Rough start

We left Philadelphia and things were looking good for the first 30 seconds.... 

We hit rush-hour traffic and were in a losing battle of time and weather.  I drove the blasted uhaul (26 foot beast) straight down as much as I could.  By 8:30pm it was snowing.  I was supposed to be in by 8:55 and I had so far to go.  Francisco became overwhelmed by the night and snow forcing he and Elizabeth to stop about 80 miles from Hampton Roads.  I forged on with the thought that i would not miss closing on the house or work.   

  I woke this morning to the information that the tunnel was closed and snow would last well into the day.  I made e-mails and texts in order to get the closing on the house accomplished.  Finally, i had an Uber to the notary’s home.  I officially closed and Uber said no cars were available.... i walked through the snow in order to get back to the hotel.  We are now the proud owners of a home loan.  

I found out i was cancelled for work on Friday.  Very happy for the 8 hour guaranteed day!   

This potentially gives me time to get things moved into the house!  Many things to be done!   

All those on the New England coast... be careful in snowmageddon.  

Calendar

i don’t know about you but it’s pretty crazy around our household.  My calendar for January is looking busy. Next week will be a crazy time and my husband might disown me.  

Wednesday, like all days I’ll be up and going to work at 6 AM.  The difference is that the movers will be walking in the door at 6AM.  They are packing everything then loading the Uhaul.  Then, I’ll get home from work and we drop off the keys, fobs, and say see ya later to Philadelphia.  We are to make it 2.5 hours south into Maryland.   

Sounds totally easy right?  We only have to put the dogs up front in the Uhaul.  Get the kid in the back seat of the Jeep and have everything packed/loaded in 10 hours.  The next morning we have to leave by 7AM.  If not we miss the walk-through on the home that has caused some stress over the past weeks.  

We’ll drive another 2.5 hours and arrive immediately at the house.  Park in the driveway walk through the home and make sure all is in good order.  We’ll rush to the hotel and drop off the dogs, check in for my parents and us for the two whole nights.  Then it’s again off to closing in Virginia Beach.  When that part is done we’ll again be home-owners.   

It doesn’t sound like too much.  But, I start work the following day so again it’s up to Francisco to get things unloaded from the Uhaul and unpacked.  my parents are coming to help install, set-up, baby-proof, and shop.  I don’t know if they are ready for what they are in for!

The one-day move and in-between contracts.  It’s going to be a bit stressful but i know we can do it!   

The rest of the month is just surrogacy, 3 work places and contracts, two birthday parties, and having a fence built.  

Planning just like all things is key but being able to maintain the plan as a fluid work is key.  Happy almost New Years! 

To Sep or Solo

A big question asked often is weather to Sep IRA or Solo 401k.  Of course, I must make the statement that I am not a tax or financial advisor of any kind.  Now, I talked to Vanguard about starting a Sep IRA or a Solo401k.  

I talked to a business advisor and not just the personal finance advisor.  I had them and said I'm a 37 year old 1099 earner with my own Llc S-corp with flow through Gross X amount and taxable net income amount of X.   

He said, ok so for a Sep IRA you can do up to 25% (up to 52-54k) business contribution in basically any investment vehicle through a brokerage account.  A Solo401K you can do 25% (up to 52-54k) business contribution plus $18000 personal addition to your 401k.  They will only allow vangaurd funds for the Solo 401K.   These are also different if over 50 years of age.   There are eligible catch-up contributions as well depending on the IRS regulations.  (This is where a tax/financial broker will help.)

I said ok, if I have others in ownership of my company do I have to pay out the same amount or percentage to them?   

Yes, if they are paid owners from your corporation then they will require the same amount as a percentage of their income in retirement for either the Sep or Solo but personal contributions don't have to match. 

No, if they are unpaid. 

So, I clarified again that both are pre-tax IRA investments and should decrease the overall taxable earnings in the future with the understanding that taxable income in the future would likely be less in retirement than right now.  They agreed.   

I have asked for the information on the accounts and will include them as attachments to the Blog if possible.  I will also add the supporting IRS fact sheets for both the Sep and Solok.   

The phone number for Vangaurd Business Solutions is: 800-992-7188

I chose Vanguard based on the discussions on the Dough Roller Money Podcast based on the simplified minimal basis point costs and overall low fee structure.  Low fees and good management history points toward a possible growth in the future despite my negativity on the overall stock market.   

I also have questions on rights of survivorship so will review the forms for potential to rollover on death to other family as a paying IRA in the future.

SOLO 401K IRS PAGE

 SEP IRA IRS PAGE

Individual 401(k) New Plan Kit Vanguard

New hospital day

Today I will go to another new hospital.  I'm meeting them at 6:30 in the lobby and I'm pretty sure it's a 7:30 start.  I've been up for 20 minutes and have a 45 minute drive... so here are my ten minute notes on today.   

I have an 8 hour day today so it's not so long and I know I'll make it through.   

When I drive into the parking lot I'll note the main entrance as that's where I'll meet another CRNA to give me the quick run-down.  Hospital systems are a little harder to just go in and 30 minutes later be in a room.  The "red-tape" isn't just paperwork and long credentialing.  These places require smart ID's to let you in and out, and sign-ins for multiple computers/programs/machines.  Even cases will typically be a couple starter cases to get used to equipment, paperwork, and get to know staff.  

Ok, well I hope your day is awesome... mine will start with a bit of a drive.  Thanks to podcasts at least I have the opportunity to learn a little as I go! :).  

Maintaining the contract.

I like to check in about this point.   We are at two weeks into the contract and I have to say it's always a bit rocky.  I wonder what people really think versus what is said behind closed doors.  Every permanent person is your critic.  From the janitor to the OR manager, permanent anesthesia staff and other individual locums.  One poor view of you from the wrong person and the OR tech who thinks she knows everything can affect your job, contract and if you are hired again by the anesthesia management group.  

I check in with the docs to see what can be done better.  I check in with the AMG to ask them if something can be done better.  I check in with the chief CRNA to find out how things are going and what I can do to help out.  I want to be taken as part of the team and not the one just here for money.  

I was with a locum MDA this past weekend and he was so very talkative.  I had to get him to focus, he would keep patting me on the back or chest to say things like "you know how it is, big guy"... so many things I despise about that but touching me is a big no.  I knew I only had a few hours and he would be at a different facility.  I bit my tongue and tried to focus on the patient throughout.  It's definitely a learning curve and despite my inherent self I have to be a people person.  I have to keep a smile and work to keep everyone happy even when boiling on the inside.  A tech in the room is criticizing the chief surgical resident for going to get the patient with me and the chart not coming down with the patient.  In all other hospitals I have been to the OR nurse meets the patient and goes through the chart prior to entering the OR.  All of this said the people pleasing is definitely part of the contract maintenance.  

I also think that self-reliance is very important.  The more you can figure out where things are without calling every two seconds for something to be brought, the better you are perceived.  Being able to search the stock room, store cabinets, OR carts, and anesthesia drawers/kits/carts will serve you 20 fold in how you are perceived.  I typically hate calling for things and feel horrible when they are right there in the room.  

Process, this is very difficult as most places have set process' in place.  What do you do when a process doesn't work or is obviously going to be a challenge?  I ran into a problem with a patient that was having a potentially large surgery in a hospital with little process for Arterial Lines, monitoring, ABG's and other lab work.  I sent them off and was unable to get my numbers back in a timely fashion and although stable I was hoping to be able to optimize the patient.  This case allowed me to understand some missing links in the chain and to find out who in the process was unwilling to help in a hospital process.  I'm still not sure how to go about solving this but as a new takeover.  I know that there is an administrative process that might make it easier in the future to get these items fixed.  I will be using the staff that are part of the facility to bring it to the management as a potential problem in doing similar cases in the future.  This type of case should be able to be done in just about any hospital in the country and had process issues but not detrimental to patient care issues at this point.  The last thing I should do is take something to administration or try to yell, complain and make trouble for the current staff.  I am here in place of permanent staff and not as admin or a person to make policy or even affect politics.  

OK... I should stop for now.  On to a 32 hour call shift in the morning.  Best of luck to all in the next week!