Hi CC parents,
Long time poster here, but I generally stick to the Pre-med Forums here on CC. For the first time in a long time, I'm the one looking for advice
Short version of my story. I'm an MD, just out of fellowship, and after 6 years of training I've managed to pack every major adult milestone into the last year - engagement, wedding, first real job, new city, bought a house, baby on the way. I'm in a pediatric subspecialty field, so the paychecks are nice, but not what people typically think of when they think "doctor's salary". For those who care, my group is part of a larger practice management system, so I fit more of an employee model, with a graduated bonus structure until I reach a full partner share of the bonus. I cannot however just work more to bring in more revenue (I'm in hospital based field so my patient numbers are simply dependent on who is in the hospital needing my skillset).
I'm well aware of the usual financial planning advice and subscribe to the "Index Card" school of financial planning. I've been using a robo-investor site to management my rolled over IRA to minimize my fees. My wife and I have talked a lot, and I think we're pretty open about our finances with each other, we've laid out plans to handle our credit card debt first, then move on to our respective student loans. I'm putting the max into my 401(k), my wife is now upping her contributions. I'm saving a little bit extra at the moment, but having only been on the job for a month and are only starting to get a handle on what our monthly cash flow in and out looks like. Our mortgage is <30% of my take home pay (just me alone, not our total take home pay) and we're on the same page when it comes to living within our means.
Beyond starting a 529 plan, what else should I know? Is there a 529 plan that is universally accepted as better than the rest? What do you wish you would have known when your kids were still in the womb? How did you manage paying for daycare/private schools/etc, with saving for college?
Thanks in advance.
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