Darla Ellis, Tax Advisor

09/17/2026

Quarterly payments keep you on schedule.

They do not tell you whether your tax strategy is working.

For a high-income physician, the more valuable question isn’t:

“How much is my next estimated payment?”

It’s:

“𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿?”

A meaningful answer should reflect your current income, withholding, 1099 or practice income, estimated payments already made, and where your total tax liability is projected to land.

Because your financial picture can change significantly during the year.

A new locums contract. A larger bonus. Increased practice income. A K-1. A shift in W-2 and 1099 earnings.

When the numbers change, the projection may need to change too.

𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆.

Before your next estimated payment, make sure you understand both.

𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙?

If the answer isn’t clear, request your 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗢𝘄𝗲. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗼.

09/16/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?

For many high-income physicians, the issue isn’t whether taxes are being paid.

It’s whether the entire tax picture is actually clear.

Can you confidently answer:

𝗔. What am I projected to owe?
𝗕. Does my entity structure still fit?
𝗖. Are my estimated payments aligned with my current income?
𝗗. Am I making the right retirement planning decisions before year-end?
𝗘. Is my W-2 and 1099 income being coordinated as one tax picture?

If one of those gives you pause, that’s useful information.

Because a tax strategy shouldn’t begin with assumptions. It should begin with diagnosis and measurement.

And as we move closer to year-end, some planning opportunities become harder, or impossible, to implement.

👇 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄: 𝗔, 𝗕, 𝗖, 𝗗, 𝗼𝗿 𝗘.

If your answer is “𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲,” it may be time to get clarity on your current tax position.

𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗢𝘄𝗲. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗼.

09/15/2026

Before Q4, every high-income physician should be able to answer 3 questions:

𝟭. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗼𝘄𝗲?
Your projected tax bill should reflect your current income, withholding, estimated payments, and other income sources.

𝟮. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻?
Bonuses, locums, 1099 income, K-1s, and practice growth can change your tax picture significantly.

𝟯. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲?
Year-end planning decisions involving retirement contributions, entity structure, withholding, estimated payments, and other strategies may still need attention.

The closer you get to year-end, the fewer planning options may remain.

That’s why tax planning should happen before the return is prepared, not after the year is over.

𝗖𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝟯? 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝘁.

Get clarity on where you stand and what should happen next.

𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

Pay What You Owe. Not What You Do Not Have To.

09/15/2026

𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆? 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

For high-income physicians, what you expected to earn in January may look very different today.

Maybe you:

• Picked up more locums shifts
• Added 1099 income
• Received a larger bonus
• Saw your practice grow
• Had unexpected K-1 income
• Changed jobs or compensation

When income changes but your tax plan doesn’t, surprises can follow.

As Q4 approaches, ask:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻?
W𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘄𝗲?
A𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸?
W𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗲𝗻𝗱?

Your tax strategy should reflect how you’re earning now, not assumptions made in January.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿?

Get clarity on your current tax position. 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗢𝘄𝗲. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗼.

09/14/2026

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝟱 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲.

For high-income physicians, your next payment shouldn’t be based on a guess, last year’s income, or simply what you paid last quarter.

Know these 5 numbers:

𝟭. 𝗬𝗧𝗗 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲
W-2, 1099, locums, practice income, K-1s, bonuses, and other income.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
How much tax has already been withheld?

𝟯. 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
How much have you already paid toward 2026?

𝟰. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲
Where is your income likely to finish the year?

𝟱. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗟𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆
Based on the full picture, what are you currently projected to owe?

Why does this matter?

Q𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆.

A good projection considers what you’ve earned, what has changed, where you’re headed, and what planning opportunities may still be available before year-end.

Don’t just ask, “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗽𝗮𝘆?”

Ask, “𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁?”

More clarity. Fewer surprises. Better decisions.

𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗢𝘄𝗲. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗼.

Ready for clarity? 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

09/13/2026

𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆.

They’re payments.

And there’s an important difference.

Estimated tax payments help you pay toward your expected tax liability throughout the year. But making those payments does not tell you whether your overall tax strategy is working.

For physicians with W-2 income, 1099 income, locum work, K-1s, or practice income, the better question is:

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Did anyone review what changed in your income?

Is your withholding still appropriate?

Does your current structure still make sense?

Are your estimates based on where you are today, or where you were months ago?

A payment tells you what to send.

A strategy looks at the complete picture and helps determine what should happen next.

That’s the difference between reacting to taxes and proactively planning for them.

P𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗢𝘄𝗲. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗼.

Do you know how your estimated payments were calculated?

08/31/2026

A six-figure tax bill deserves better questions.

High income can absolutely create a large tax liability.

But “you make a lot of money” should not be the end of the conversation.

It should be the beginning of a better one.

Why is the bill this amount?

Which income sources are driving it?

Were your estimated payments based on current numbers?

Is your entity structure still working in your favor?

Were there planning opportunities available earlier in the year?

Could better coordination have improved the outcome?

Sometimes, after reviewing everything, the answer is simple:

Yes. This is what you owe.

But at least now you know the number was analyzed, not simply accepted.

A large tax bill is not automatically a bad result.

A large tax bill you do not understand is a problem.

Pay what you owe. Not what you don’t have to.

Would you write a six-figure check without asking how the number was calculated?

08/24/2026

Stop accepting “it is what it is.”

That phrase can become expensive when it comes to taxes.

Yes, some taxes are simply part of earning a high income.

But a high tax bill should never automatically end the conversation.

The better questions are:

Why is the bill this amount?

What changed this year?

Were the estimated payments accurate?

Is the entity structure still appropriate?

Were there planning opportunities that were missed?

What can still be done before year-end?

Sometimes the answer really is, “This is what you owe.”

But you should know that because the situation was analyzed, not because nobody looked deeper.

Acceptance should come after analysis. Not before it.

Pay what you owe. Not what you don’t have to.

What is one part of your tax situation you have been told to simply accept?

08/17/2026

Paying more does not make you more responsible.

A lot of high-income physicians carry this belief:

“I make a lot of money, so paying a huge tax bill is just part of being successful.”

Sometimes the bill is exactly what it should be.

But sometimes it is higher because no one reviewed the structure, projections, estimated payments, retirement strategy, or timing early enough.

There is nothing irresponsible about asking whether your tax situation is efficient.

In fact, that is part of being a responsible financial decision-maker.

The goal is not to avoid taxes.

The goal is to understand what you legally owe, identify what may be unnecessary, and make better decisions before the year is over.

Pay what you owe. Not what you don’t have to.

What do you think: do high earners sometimes confuse paying more with doing the right thing?

08/12/2026