Practice Finance

Variable annuities have been sold by insurance companies to physicians and others for many years.

Obtain some steps for improving your credit score.

Understand the importance of setting up an estate plan.

Understand whether you can protect investments against future inflation.

Consider gifting tax and income tax when mulling whether to gift savings bonds.

Know how to fight the potential for foreclosure.

Despite the predictions of many pundits, Congress' "lame duck" session was productive after all: Among other accomplishments, the long-awaited tax cuts are now law, at least through 2012.

In this second of two articles, the authors look at the methods used to value medical practices, the impact of antitrust laws on the pricing of doctors' services, how a hospital or managed care company exerts influence over practices in which they invest, and how doctors in independent practices can best evaluate a purchase offer.

While there are never any guarantees of success when it comes to the stock market, even nonexperts can improve their odds of coming out ahead by adopting and sticking with some time-tested strategies.

Refinance and take advantage of current low interest rates, if the decision is right for you.

You can be prepared for increasing taxes.

Learn whether you are responsible to pay off debt in your deceased spouse's name.

Understand how Social Security spousal benefits work.

Learn about target date of mutual funds.

Determine whether to use money from a 401(k) account to pay a mortgage.

Discover ways to finance your practice.

Determine whether to roll over a 401(k) or leave it be.

Discover ways to finance for a new office in your practice.

By day, Michael Sevilla, MD, is a family physician in the small northeastern Ohio town of Salem, about 20 miles west of the Pennsylvania border. But at night, between visits, and during his lunch break, he's "Dr. Anonymous," posting updates to his blog of the same name, checking his Facebook page and Twitter feed, or recording his latest Web-based radio show.

Understand the difference between load and no-load mutual funds.

Gain understanding of what is involved in gifting of stocks.

Know how to determine tax basis on inherited stocks

Understand whether you can deposit payroll tax withholding monthly for employees using federal tax coupons.

Find out whether premiums for long-term care policies are deductible.

To make informed business or investing decisions, it's imperative to have a good feel for where the economy is heading.