Personal financial planning resources
Public service loan forgiveness
A growing number of veterinarians are looking at the federal government's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program as a possible strategy to pay down student debt. Find out how to make PSLF work for you.
Loan repayment strategies
AVMA resources can help you make repayment decisions that are right for you. These learning modules on loan repayment strategies teach about managing your student loans and choosing the right repayment approach. The U.S. Department of Education's blog, Homeroom, also has helpful tips.
Veterinary salary estimator
New to veterinary medicine? Early-career veterinarians can benchmark income and salary offers against the salaries of other veterinarians in private clinical, public, and/or corporate practice with the AVMA's Veterinary salary estimator.
Financial health CE webinars
Learn practical financial strategies and tactics with financial health webinars on AVMA Axon. Courses include gaining control of your personal finances, student loan repayment options, and more.
Cost-of-living comparison
Compare the cost of living in various locations to inform your choices about where to live and work. Get cost-of-living comparisons for locations throughout the United States from Sperling's Best Places. To assess the difference in cost of living (COL) from one location to another: Divide the index for the city you're thinking of moving to by the index for the city you're moving from. Multiply your total household expenses by this value to determine how much larger or smaller your budget would need to be in the new location.
Formula: (COL new city / COL current city) X total household expenses = new budget
Buy or rent calculator
Struggling with the choice to buy or rent? This easy-to-use calculator from the New York Times walks you through all the considerations that affect this important decision.
Automobile cost of ownership
Automobile costs can vary greatly based on the make, model, and year of the vehicle. Knowing this information can help you plan for future costs. It can even aid you in deciding which car you may want to lease or buy. Find helpful information on estimating the cost of vehicle ownership at Edmunds or Kelley Blue Book.
Credit card calculator
To find out how long it would take to pay off your credit card based on how much you pay each month and the interest rate, take a look at Bankrate's Credit Card Calculator.
Student loan repayment simulator
The Veterinary Information Network Foundation provides a Student Loan Repayment Simulator that displays how some of the choices you make throughout your veterinary education and career may affect your student loan debt.
Loan consolidation
The Federal Student Aid site shares pros and cons of loan consolidation, describes the application process, and lists other items for consideration when deciding whether or not to consolidate your federal student loans.
Tips to stand out in a new job
Want to stand out in your new job and make a great first impression? Try these fun and effective tips in 20 Ways to Stand Out in Your New Job.
Retirement calculator
It is never too early to start thinking about what you need to save for retirement. The AARP's Retirement Calculator gives you tips on how much you will need to save and how long you may need to work to achieve retirement at the age you desire and level of spending you will incur upon retirement.