CPA tax help for physicians, dentists and health professionals
Health professionals often have income from several places at once: a salary, 1099 locum or contract work, a share of a practice, and sometimes teaching or consulting. This site explains the planning that ties those pieces together.
See physician tax strategiesWho this site is for
Physicians
Employed hospitalists, group members, private practice owners, locum tenens and 1099 physicians, and residents moving into their first attending role.
Dentists
General dentists, specialists such as orthodontists and oral surgeons, associate dentists, and dental practice owners buying into or selling a practice.
Read the dentist guide →Other licensed professionals
Veterinarians, optometrists, chiropractors, physical therapists and other licensed health professionals who own a practice or earn significant contract income.
Where health professionals lose money
Mixed income
W-2 pay, 1099 contract work, speaking, consulting and royalties are often taxed differently and rarely planned together.
Unclaimed deductions
Licenses, continuing education, malpractice premiums, professional dues and home office costs are frequently under-documented or missed.
Underused retirement room
High income creates room for large deductible retirement saving, but only when the plan is set up and funded correctly.
Explore the guides
Physician tax strategies
Deductions, income timing, and how to plan across W-2, 1099 and side income in the same year.
Read the guide →Practice ownership and income
Choosing an entity for a private practice, paying yourself a reasonable salary, and handling partnership buy-ins.
Read the guide →Retirement planning
401(k), 403(b), 457(b), cash balance plans and Roth options, and how to sequence them.
Read the guide →Dentist tax planning
Dental practice entities, equipment and capital purchases, associate-to-owner transitions and dental-specific deductions.
Read the guide →Questions to ask your tax advisor
- Am I withholding enough, or do I need quarterly estimated payments on my 1099 and side income?
- Which retirement plans can I use this year, and what are the deadlines?
- Is my practice entity still the right one for my income and state?
- Am I tracking continuing education, licensing, malpractice and home office costs correctly?
- How will my tax picture change when I move from employment to ownership, or from full-time to locum or contract work?