Retirement Accounts for PTs, OTs, and SLPs: Where to Put Your Money First
The account you choose changes how much of your money you keep sheltered from taxes. Here's the order to fund your accounts on a therapist salary.
Author
Austin Hagel
Physical therapist who paid off $170,000 in five years, then taught himself investing. Now works two days a week by choice. Writes Rehab Wealth Project as a peer helping PTs, OTs, and SLPs buy back their time, not as a financial advisor.
Phase-2
How Should a Physical Therapist, OT, or SLP Invest?
A few low-cost index funds, the right accounts, and consistent contributions are the keys to building wealth. Here's the approach on a therapist salary.
foundational guides
Can a Physical Therapist, OT, or SLP Achieve FIRE?
Yes, and most of us don't need to. FIRE is the far end of a spectrum. The same math buys part-time, a sabbatical, or the freedom to say no, long before it buys never working again.
housing
Can a Physical Therapist, OT, or SLP Afford to Buy a House?
Qualifying for a mortgage is easy. But what options are you giving up, and does it delay your timeline to working less?
housing
Physician Mortgages for Physical Therapists, OTs, and SLPs: Who Qualifies
A comprehensive list of lenders that extend their doctor's loans to PTs, OTs, and SLPs. These loans allow for 0% down and no PMI. Independently researched from lender program pages.
Phase-1
Own-Occupation Disability Insurance for PTs, OTs, and SLPs: Carrier Reviews and Recommendations
The five major own-occupation disability insurance carriers, compared for physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. Ranked on policy quality, occupation class, claims history, and price.
Phase-1
Disability and Life Insurance for Rehab Clinicians: What Your Employer Probably Isn't Covering
Most employer disability plans won't pay if you can't do your specific job. Here's how to audit what you actually have, calculate the gap, and fill it with a policy that protects your income.
Phase 1 Foundations: What to Handle Before the Student Loans
Most rehab clinicians graduate with one thing on their mind: get out of debt. Most people want to immediately start knocking out student loans, but doing that before these four steps are complete leaves you vulnerable to an emergency, illness/disability, and leaves free employer money on the table. These
Recommended Student Loan Refinance Lenders for Therapists
The best refinance lender for a rehab clinician depends on your situation. The lenders below are the ones consistently top-rated for healthcare professionals in 2026.
student loans
When Refinancing Your Student Loans Makes Sense (and When It Doesn't)
Refinancing swaps your student loans for a new private loan at a lower rate, helping some borrowers and hurting others. Pursuing PSLF? Refinancing instantly ends your eligibility. For everyone else, a lower rate may be worth a look.
start-here
The Steps to Financial Autonomy
If you're a PT, OT, or SLP realizing that you want more options in life than 40+ hours of patient care until you're 65, there is a clear path to achieve financial flexibility. These are the steps that get you from your first $1,000 in savings to the day when full-time patient care becomes optional.
student loans
AGI Optimization: How to Lower Your Student Loan Payments Using the Tax Code
For a therapist pursuing PSLF, your monthly payment is based on your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). Learning to manipulate that number is a simple way to "find money" and create financial leverage.