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Welcome to the Optometry Money Podcast, hosted by Evon Mendrin CFP®, CSLP®, where he helps optometrists make better decisions around their money, careers, and practices. He explores cold-starts, practice buy-ins, career decisions, tax planning, student loans, and other money issues ODs are navigating.
Evon cold-started Optometry Wealth Advisors LLC, a financial planning firm dedicated to help optometrists nationwide master their money, build wealth, and plan purposefully with their finances. Learn more about the show, and Evon, at www.optometrywealth.com.
148 Episodes
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Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Episode Summary: As your practice grows and profits increase, one of the most powerful tax and retirement planning tools available to optometry practice owners is profit sharing within your 401(k) plan. But what exactly is profit sharing, and how can you optimize it for both you and your employees? In this episode, Evon welcomes back Matt Ruttenberg of Life Inc. Retirement Services to break down everything optometrists need to ...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Tax planning is more than just finding deductions—it’s about pulling the right financial levers at the right time. In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, walks through the five key areas of a tax return that optometrists and practice owners should focus on when working with their financial and tax professionals. By understanding these levers, you can reduce surprises at tax time and unlock smarter planning opportunities for ...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Episode 146 – Four Common Investment Mistakes Optometrists Should Avoid As an optometrist and practice owner, you’ve got enough on your plate running a household, practice, and career - but what about your investments? In this episode of the Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP®, walks through the four most common investment mistakes he sees optometrists make when they come to his firm - mistakes that can quietly co...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Episode Summary: You’ve done the hard work of creating your estate plan. But is it actually ready to work when you need it most? In this episode, Evon breaks down the four critical gaps that can make or break your estate plan's effectiveness — especially for busy optometrists and practice owners. We’re diving into the implementation side of estate planning — those next steps after the documents are signed that so many overlook. ...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Episode Summary In this timely episode, Evon unpacks the Department of Education’s recent surprise announcement that interest will resume accruing on the SAVE plan’s current forbearance beginning August 1, 2025. We explore what this means for optometrists managing student loans - especially those approaching forgiveness eligibility or considering refinancing. What You'll Learn Surprise Announcement: Why SAVE’s interest-free forb...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this packed episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP® and host of The Optometry Money Podcast, breaks down the biggest tax and student loan law changes optometrists need to know from the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Evon discusses what’s changing—and what’s not—for individual and business tax rules, estate taxes, 529 plans, and the massive shift in student loan repayment plans. Whether you're a private practice owner...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Are individual bonds better than bond funds? What’s the actual difference between the two—and why does it matter for your investment strategy? In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP®, dives into the key distinctions between individual bonds and bond funds, and what private practice optometrists need to consider when deciding between them. Whether you're aiming for stability, income, or long-term growth in your portfolio, unde...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Enjoy this rewind of a popular episode! In Part 3 of a 3 part series, Evon dives into the many financial planning considerations optometrists need to think about when you own a more established, mature private optometry practice - both inside the business and in the household. A few of the planning topics practice owners should think about are: Maintaining your vision for the ideal practice and ownership lifeBuilding guar...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Dividend investing is one of the most passionately followed strategies online - yet much of the enthusiasm is driven by misunderstandings of how dividends work. In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP®, CSLP® of Optometry Wealth Advisors, dives deep into how dividends actually work, why they aren’t “free money,” and what ODs need to understand before chasing high-dividend stocks or funds - especially in taxable accounts. He als...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! As a private optometry practice owner, one of the most essential yet misunderstood financial decisions is figuring out how much to pay yourself. In this episode, Evon Mendrin dives into seven critical factors to consider when setting your own compensation from your optometry practice—especially if you're taxed as an S Corporation. Whether you're just getting started or running a thriving, established practice, this episode...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this special Friday episode, Evon returns to break down the recently passed proposed House bill - the “Big Beautiful Bill Act” - and what it could mean for optometrists. While it's a long way from becoming actual law, it's helpful to know what exactly is one the table and what changes to expect related to tax planning and student loans. This episode explores key tax extensions, how they impact private practice own...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this rewind of a popular episode, Andrew Berkin, PhD - head of research at Bridgeway Capital Mangement and author of The Incredible Shrinking Alpha - joins the podcast to discuss why active investment management fails, and why you're unlikely to get the outperformance you're looking for. Evon and Andrew dive into: Research behind why active management fails - both for individual investors and professional managersWhat ...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this episode of the Optometry Money Podcast, Evon Mendrin talks with Dr. Neda Gioia, the owner of Integrative Vision. Dr. Gioia shares her journey into optometry, what led her to cold-start her own practice, and how a personal health crisis inspired her to adopt an integrative healthcare approach within optometry. She discusses how she blends traditional eye care with holistic health practices, addressing root causes of dysfu...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! How can optometrists improve their portfolios beyond basic index funds, without risky trading? Evon Mendrin provides an OD's guide to Factor-Based Investing. Evon discusses: What factors are and their role in investment returns.Five criteria to identify reliable investment factors.Key factors: Market, Small, Value, Profitability, Investment, and Momentum.Why factors exist, explained through risk and behavioral finance.Common mis...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! How should optometrists approach investing their hard-earned money? With thousands of mutual funds and countless investment strategies, deciding can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Evon dives deep into index investing—explaining clearly why passive investing through broad market index funds consistently outperforms active management. He explores the fascinating history of index funds, the robust academic research behind them...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Are you pulling the right levers in your tax planning? In this episode, Evon walks through key strategic levers you can (and should) be using to improve your tax outcomes as an optometrist—especially if you're a private practice owner. aWhile most conversations focus on deductions, this episode takes a step back to look at the full tax picture and the levers that truly move the needle in your personal and practice finances...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this episode of The Optometry Money Podcast, host Evon Mendrin welcomes back Erich Mattei of Akrinos for a follow-up conversation focused on creating a pathway for associate doctors to become partners in your optometry practice. Whether you're an owner thinking about bringing on a partner or an associate doctor aiming to own part of a practice, this episode unpacks the key considerations you need to know. In this episode, you...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this episode, Evon Mendrin, CFP® dives into the latest twists in the federal student loan landscape—and what they mean for optometrists using income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. There’s big news on SAVE plan court rulings, loan consolidations, and IDR recertifications. But more than that, Evon explores the deeper question: What are the tradeoffs you accept when choosing an IDR path toward forgiveness? Whether you’re a recent...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! Welcome back to The Optometry Money Podcast! In this episode, host Evon Mendrin, CFP®, dives into the topic of stock market declines—a reality for every long-term investor. With headlines buzzing about economic concerns, tariffs, and policy changes, market volatility can feel unsettling. But how common are market declines really? And what should optometrists do when they happen? What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How often sto...
Questions? Thoughts? Send a Text to The Optometry Money Podcast! The student loan landscape is shifting again! In this episode, Evon breaks down the latest updates on the SAVE Plan, the recent court rulings, and what these changes mean for optometrists navigating their student loan repayment. With major legal challenges in play, borrowers on SAVE are currently in interest-free forbearance, but the future of the program remains uncertain. Evon unpacks the key takeaways from the recent 8th Circ...
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