This post was updated in January 2025 based on the IRS limits for 2025. A Roth individual retirement account (IRA) allows annual contributions of up to $7,000 for 2025. Contributions are made with post-tax funds, which can be invested in individual stocks, REITs, index funds, etc. Withdrawals after age 59 1/2 are tax-free on capital gains, leveraging…
2024 has been a whirlwind of milestones and growth, both professionally and personally. This year, I was inducted into the Academy of Master Educators and became the medical director of our organ donor specialty care unit (DSCU). As an associate medical director, I’ve also been heavily involved in our Master…
I started my career as an attending cardiac anesthesiologist and intensivist on October 1, 2019. Beginning in January 2020, I started using Empower (referral link) to track my income, expenses, and net worth. Roughly five years later, I’m analyzing my net worth (y-axis) over time (x-axis) and have seen three…
As I look back on the last year, I’ve been humbled by the opportunities given to me by my colleagues, trainees, and, above all, my patients — the opportunity to learn and expand professionally as a physician, the opportunity to mentor and guide, and the opportunity to continue growing the…
Earlier this week, southeast Texas, including the greater Houston area, was struck by Hurricane Beryl. For the first time since Hurricane Alicia in 1983, the eastern portion of a hurricane’s eyewall passed through the city, leaving over two million people without power, significant wind/water damage, and questions regarding the city’s…
I’m a fan of high-performance engineering and an automotive enthusiast, so naturally, Formula 1 (F1) has been an interest of mine for years. I decided to construct the LEGO Technic Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Race Car (affiliate link) to display in my office. It’s been years since I played…
I’ve found a strategic blend of benefits that suit my lifestyle and spending habits using Bilt Rewards, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Ink Unlimited, and Chase Freedom Flex. Here’s a breakdown of each card and how I leverage their perks and rewards to maximize my cents per point (CPP) when redeeming…
2023 was honestly just a weird year. The stock market was all over the place. Interest rates skyrocketed. International conflict became more and more disconcerting. The only thing that seemed stable was my clinical work. I was humbled also to be selected as one of the associate medical directors of…
The overwhelming majority of my non-retirement net worth is in my brokerage account invested in the index exchange-traded funds (ETFs) Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI, 0.03% expense ratio, represents the United States’ total stock market) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS, 0.07% expense ratio, represents the international market).…
Although primarily focused on growth investments, I contribute monthly to the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF™ (SCHD) to diversify my Fidelity brokerage account portfolio. This exchange-traded fund (ETF) focuses on high-quality, dividend-paying U.S. stocks and has a net/gross expense ratio of 0.06%. Here are some of the reasons I’m investing…
