MoneyRx for CRNAs and NPs
Go behind the scenes with host Brett Fellows, CFP®, as he explores the unique financial opportunities and challenges facing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and Nurse Practitioners on the path to financial independence. Each episode delivers expert insights and actionable advice to help you lower taxes, invest smarter, and retire on your terms.
Brett's firm, Oak Capital Advisors, specializes in high-earning CRNAs and nurse practitioners and is currently accepting new clients. From retirement income strategy and tax planning to Social Security timing, Medicare, and estate planning, they offer comprehensive financial planning that goes far beyond investment management. If you're ready to work with someone who truly gets your world, the link to schedule a discovery meeting is in the show notes.
Episodes
88 episodes
Roth Conversion or ACA Subsidy? You Don't Have to Choose.
Most nurses retiring in their early sixties think they face one decision when it comes to ACA subsidies and Roth conversions: pick one or the other. But there’s another way. In this episode, Brett walks through the story of Renata, a 60-year-ol...
Why High-Earning Nurses Leave Money on the Table in Retirement
You've worked for decades, maxed your 403(b) every year, and built a solid balance. But what if the structure of those savings is quietly setting you up for a six-figure tax problem in retirement?This episode follows Dana, a CRNA with 22...
Stop Budgeting for What Retirement Costs. Budget for This Instead.
Most retirement budgets are built around a method that almost guarantees an error. You sit down with a spreadsheet, write out every category you can think of, and estimate a number for each line. Research shows people who go through that exerci...
How This Nursing Couple Retired with $2.5M and Still Underspent for 3 Years
If you retired with $2.5 million and were still afraid to spend it, you would not be alone. Many CRNAs and nurse practitioners have worked so hard for so long, but nobody ever taught them how to switch gears.In this episode, Brett walks ...
4 Signs You're Already Ready to Retire
Many CRNAs and nurse practitioners are already financially ready to retire… they just don’t know it. And yet, they keep working three, five, sometimes ten years longer than they need to. Not because they have to, but because no one has shown th...
Dr. Michelle Cuevas - The NP Who Left the W2 Life to Build Income, Flexibility, and a Life on Her Terms
Making the jump from employee to business owner can feel scary for NPs and CRNAs, but it can be done successfully. In this episode, Brett Fellows sits down with Dr. Michelle Cuevas, DNP, FNP-C, a family nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, and sel...
3 Healthcare Decisions That Derail Early Retirement for Nurses
A CRNA or nurse practitioner can save consistently, build a $1.5 to $2 million portfolio, and be just a few years from retirement and STILL lose tens of thousands of dollars a year without knowing why. The answer? Because of these ...
3 Steps to Build Your Retirement Paycheck
Where will your paycheck come from once you stop working, and which account do you pull from first? You saved well, maxed out your 403(b), and built a $2 million portfolio, but haven’t found clear answers to your retirement questions. ...
5 Retirement Mistakes That Can Cost Nurses $$
Most nurses arrive at retirement having done everything right for 30 years. The problem is not what they built. It is that nobody explained what happens when you have to start pulling money out.In this episode, Brett Fellows walks throug...
I'm a NP at 55 with $1.2M. Can I Retire in 5 Years?
Most nurse practitioners trying to answer the retirement question are using benchmarks that were never designed for them. The 4% rule. The 80% income replacement rule. Healthcare cost estimates built on worst-case assumptions. Used together, th...
Health Savings Accounts: How Nurses Should Use for Triple Tax Advantages
Most CRNAs and nurse practitioners treat their HSA like a checking account for medical bills. They put money in, pay bills, and move on. But the HSA is the ONLY account in the U.S. tax code that gives you 3 tax benefits at the same time, and wh...
The Retirement Tax Time Bomb in Your 403(b) or 401(k)
Do you have a retirement tax bomb? Many CRNAs and nurse practitioners spend 30 years following traditional financial advice: max out your 403(b), live below your means, and defer taxes as long as possible. However, this strategy often leads to ...
Backdoor Roth vs Mega Backdoor Roth for Nurses: Which Strategy Fits?
If you're a CRNA or nurse practitioner earning over the Roth IRA income limits, you're locked out of one of the best retirement accounts available. But there's a legal workaround. In this episode, Brett Fellows explains two powerful tax strateg...
Social Security Strategies for High Earning CRNAs & NPs
"I've been earning $200,000 or more a year for most of my career. Social Security is going to be a drop in the bucket." If that's what you're thinking, you could be leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.In this episode, B...
Pre-Retirement Checklist: 10 Action Steps for Nurses 5 Years Before You Retire
The five-year window before you stop working is the most critical period for your financial future. While many CRNAs and nurse practitioners (NPs) focus solely on saving, the transition to retirement requires a shift toward strategy. In this ep...
Why CRNAs and NPs Should Say NO to the 4% rule
The 4% rule is a staple of retirement planning, but for high-income CRNAs and nurse practitioners, it is often the wrong tool for the job. Relying on a rigid, one-size-fits-all percentage can lead to psychological stress, tax blindness, and the...
Top 10 Investing Mistakes That Keep CRNAs & NPs Working Longer Than They Need To
You've worked long shifts, held everything together in high-stress situations, and saved diligently for 25 years. You think you're on track for retirement. But what if investment mistakes you don't even know you're making could force you to wor...
Medicare Part B Premiums, IRMAA - What Nurses Need to Know
If you are a high-earning nurse making $120,000 as NP or over $200,000 as a CRNA, you probably think Medicare will be simple and affordable because you have paid your taxes for decades. However, many nurses are shocked to receive premium notice...
New Year, New Financial Strategy: 5 Money Moves Advanced Practice Nurses Should Make in 2026
If you're a nurse around age 50 thinking you can do this for about 10 more years, then this episode is for you. Burnout from nursing changes the game. When you're tired, you don't want more complexity in your life. You want a plan that creates ...
We Have a $3 Million Portfolio. How Much Can We Spend?
What if the biggest risk to your retirement isn't running out of money, but spending too little? When you've accumulated $3 million through decades of hard work and discipline, the fear shifts from "Can we afford to retire?" to "How much can we...
Once I Show Early Retirees This, Healthcare Becomes Easy
"I can't retire early because of healthcare." If this is the voice holding you back, this episode changes everything.Healthcare costs terrify so many CRNAs approaching early retirement. You've saved enough money, you're burned out, and t...
Do These 5 Things Before You Retire if You've Saved Over $1 Million
Many CRNAs hit the $1 million savings mark and assume they are automatically ready to retire.While reaching that milestone is a huge achievement, retiring well isn't just about the balance in your accounts. It is about timing, flexibilit...
How to Maximize Social Security Spousal Benefits as a CRNA
What if you’re making a Social Security benefits mistake that could cost you 5 figures?It almost happened to a CRNA.Brett Fellows recently reviewed a retirement plan with a couple where the wife had worked full-time as a CRNA fo...
Why Saving Too Much For Retirement Could Be a Mistake!
We constantly hear headlines about how Americans are undersaving for retirement. While that is often true, there is a side of the story that rarely gets discussed. What happens if you never stop saving?For many high-income CRNAs, over-sa...
Where Should I Pull Funds From First in Retirement
You may have heard the general rule of thumb for retirement withdrawals: Spend your taxable accounts first, then tax-deferred accounts, and save your Roth IRAs for last.While there IS truth to that logic because it preserves tax-favored ...