All guides

Guides to Financial Independence for Healthcare Workers

Every guide on FIRE in Scrubs, sorted by what you’re trying to do and by your job. The guides run the math at real healthcare pay.

FIRE means financial independence, retire early: having enough invested that work becomes a choice. New here? Start with the five-step plan, then the three guides below in order.

Start here

If you read three things, read these, in this order.

1. How much to invest each monthThe monthly number to retire at 50, 55 or 60, for each healthcare job.11-minute read2. Protect your income firstEmergency fund, disability coverage and term life, before you invest.8-minute read3. Which account to fill firstMatch, HSA, 403(b), Roth IRA, 457(b): the order and the 2026 limits.9-minute read

By your job

The same plan, at your profession’s pay, debt and schedule. Pay is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2025 median; the dentist figure leaves out self-employed practice owners.

Registered nurses$97,550 medianOvertime, extra shifts and loan forgiveness at nonprofit and public hospitals.Nurse practitioners$132,300 medianThe late start, side work and 1099 taxes at NP pay.Physician assistants$135,880 medianSix-figure loans, the PSLF decision and your monthly number.CRNAs$236,590 medianTop pay here, 1099 contracts and a late start after long training.Pharmacists$140,910 medianTightly bunched pay, large loans and limited retail demand.Dentists$170,950 medianAssociate or owner, and the biggest reported student loans of any group here.

Your pay and taxes

What extra shifts, overtime and contract work are worth after tax.

Is an extra shift worth it?What a regular, overtime or 1099 shift leaves you after tax.8-minute read1099 vs W-2The 1099 rate that matches a W-2 job, and what to set aside.7-minute read

Your plan

The milestones on the way to financial independence.

Coast FIREThe balance that lets you stop saving and still retire on time.7-minute readCan nurses retire early?Three paths at real nurse pay, and the $1 million milestone.7-minute read

Student loans

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and the July 2026 loan caps.

Student loans and PSLFForgiveness at nonprofit hospitals, RAP and the 2026 loan caps.7-minute read

Tools and references

Run your own numbers, look up a term or find an official tool.

CalculatorsYour FIRE number, timeline, Coast FIRE and extra shifts after tax.Shift plannerHow many shifts you need, and what fewer or more do to your FIRE date.Job offer calculatorA W-2 offer against a 1099 offer, and the break-even rate.1099 tax plannerWhat to set aside from contract pay, and how to avoid the penalty.Disability insurance calculatorWhat your group plan would really pay, after the cap and taxes.Free money toolsOfficial IRS, Social Security, student aid and loan repayment tools.GlossaryPlain-English definitions, from FIRE to PSLF.

FAQ

Where should I start?

With the five-step plan on the home page, then how much to invest each month for your job. That one number tells you whether the rest of the guides are about speeding up or about protecting what you have.

Do the guides cover state taxes?

Mostly not. The examples use federal rules and assume no state income tax unless a page says otherwise, though the extra shift calculator lets you add your state’s rate. If your state has an income tax, you’ll keep a little less of each extra dollar than the examples show.

How current are the numbers?

Each guide’s byline says which year’s figures it uses or when its numbers were checked. Tax limits change every year, and federal student loan rules changed on July 1, 2026, with parts still in court as of October 2026, so those pages carry an as-of date.

We’re an emergency physician and a registered nurse, not financial advisors, CPAs or attorneys. These guides are education, not personalized advice. Talk to a professional before acting on anything you read.