The Ongoing Struggle: Why Money Still Feels Messy (Even When You’re Winning)

‍

The Ongoing Struggle: Why a “Successful” Chiropractic Practice Can Still Feel Messy

From the outside, a busy clinic, nice car, and strong collections look like success. Inside, it can still feel chaotic: paycheques fluctuate, collections dip without warning, expenses spike, and your own compensation yo-yos month to month. Associates feel it too—time off means less income, and a single slow month can ripple for weeks.

Here’s the truth we see every week: higher revenue often brings higher complexity. Bigger space, more staff, more moving parts—and on the personal side, bigger financial decisions with bigger consequences. Revenue alone doesn’t create financial calm. Systems do.

The “I’ll Out-Earn My Problems” Trap

It’s common to set moving goalposts: “Once I hit $250k… $500k… $1M, then I’ll feel secure.” But more top-line rarely fixes inconsistent pay, tax surprises, or the stress of winging it from the bank balance. Without structure, more money usually equals more problems.

Where the Stress Starts: Bank-Balance Decisions

Disorganization shows up as reactive choices:

• Paying yourself “whatever’s left” after expenses
• Drawing just enough to clear the personal credit card
• Hoping there’s money for payroll and taxes… and using a line of credit if there isn’t

This isn’t a moral failing—it’s a systems problem.

The Antidote: A Structured Income Plan

Chiros who transition to a steady, predictable paycheque experience immediate relief—personally and professionally. You can plan vacations without income anxiety, cover household bills consistently, and run the clinic with intention.

How to get there:

1) Know Your Numbers (12-Month View)

Ask your bookkeeper for a rolling 12-month Profit & Loss (P&L). Look at:

• Average monthly revenue (collections ÷ 12)
• Average monthly expenses (including loan principal payments - thes typically are not on your P&L)
• Realistic baseline you can expect over the next year

Pro tip: Profit on a P&L isn’t cash in your bank if you have loans. Adjust for debt service and planned tax set-asides.

2) Separate Business and Personal—Cleanly

You can’t trust your numbers if personal spending bleeds into the corporation.

• Use PC bank accounts & credit cards only for business costs
• Move personal expenses out of the books so your overhead picture is accurate

This one change makes every decision easier.

3) Set a Conservative, Steady Paycheque

From your 12-month averages:

• Establish a safe monthly owner’s pay you can sustain even in slower months
• Automate it on a fixed cadence (e.g., semi-monthly)
• Treat bonuses as intentional distributions (quarterly/semi-annual) once buffers are met

4) Build Buffers Before Bonuses

Aim for:

• Practice Operating Reserve: ~2–3 months of typical operating expenses
• Owner’s Pay Reserve: ~2–3 months of your new steady pay

Buffers turn time off (or a dip in collections) into a non-event.

5) Make Taxes Boring

Tax panic is preventable when you:

• Pre-calculate an annual tax target with your CPA
• Auto-allocate a % of collections to a tax account every month
• Pay remittances on a schedule, not from whatever’s left

6) Keep It Simple with Systems

Structure doesn’t have to mean more work. We design systems to be set-and-mostly-forget:

• Automated transfers on set days
• Routine reviews (monthly P&L glance; quarterly deeper check-in)
• Rules that reduce decisions (e.g., “no bonuses until reserves are full”)

Action Steps for This Week

1. Pull your 12-month P&L (or last 6 months if that’s all you have). Note average monthly revenue, average expenses, and current debt payments.
2. Clean your lines: ensure business and personal spending are fully separated.
3. Pick a conservative paycheque you can fund in your slowest season. Automate it.
4. Open/label accounts (Operating, Owner’s Pay, Taxes, Profit/Bonus) and set up automatic transfers on set days.
5. Book a 20-minute call with your bookkeeper or CPA to validate your baselines and tax rate.

For Associates, Too

Even without clinic overhead, you still benefit from steady personal income, a modest buffer, and a simple tax-set-aside system—especially if you take time off. Calm isn’t just for owners.

The Payoff: Life You Actually Enjoy

A predictable paycheque, cash buffers, and taxes handled quietly in the background create the space to focus on patients, your team, and your life outside the clinic. That’s the kind of “success” you can feel.

Take 10 minutes to see exactly where you stand.
Take the Financial CLARITY Assessment

‍