by using the money-ball analytics behind the NBA's recent 3-point shooting revolution. And this is no boring, painful discussion about "budgeting." Reese and Ryan deliver hope-inspiring advice on how to use effective financial planning to live a more enjoyable life both now, and in the future.

More referrals, fewer no-shows and higher case acceptance? It's not too good to be true. Dr. Chris Phelps, a best-selling author and the only dentist with Cialdini Method Certified Trainer credentials, is Reese's special guest on this episode of Dentist Money™. In this show he and Reese explore six ways to positively persuade people when they're making decisions. As a practice owner, knowing these techniques can help you create a more productive office environment—and build your practice as you get more patients to say "yes" to treatment.

You've seen the headlines: "Bull Market!" Or, "A Bear is lurking!" What do these two terms really mean for your investments? It's time for another round of listener questions on this episode of Dentist Money™. Are we in a Bull market? How do you know it's a Bear market? Reese and Ryan help define these overused terms, and show how a long- or short-term investment attitude really shapes the definition. And since they're defining terms, they also discuss net worth, how it's measured, and where you might expect yours to be at different points in your career. Finally, Reese and Ryan have a few thoughts on HSA strategies—and how that medical savings opportunity can fit into your retirement planning.

Learn how to maximize profit for each patient who comes through your door. In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese interviews Dr. Rich Madow, co-founder of The Madow Center for Dental Practice Success, host of TBSE (The Best Seminar Ever), successful author, highly-entertaining speaker, and award-winning composer. Reese and Rich offer practical solutions to many of the issues you face as a practice owner, from how to increase profits to how to ensure your team works well together. We promise a good time—and some great insight into what it takes to run a successful practice.

What do sharks, snakes, surfing, and mosquitoes have in common? In this episode of Dentist Money™ you'll find out as Reese and Ryan talk about scary things that make you worry at the expense of other things you should be more concerned about. Of course the focus is on investing and how your fears might affect your future, but there's nothing like a great analogy to get a good discussion rolling. Take a closer look at your financial fears, you may be obsessing about the wrong thing.

What's the relationship between patient volume and practice growth? In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese interviews Dr. Bruce Baird, practicing dentist and Founder and President of the Productive Dentist Academy. If you think being more productive means increasing your speed and adding more patients, you need to hear Dr. Baird's practical advice. He's helped thousands of dentists improve their productivity—and they've done it while working fewer hours. Listen as Reese gets Dr. Baird to share his recipe for increasing collections without working yourself into the ground.

Are you struggling with the same financial challenges as other dentists? Reese recently posted a survey in a popular online dental forum asking dentists what they were most concerned about when it came to their finances. In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese and Ryan share the results of the poll and shed light on the two most popular responses. Take a second to think about the source of your financial stress, and then listen to see if you're in good company. The results might surprise you.

In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese interviews Dr. Chris Salierno, chief editor of Dental Economics magazine and international lecturer. You'll hear why the days of passive practice ownership are over. You'll also learn about resources that can help you think more strategically and improve your business model. Plus, Reese and Chris have fun covering a few typical dentist issues in a fast paced lightning round.

Does it make sense for you to invest like big pension fund managers? The answer may surprise you. In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese and Ryan take a close look at how investments for large endowments are managed. You'll hear about the mix of assets in these portfolios, and you'll learn how "alternative" investments have played into their strategies. Most importantly, you'll discover if it makes sense for you to follow suit with your own investments.

Are you creating a network of experts to help you build a successful practice? According to the Dental Amigos, Robert Montgomery and Dr. Paul Goodman, "Dentistry can be a lonely profession without good friends." In this fast-paced episode of Dentist Money™, Reese, Robert, and Paul cover everything from servicing student debt to DSO's to startup vs acquisition. And you'll want to hear The Dental Amigos explain why networking is so critical to today's successful practice. Plus, Reese pulls out a Dentist Money™ favorite—the Lightning Round.

Reese and Ryan knock out another round of questions on this Q&A episode of Dentist Money™. Hear their advice on what to look for in companies that provide after-tax investment services. And, in the always a "hot topic" category, you'll hear them discuss the trade offs between paying down debt versus building liquidity. Plus, there's a new wrinkle in this episode as Reese and Ryan pull quotes from a social media discussion on the same topic—so you'll hear how other dentists view the debt and liquidity conversation.

Are you getting through to your staff? Learn communication skills that deliver rapid results. Katherine Eitel Belt is CEO of LionSpeak, a communications coaching company, and she is Reese's guest on this episode of the Dentist Money™ Show. An international keynote speaker, author and coach, Katherine is known for her non-traditional approach to leadership and team building. Listen as she shares her unique viewpoint — one that can help you become a better leader and get you on the same page with your staff and patients. More importantly, you'll find out how Katherine's suggestions can help you put your business on a solid growth path.

It's time for Reese to take the hot seat as we switch things up a bit for this episode of Dentist Money™. Dr. Russell Kirk takes the lead and interviews Reese for The Business of Dentistry podcast. Enjoy a different point-of-view as Dr. Kirk asks the questions and Reese offers his advice. And Reese has plenty to share with ideas on how a well-planned financial strategy can make a huge difference to both your practice and your preparation for retirement.

Do you remember completing a risk assessment the last time you set up an investment account? Did it really set your savings plan on the right trajectory, or did it simply cover your advisor's butt in case you weren't happy with the eventual returns? In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese & Ryan talk about an Element called Equity Rate from our periodic table of financial indicators. They explain why traditional risk assessment tools fall short of measuring your investment needs, and how they miss the mark when it comes to creating the right balance of stocks and bonds in your portfolio.

Do wealthy people offer the best financial advice? What benefits should I offer my employees? Remodel my home or buy a new one – what's the right choice? Reese and Ryan tackle these three questions on this Q&A episode of Dentist Money™. You'll hear Ryan list four types of people Forbes says you should avoid taking advice from — it might surprise you. And you'll find out what other group practices do when it comes to employee benefits. Plus, Reese has a lot to say about buying or remodeling as he recently went through that decision himself.

What path should you take to practice ownership – start-up or acquisition? For the past decade Jayme Amos has coached numerous dentists on how to achieve greater satisfaction from practicing dentistry. On this episode of the Dentist Money™ Show, Jayme shares with Reese how personality traits should be factored into business decisions. And he discusses the important differences between starting a practice from scratch, or purchasing an existing practice. As an expert on work/life integration, Jayme also has some suggestions on how you can build a practice that reflects your personal values.

By ignoring your office retirement plan, are you making a seven-figure mistake? On this Dentist Money™ Show, Reese and Ryan talk about qualified retirement plans and why a yearly review makes such a huge difference. You'll hear why the cheapest 401(k) provider may not really be the least expensive. And, you'll find out how to avoid getting surprised by employee plan fiduciary responsibilities and liabilities from falling on you, which occurs more often than you think.

It's one of the biggest problems that keeps struggling practices from succeeding. On this episode of the Dentist Money™ Show, Patty Ricard, dental practice manager, consultant and life coach, addresses a common issue in office management, and shares her keys for your practice to reach peak performance. She talks with Reese about what methods you can use to build better patient and team loyalty – and why instituting just a few changes can lead to more profitability.

How will you create cash flow that requires minimal effort? On this Dentist Money™ Show, Reese and Ryan discuss something people love to daydream about – passive income. You'll hear how real estate measures up to other passive income options and learn about the two main components of passive income. And you'll find out what it means to harvest your assets correctly in order to make them last longer.

How did this dentist go from associate to a 28-operatory multi-speciality practice? In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese interviews Dr. David Bender who shares how he expanded his services and built such a large scale operation. Dr. Bender talks about the financing decisions he faced, DSO versus private practice considerations, partnership agreements, and how personality plays into business decisions.

Is there a "right way" to pay your family members through your business? When is it the right time to hire a financial advisor? Should I start a private practice? All three of these questions have something in common. They're the topics discussed on this Q&A episode of Dentist Money™. Reese and Ryan give their advice on what tax saving vehicles to use when paying kids; they discuss the right timing for hiring a financial advisor; plus they share their reasons why opening a private practice isn't necessarily the right choice for every dentist.

What do guinea worms, selfies, and sharks have to with behavioral finance? You'll be surprised how they fit together in this fascinating episode of Dentist Money™. Reese Harper, CFP® welcomes Dr. Daniel Crosby, psychologist, behavioral finance expert, and New York Times best-selling author of The Laws of Wealth. Their discussion covers a variety of behaviors that affect the way people invest. Find out how your investment decisions might be distorted by your own emotions.

How does practice equity fit into your overall asset mix? As you build your net worth, do you consider how much your practice will contribute to your retirement? In this Dentist Money™ Show, Reese and Ryan explain how to prioritize your practice in relation to other assets like real estate, investments, and retirement accounts. They also explain how growth of one asset type can lead to growth of another.

It could be the #1 question on dentist's minds: "How will the growth of DSOs affect my practice?" In this Dentist Money™ interview from the Dental Success Summit, Reese Harper, CFP® welcomes attorney Brian Colao, Director of Dykema's Dental Service Organizations Industry Group. Brian represents several DSO venture capitalists and shares his view on the DSO business model compared to solo, multi-location, and group practices. He explains when it makes sense to transition to a DSO, how ownership structure differs from traditional practices, and the implications of selling to a DSO buyer versus a private practitioner.

What would happen if health issues prevented you from practicing dentistry? Would your current disability policy keep you afloat? In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese & Ryan discuss a financial indicator from the Elements® table called Insurance Rate, and the performance benchmarks calculated during a recent analysis for Dentist Advisors clients. They touch on a few considerations for life insurance coverage, and dive deep into the features and definitions within disability policies that can have a major impact on a dentist's financial security.

How does social media influence the type of patients you attract? Beyond new patients, how can social media be used to grow your business? In this interview at the Greater New York Dental Meeting, Reese Harper, CFP® interviews Jack Hadley, founding partner of My Social Practice and MBA professor of social media marketing. Jack explains how social media can be used to strengthen relationships, describes some simple methods dentists can use to create effective content, and talks about leveraging your "alpha" audience to grow faster.

What's on the minds of one Pedo and two GPs? Debt repayment, retirement plan consolidation, and equipment budgeting. And in this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese & Ryan address each of these listeners' questions by reacting to a well-known blogger's advice about debt, explaining the right way to fund new retirement accounts, and describing how equipment should be viewed from an investment perspective.

Is your office manager irreplaceable? Or do you have systems in place to stay afloat if you had to find someone new? In this Dentist Money™ interview, Reese welcomes Kiera Dent, founder of Dental Masters and practice consultant for dentists across the country. Kiera covers issues related to embezzlement risk, office manager dependency, daily reporting, and setting budgets for staff. She also shares three simple things you can do to boost production immediately.

Have you looked into target date funds as an investment option? A lot of dentists are drawn to this seemingly safe, inexpensive, and low maintenance way to save for retirement. But there's often a misunderstanding about why these funds exist and who should be using them. In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese & Ryan explain the intent of target date funds, the limitations they impose for dentists, and how they often get misused.

What are your options when it comes to buying or selling a practice? Will it be a gradual buyout or a clean break? In this episode of Dentist Money™ recorded at the Greater New York Dental Meeting, Reese Harper, CFP® welcomes Wayne Oplinger, Transitions Analyst at Benco Dental who shares the most common mistakes dentists make when going through transitions. He talks about the current state and future outlook of the dental practice market, observations he's made during hundreds of interactions with practice owners, choices and variables to consider when planning a transition, and the biggest regret dentists usually face after selling their practice.

How does your savings rate compare to other dentists? More importantly, how much money should YOU be putting away each month? In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese and Ryan cover Savings Rate fundamentals and recap a few insights gained from this month's Elements® analysis for clients of Dentist Advisors. They talk about appropriate levels of saving, how Savings Rate might change throughout a dentist's career, and why the advantages of a balanced savings plan go beyond building a financial reserve.

How would you rate your study club experiences? Do they add real value or do they seem unproductive? In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese welcomes Dr. Martin Mendelson, Executive Vice President of Client Services at Spear Education. In this interview, Dr. Mendelson shares the keys to cultivating a successful study group. He also explains the roles of coaches, consultants, and mentors in a dentist's life and the mindset of practice owners who embrace continuous improvement.

Do you have burning questions about your personal or practice finances? In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese & Ryan respond to three dentists who submitted questions about office retirement plans, annuities, and "backdoor Roth" accounts. Advice includes the bigger picture around retirement plan selection, questions to ask about your existing annuities, and how cash flow plays into investment account decisions.

What's the right balance of delegation and direct involvement? As the CEO of your practice, do you have enough information to be strategic, but not so much that it bogs you down? In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese Harper welcomes Penny Reed who explains how practice management has evolved over the past twenty-five years. Penny is a renowned speaker and author, and has coached dentists across the country to become more profitable through better delegation and accountability. In this interview, she discusses the true value of a good consultant, how your personality should play into business decisions, and common mistakes that lead to poor office cultures.

How much cash should you keep on hand? Beyond an emergency fund, what are the advantages of maintaining adequate liquidity? And at what point have you accumulated too much cash? In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese & Ryan dive into a calculation called "Liquid Term" from the periodic table of financial Elements® and recap findings from last month's client performance analysis. They raise common questions around cash management, highlight the lesser known advantages of having enough liquidity, and describe how a dentist should expect liquidity to grow over the course of a career.

What does it take to build a business beyond yourself? Even if you're the only producer, how can you maintain the humanity of your practice as you grow? In this Dentist Money™ interview recorded at the Greater New York Dental Meeting, Reese welcomes Peter Shallard, Founder of Commit Action, and personal coach to entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley to Wall Street. Peter discusses the intersection of business and psychology, and explains why it's so easy for dentists to become their own worst enemy when trying to grow a practice. He talks about the lies business owners often tell themselves, how burn out usually sets in, and the danger of an all-or-nothing thinking.

The listeners asked, and we responded. But it was mostly by email, and the people who asked the questions were the only ones who got the advice. So we had an idea: "Let's choose the best financial questions from our loyal listeners and answer them on air." Then we high fived each other and made this episode. You'll hear Reese & Ryan answer a liquidity question from a graduating dental student, an entity structure question from a mid career dentist, and a retirement plan question from a practice owner in his 60's.

How would you rank the building blocks of a valuable practice? Are there certain assets within your business that carry more weight than others? In this episode of Dentist Money™ Reese welcomes Steven J Anderson, co-founder of Crown Council and the TOPS Institute. Steven describes the foundation of every great practice and the leadership qualities exemplified by the best owners. He also shares his view on the new standard of care in dentistry.

Has your schedule gotten away from you? Have you thought about hiring another dentist to help you shoulder the load? In this episode of the Dentist Money™ Show, Reese & Ryan discuss some of the most common reasons dentists feel overworked and underpaid. They also explain why the source of the pain might not always be what you think it is.

Are you sick of surprise tax bills? How do you know if you're paying a fair amount for your level of income? In this episode of Dentist Money™, Reese & Ryan cover all things taxes including income calculations, common deductions, entity structure implications, and how tax reforms at the end of 2017 might impact conversations with your CPA. They also explain why it's not always easy to compare your tax rate to your peers'.