Why Smart Doctors and Dentists Are Bringing Back Real Pensions
If you own a medical or dental practice, you already know how to take care of everyone else’s health — but what about your own financial health?
Most of the doctors and dentists I meet have their savings split across a 401(k), maybe an IRA, and whatever’s left after taxes. That’s fine for employees — but not for practice owners. You’re running a business, building a legacy, and employing people who rely on you.
That’s why so many of my clients are turning to something that used to be standard: the defined-benefit pension.
What a Defined-Benefit Plan Really Does
In plain English, it’s a retirement plan where you decide what you want out at the end, and we design a schedule of contributions that gets you there — safely and predictably.
Instead of guessing how the market performs, your pension is actuarially calculated to hit a specific goal. You can even insure it with the PBGC, the same federal agency that backs corporate pensions.
Here’s the part doctors love most:
✅ Every contribution is 100% tax-deductible to the practice
✅ The money grows tax-deferred
✅ And the plan can be funded in as little as 10 years
“It’s Not About Chasing Markets — It’s About Building Certainty”
“Most of the physicians we work with aren’t looking for risky returns,” says Robert Mowry, Partner at Del Mar Medical Pensions.
“They’re looking for peace of mind — to know that if they take care of their patients and their team, their own retirement will take care of itself.”
Why It’s Also a Powerful Retention Tool
Turnover hurts more than just your schedule — it erodes culture and productivity.
In healthcare and dentistry, staff often move every couple of years for a slightly higher wage or a new benefit.
A defined-benefit pension changes that dynamic. When employees see a real, guaranteed retirement benefit, they stay.
“We’ve watched offices cut turnover in half just by adding a pension,” says Mowry.
“A PBGC-insured benefit sends a message: you have a future here.”
The Tax Win Most Practices Miss
Every dollar you put into the plan is deductible to the practice — meaning it comes straight off your taxable income.
You can finally pay yourself first, without sending so much to the IRS.
And because the money grows tax-deferred, compounding works even harder for you.
When structured correctly, the plan benefits you, your team, and the tax code — all at once.
The defined-benefit plan isn’t some relic from the past — it’s a powerful, tax-efficient financial strategy that still works perfectly for modern medical and dental practices.
If you’re profitable, paying too much in taxes, or struggling to keep great staff — this is the one benefit that solves all three problems at once.
Del Mar Medical Pensions
Designing PBGC-insured, tax-advantaged pension plans for physicians, dentists, and biotech executives across California.
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