You'll graduate broke, and then a paycheck lands that's bigger than anything you've seen before. What you do in the next 12 months will quietly set the course of your whole financial life.

In this episode, Leland Murren, CRNA, introduces the Moneymoon. Like a honeymoon, it's the exciting phase that follows a major life change, in this case passing boards and starting practice as a CRNA. It lasts 1 to 5 years, and it's the best window you'll ever have to maximize a large gap between what you earn and what you spend.

We cover:

• The graduation-day snapshot: about $150K in debt, stepping into a $230K+ income
• Hedonic adaptation and why the goal is to live to your net worth, not your income
• Why the average American saves only 2.7% of disposable income, and why CRNAs should aim for 25% or more
• The math of investing early over 10-, 20-, and 35-year horizons
• A real case study: holding cost of living steady, adding extra shifts, setting a SMART goal with an FI number, and moving to full-time locum work, with honest talk about the tradeoffs
• Three steps you can take this month to protect your Moneymoon

Your Moneymoon ends whether or not you plan for it. Keep the gap open while you have it.

🌐 Read the blog, send questions and request topics at thefinancialcocktail.com

This podcast is for education only. It is not individualized financial, tax or legal advice. All projections are illustrative, and the personal figures describe one household's experience. They are not benchmarks or guarantees.

Keep the conversation going:
Read more at thefinancialcocktail.com
Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review. It helps other CRNAs and SRNAs find us.
Have a question or topic request? Email us at ldmurren@thefinancialcocktail.com

The Financial Cocktail is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your individual situation.

Your employer says the 401(k) limit is $24,500. For self-employed CRNAs, the real ceiling is $72,000. That's nearly triple.

In this episode, Leland Murren, CRNA, breaks down the Solo 401(k), which may be the strongest wealth-building tool in the tax code for 1099 CRNAs, locums providers, and anyone with self-employment income. If you pick up even a few 1099 shifts on the side of a W-2 job, this one's for you.

In this episode:
- Where the 401(k) came from, and the tax arbitrage that makes it work
- The two-bucket structure: how being both employee and employer pushes your limit to $72,000
- A real-world example: how a CRNA household can put up to $144,000 a year into Solo 401(k)s
- 2026 SECURE 2.0 updates: the age 60–63 super catch-up and the new Roth catch-up rule for high earners
- Traditional vs. Roth Solo 401(k): which bucket fits your season of life
- Solo 401(k) vs. SEP-IRA vs. SIMPLE IRA vs. defined benefit plans
- Why a SEP-IRA can wreck your Backdoor Roth (the pro-rata problem)
- A decision checklist: is a Solo 401(k) right for you?

The tax code isn't neutral. It rewards people who understand the rules. Open one. Max it. Thank yourself in 20 years.

🔗 Questions or topic requests: https://thefinancialcocktail.com
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Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not individualized financial, tax, or legal advice. Contribution limits reflect 2026 IRS figures (IRS Notice 2025-67). Consult a qualified CPA or financial professional before making decisions.

Keep the conversation going:
Read more at thefinancialcocktail.com
Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review. It helps other CRNAs and SRNAs find us.
Have a question or topic request? Email us at ldmurren@thefinancialcocktail.com

The Financial Cocktail is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your individual situation.

Your first CRNA paycheck hits your account, and for about 30 seconds you feel like the richest person you know. Then the student loans, rent, and car payment come calling. Nobody teaches you what to do next. Until now.

In this episode, Leland Murren, CRNA, lays out the First Paycheck Protocol: a 10-step order of operations that tells you where each dollar goes, and in what order, before you spend it. It's built for the CRNA pay landscape, not generic money advice. The sequence works whether you're a new grad, an SRNA close to graduation, or years into practice and ready to reset.

In this episode:

- Gross vs. net: why a $250K salary doesn't mean $20K a month

- W-2 vs. 1099: the tax set-aside every independent contractor needs from day one

- The 30-day rule: why doing nothing is your best first move

- The 10-step prioritization ladder, from overhead and emergency funds to employer match, high-interest debt, the big 3 tax-advantaged accounts (401(k), IRA, HSA), bridge accounts, and generational wealth

- The lifestyle inflation trap, and why the comparison problem is worse in anesthesia

- The Moneymoon: the 1–5 year window that sets your financial trajectory for life - Why a guilt-free spending line keeps the whole plan sustainable Your first paycheck isn't a finish line. It's a starting pistol.

🔗 More at https://thefinancialcocktail.com

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If this episode found you at the right moment, share it with a classmate or colleague. No gate keeping here! There are chairs for all of us.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not individualized financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Keep the conversation going:
Read more at thefinancialcocktail.com
Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review. It helps other CRNAs and SRNAs find us.
Have a question or topic request? Email us at ldmurren@thefinancialcocktail.com

The Financial Cocktail is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your individual situation.