Professional Planning Group

06/04/2026

🎥 What Is The Specialty Own-Occupation Definition?

This is one of the most important concepts in disability insurance for physicians, and one of the easiest to misunderstand.

A true specialty own-occupation definition means:
✅ If an illness or injury prevents you from doing your specialty or subspecialty, you receive your full benefit
✅ If you later earn income doing something different, there is no penalty to that benefit

That is a major difference between strong private specialty coverage and many employer group policies.

If you have never looked closely at how your policy defines disability, this is a good place to start.

👉 Watch the here: https://hubs.li/Q04jGDSR0

What is the specialty own-occupation definition? Understand this de...

06/03/2026

☀️ Summer Is Here. Make Sure Your Income Protection Is Too.

Summer brings travel, family plans, time outside, and for many physicians, a packed schedule that only gets harder to step away from.

It is also a good reminder that the life you enjoy outside of work depends on the income you earn through your specialty.

A strong disability insurance plan helps protect:
✅ Your income if illness or injury keeps you from practicing
✅ Your family’s financial stability
✅ The plans and lifestyle you have worked hard to build
✅ Your ability to move through life changes with more confidence

Summer should be about enjoying the season, not worrying about what would happen if your ability to work changed unexpectedly.

👉 Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04jGHrq0

05/27/2026

🎙️ New Episode: Is It OK To Wait Until I Graduate To Buy GSI Disability Insurance?

A lot of residents and fellows ask the same question: should I just wait until graduation to buy Guaranteed Standard Issue disability insurance?

In this episode of the Cover Your Assets podcast, Billy Gwaltney explains why timing matters and what physicians in training should think through before deciding to wait.

In this episode, he covers:
✅ The benefits of securing GSI coverage during training
✅ Why timing can affect both cost and availability
✅ How carriers manage growth and risk with GSI programs
✅ Ways to keep coverage affordable while still in residency or fellowship
✅ The long term advantages of acting early instead of waiting until after graduation

If you are asking this question, you are already thinking in the right direction. This episode can help you make the decision with more clarity.

👉 Watch or listen here:
YouTube: https://hubs.li/Q04fV8w90
Spotify: https://hubs.li/Q04fT_QX0

05/26/2026

🎓 Before Graduation, Review What Waiting Could Cost You

For residents and fellows, it is easy to think disability insurance can wait until after graduation. You are busy, budgets are tight, and attending income feels just around the corner.

But waiting can cost more than many physicians realize.

Buying during training can often mean:
✅ Larger discounts that stay with you for life
✅ Easier underwriting and fewer hurdles
✅ Access to GSI programs that may not be available later
✅ More flexibility to build coverage as your income grows

The right time to start does not always mean buying the maximum on day one. It means understanding your options before the next career step makes things more expensive or more complicated.

If you are a resident or fellow, this is a good time to look at what is available now, before graduation changes the equation.

👉 Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04fW0f_0

Disability Insurance Specialists Caring for Physicians as They Care for Others - We simplify securing disability insurance so that you can focus on what matters. Protect your future with disability coverage designed for physicians.

05/21/2026

Is My Policy Portable?

Physicians change jobs, cities, systems, and sometimes even countries. One important question to ask is whether your disability coverage actually moves with you.

In this earlier FAQ Short, Billy Gwaltney explains why portability matters and why a properly structured private specialty disability policy can continue protecting you wherever your career takes you.

If your private policy is structured correctly, it can stay with you as long as premiums are paid, without being changed, canceled, or repriced.

That is a major difference from employer-based coverage, which usually stays with the employer.

👉 Watch the FAQ Short here: https://hubs.li/Q04fV_lR0

Is my policy portable? I can help you structure your private disabi...

05/20/2026

🎙️ New Episode: What Are The Eligibility Rules For The Ameritas GSI For Residents And Fellows?

If you are a resident or fellow, Ameritas Guaranteed Standard Issue disability insurance may be one of the options available to help protect your future income. The key is understanding the eligibility rules before you apply.

In this episode of the Cover Your Assets podcast, Billy Gwaltney breaks down the Ameritas GSI eligibility rules for physicians in training and highlights some of the common pitfalls to avoid.

In this episode, he covers:
✅ What Ameritas GSI is and how it works for residents and fellows
✅ The key eligibility requirements physicians in training need to know
✅ Common mistakes or misunderstandings that can complicate the process
✅ Why knowing the rules early can help you make a better long term decision
✅ How a specialist can help you navigate the details with more confidence

If you are in training, this is a practical episode to help you better understand your options.

👉 Watch or listen here:
YouTube: https://hubs.li/Q04fVWYR0
Spotify: https://hubs.li/Q04fV7LC0

05/19/2026

🧠 May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Physicians carry a tremendous amount of pressure. Patient care, long hours, difficult cases, family responsibilities, and the constant need to perform at a high level all add up.

Mental Health Awareness Month is a good reminder that not every source of stress comes from the hospital or clinic. Financial uncertainty can weigh on you too.

Questions like these sit in the background more often than many physicians realize:
✅ What happens if my health changes and I cannot work the same way
✅ What happens to my income if I need to cut back
✅ What happens to my family and financial responsibilities if recovery takes time

A strong disability policy does more than provide benefits. It can also provide peace of mind. Good policy structure, strong definitions, and features like partial disability protection can reduce one more major unknown in an already demanding life.

You may not be able to remove every stressor, but you can reduce one category of avoidable stress by making sure your income is protected.

👉 Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04fV--F0

05/14/2026

Why Work With Me?

When it comes to disability insurance, having a policy is not the same thing as having the right policy.

Billy Gwaltney explains why working with a disability insurance specialist matters so much for physicians.
✅ Disability insurance is built on contract language, and the details matter
✅ Many employer and association policies do not provide the protection physicians think they do
✅ Only a small number of top-tier carriers offer the strongest private specialty coverage
✅ Having the right definitions and structure in place can make the difference between getting paid and getting denied

This part of your financial life is too important to leave to guesswork.

05/13/2026

🎙️ New Episode: Are You Aware Of The “Missing Work” Knockout Question For GSI Disability Insurance?

When physicians think about Guaranteed Standard Issue disability insurance, they often focus on the advantages like simplified underwriting and easier access to coverage.

What many don't realize is that certain application questions can still affect eligibility, including questions about missed work.

In this episode of the Cover Your Assets podcast, Billy Gwaltney explains one of the most overlooked issues in the Guardian GSI process and why it matters for residents and fellows trying to protect their future income.

In this episode, he covers:
✅ What the “missing work” knockout question is
✅ Why this question can impact GSI eligibility
✅ How to think about missed work history before applying
✅ Why understanding these details early helps safeguard your options
✅ How an expert can help you navigate the process more carefully

If you are in training, this is the kind of detail that is easy to miss and important to understand before you apply.

👉 Watch or listen here:
YouTube: https://hubs.li/Q04fVZtR0
Spotify: https://hubs.li/Q04fVXxk0

05/12/2026

🤝 Help A Colleague Get Clarity On Their Coverage

Residents, fellows, and early-career attendings often know they need disability coverage, but many are still unsure what they actually qualify for, what their employer provides, or whether they are making the right move.

A simple introduction can help them get real answers.

With the Professional Planning Group referral program:
✅ Your colleague gets expert guidance on protecting their income
✅ They get clarity on GSI, private specialty coverage, and employer group LTD
✅ You receive a $100 Amazon gift card as a thank you

It is an easy way to help another physician make a smart financial decision during a busy season of training, transitions, and new contracts.

👉 Learn more here: https://hubs.li/Q04fVBGR0