July 2021 PULSE

JULY 2021

Enter our 4th of July Trivia on Page 6

IN THIS ISSUE

IT’S A DRY HEAT...

Clinician’s Corner by Mario Paredes, Orange Physical Therapist Speed Up to Slow Down: A Lens on Return to Sport Protocols Through ACL-R

I just returned from a vacation in Arizona with Sandra and Blake. Typically, when we have the opportunity to vacation we head in the direction of water, however we thought taking Blake out west would “change it up” a bit for a different type of trip.

The eight hours of masked travel highlighted the fact that wearing a mask all day is a real challenge. The experience reminded me of the personal sacrifice everyone at PTSMC HR Buzz has made and continues to make to deliver our mission in PTSMC is Welcoming ADP! Has Anything Changed? Make Sure to Update HR! unprecedented times.

When we landed near Scottsdale last week at 5 pm it was 110 degrees! As we walked from the terminal to the rental car shuttle bus Blake looked at me and said, “Dad, what are we doing here? It’s summer and we are vacationing in a desert! I need water, waves, a beach.” At this point, I really couldn’t argue with him.

I want to express my thanks to everyone who is working so hard to bring the “PT for Life” experience to those we serve. It has been a long road, and while there is light at the end of the tunnel, I know that sacrifices are still being made every day.

The heat was oppressive and set some new records for the region. It was too hot to do any real hiking or much else outside. Thankfully, the place where we stayed had a nice pool and they made an incredible smoothie – the “adult” version certainly had a way of inducing relaxation!

Summer is traditionally vacation season. After last-year’s summer-that-never-was, I hope everyone gets a chance to take some time to relax, recharge and maybe even do a bit of traveling, even if it’s just in our beautiful state. Just try not to pick a desert in the middle of a heat wave – maybe somewhere with water, waves and a beach...

Despite the heat, the flights actually turned out to be the Thanks! most stressful part of the trip. Sandra and I are vaccinated, however at 11 Blake is not eligible for vaccination at this time. We all masked and did our best to keep distanced Alan from others whenever and wherever possible.

2020 (2021) OLYMPICS SPIRIT DAY & CHALLENGES Read more on Page 7!

PTSMC Shelton Now Open!

Congratulations to Nick Almonte on PTSMC Shelton’s Grand Opening on Monday, June 28th! Nick is pictured here with his fiancé, Kim.

Patient Trends New Patients per Month

Visits per Month

Blue = Actual | Orange = Budgeted

Wellness Program Recap of Financial Wellness Webinar Health Insurance Incentive Programs Money Beat by Jim Hungerford Battle of the 401(k): Roth vs. Traditional Employee Spotlight: Jacky Severance, Middletown PSA Clinical Instructor Recognition

StriveHub Fab 5

“Channing (Harwood) is the best in his field.

I’ve been to other offices and hands down he is very knowledgeable and engaged with all his patients. He listens and teaches you new exercises and stretches and talks about why they are helping your body. He is very professional and caring.” - Plainville “I was reluctant to schedule an appointment as I didn’t really think PT would help but a friend recommended Steve Platt so I gave him a try.

He and everyone at the Guilford office are really amazing to work with and the stretching and strengthening exercises they have taught me are really helping.” - Guilford “Previously I went to another therapy location in Newtown, CT for my rehab after a total knee replacement in November 2020. I thought the care was good there, however, in comparison to PT for Life I feel like I have received much better rehab in Southbury. I am very satisfied with the care at PT for Life.” - Southbury “I was recovering from hip surgery and dealing with ‘bad’ knees. My PT Tom Kassan worked with me on both issues with proper exercises. He showed me how to do the exercises properly. He was dedicated to helping me accomplish good results. Tom also showed me which exercises I could do during my visits to the indoor pool. I would recommend Tom and the facility to my family and friends.” - West Hartford ”Kristin (Gilbey) has been great. I see improvement each week in my legs. She listens to me and answers any questions I may have.

Friendly environment. The receptionist always greets me by my first name. Impressive and friendly.” - Avon

CLINICIAN’S CORNER SPEED UP TO SLOW DOWN: A LENS ON RETURN TO SPORT PROTOCOLS THROUGH ACL-R

By Mario Paredes, PT, DPT Orange Physical Therapist Exercises for ACL-R have become more and more popular on social media platforms. This might help some individuals return to sport by mimicking the motion or activity that they will be performing in their sport. The question is, does it prepare athletes to be back on the field by doing it?

The tangible answer is, “it depends.” In the return to sport process, there needs to be some considerations taken into account, such as physical (quad/hamstring strength, rom, hop test, etc), psychological (ACL-RSI scale), sports specific (T-test, dynamic movements, return to sport continuum), and timed based consideration.1,2,3 All these factors should be interwoven into the decision-making process to set up the athlete/patient for success and minimize the risk of re-injury.

So how can we improve?

As the title of this article suggests, the concept of nailing down the basics at a world-class level early on will ultimately help clients accomplish all of their goals.

The therapist should make it a priority to increase their range of motion, quad/lower extremity strengthening, and gait mechanics as soon as possible.

Afterward, focusing on slowing down the progression when the phase of plyometrics, return to sport, and competition starts is important.

In this day and age, everybody wants things to be done right away, yet data from years of ACL reconstructions shows that rushing through the process often results in poorer outcomes. Beischer S. Et Al showed that the nine-month mark appears to be a good minimum for RTS. They showed that individuals who return to their sport before those nine months were 3-7 times more likely to sustain a new ACL tear.4 Unfortunately, clinicians take into account this nine-month mark as a prime period to return to sport, but it's not the time frame that dictates the result, it's the work that's put in.

Favorably, research has given us a glimpse of positive outcomes over the years.

Quadriceps femoris (QF) strength is an early marker for attaining the return to sport status. Early QF strength of 3 months showed improved knee function, knee confidence, knee performance, and knee mechanics during jogging.5 A solution to obtain this could be the implementation of personalized blood flow restriction training (BFR-RT). When this was compared to heavy load resistance training (HL-RT), it resulted in equal improvements in strength and superior improvements of self-reported function, y-balance performance, reduction in knee joint pain/swelling, and improvements in range of motion.6 Lastly, research has shown that there is a correlation between neuromuscular control with the drop vertical jump and the risk of a second ACL injury. Thus, video analysis of this movement should be implemented, as it has a high clinical utility that could identify a risk factor for future ACL re-injury.7 Realistic expectations are relevant in this conversation, as well as factors such as insurance, influences, expectations, etc. They all play a role in the life of the athlete/patient which pushes the clinician to speed up the process. Paving the way and addressing concerns early on with the patient and family members should be pivotal in the plan of care. Conversations on these topics between the clinician and their patient can difficult, but they need to occur. It’s a marathon at the end of the day, not a sprint.

P.S. Thank you to Jaime and Nicole for their support.

References 1) Ardern CL et al. 2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sport Physical Therapy. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2016; 50: 853-864 2) Grindem H, Snyder-Mackler L, Moksnes H, Engebretsen L, & Arna Risberg M. Simple decision rules can reduce reinjury risk by 84% after ACL reconstruction: the Delaware-Oslo ACL cohort study. British Journal of Sports Med 2016; 50: 804-808.

3) McPherson AL et al. Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport Is Associated With Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries. American Journal of Sports Medicine 2019; 47 (4): 857-862.

4) Beischer S et al. Young Athletes Who Return to Sport Before 9 Months After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Have a Rate of New Injury 7 Times That of Those Who Delay Return. JOSPT 2020; 50 (2): 83-90.

5) Kline PW, Johnson DL, Ireland ML, Noehren B. Clinical Predictors of Knee Mechanics at Return to Sport after ACL Reconstruction. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(5):790-795.

6) Hughes L, Rosenblatt B, Haddad F, et al. Comparing the Effectiveness of Blood Flow Restriction and Traditional Heavy Load Resistance Training in the Post-Surgery Rehabilitation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Patients: A UK National Health Service Randomised Controlled Trial. Sports Med. 2019;49(11):1787-1805.

7) Paterno MV, Schmitt LC, Ford KR, et al. Biomechanical measures during landing and postural stability predict second anterior cruciate ligament injury after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and return to sport. Am J Sports Med. 2010;38(10):1968-1978.

2021 Continuing education opportunities list Beischer S et al. 2020 illustrating re-injury rates of athletes who return to sport prior to 9 months (blue) and after 9 months (orange)

https://ptsmc.egnyte.com/dl/mcbFLYwFkg/2021_Clinical_Excellence_List_of_Courses.xlsx_

Use the link above for a list of PTSMC Internal, PTSMC Sponsored, and External course opportunities. Please reach out to Mallory Mason via coned@ptsmc.com if you have any questions.

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE Upcoming Courses INTERNAL COURSES Upper & Lower Extremity August 21: 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lower Extremity Instructors: Joe Allen & Melissa Boutagy 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM Upper Extremity Instructor: Russ Woodman PTSMC Wallingford Participants can attend one session or both. Both subjects are DOCS requirements.

Vestibular December 4 Time & Location: TBD Instructor: Rick Purdy DOCS Requirement Email Mallory Mason at coned@ptsmc.com for all sign ups or questions.

Concussion: A Framework To Guide Evaluation & Treatment October 23-24 PTSMC Orange Instructor: Rick Purdy Not a DOCS course Concussion: A Framework to Evaluation & Treatment will focus on how to better assess, treat and manage concussion patients, from New Haven Physical Therapist, Rick Purdy, PT, CMTPT! Rick specializes in the knowledge and skills to treat concussion and vestibular patients. Participants of this course will create models of assessment and treatment for concussion patients and utilize case studies and different patient presentations in order to more effectively manage our concussion patients.

This course is intended for clinicians that have taken previous continuing education for concussions, experience working with patients with concussions and/or taken a previous Internal DOCS Vestibular course.

When to Use Re-EVALUATION Code:97164 A re-evaluation is a revised plan of care, most noted by adding goals or modifying the timeline to accomplish goals. Below are examples of when it is appropriate to use this code: 1. A current patient develops a new diagnosis, related condition a. Hip AND Back Pain 2. A current patient develops a new diagnosis, unrelated condition a. Hip AND Ankle Pain 3. Decline, or other change in functional status a. Fall b. Changes in medical condition 4. A patient does not respond as anticipated a. Poor attendance b. Fear avoidance c. Pushing too hard 5. A patient undergoes surgery mid-plan of care a. Cataracts or hernia 6. A former patient returns to therapy after discharge within 60 days, similar complaints 7. A patient with a chronic condition and not seen for treatment very often

Apply for PTSMC’s Orthopaedic Residency!

PTSMC Residency is focused on: • Growing and honing clinical delivery skills • Preparing for orthopedic board certification exam • Preparing for potential future PTSMC clinic ownership or leadership role Residents who successfully complete the program will continue their professional development in the PTSMC Leadership & Management Development Program.

Program Details: • 3 hours weekly didactic instruction (45 weeks total) • 3 week Evidence Based Practice and Statistics Course • 14 week Lower Extremity Course (Foot/Ankle, Knee, and Hip) • 14 week Spine Course (Lumbopelvic, Thoracic, Cervical, and TMJ) • 14 week Upper Extremity Course (Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist/Hand) • 1 hour monthly case discussion • 1 hour monthly journal club • Coursework (300 hours combined lecture/lab & home study) • External home study courses from the APTA Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy • Current Concepts in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, Pharmacology, Clinical Imaging, Frontiers in Orthopedic Science, and Post Operative Management of Orthopedic Surgeries The one year Orthopaedic Residency program is completed while maintaining a clinical care schedule.

PTSMC offers two options for clinical care: • 40 hour work week (four 10 hour days) and maintain full salary • 32 hour work week (four 8 hour days) with salary 80% of full-time salary. The other 8 hour day is devoted to didactic instruction, clinical mentorship, journal club, and case discussion Repayment plans and service forgiveness options are available for clinicians interested in PTSMC’s Orthopaedic Residency. Please inquire for more information.

Applicants will be evaluated on the following: • Curriculum Vitae/Resume • Personal Essay Statement • Interview with faculty • Two Professional letters of recommendation from faculty and/or work managers (Relationship of recommenders to you must be in a supervisory capacity) ***Applicants must have a valid PT license prior to the start of the residency program*** Learn more and apply online at: www.ptsmc.com/residency Deadline to apply is August 31, 2021! Acceptance decisions will be made in October 2021 for start date in December 2021.

Please email Danielle Dunn at danielle.dunn@ptsmc.com with any questions.

HUMAN RESOURCES Physical Therapists: XP Replaces Special Pay

PTSMC welcomes ADP, Leaving Paychex After 14 years with Paychex, PTSMC will move to the next level with ADP (Automatic Data Processing). After many meetings and product demonstrations, this is the right move for PTSMC. Please be on the lookout for emails during the timeline below: • Mid August all employees will be emailed instructions on how to register with ADP. This must be completed by all employees. The deadline will be listed in the email.

• Once registration is completed, employees will receive instructions and training on how to enter timesheets and use the ADP system.

• Effective September 19th all employees will be completing timesheets in the ADP system.

• October 6th will be the first live payroll with ADP. • October through December continued communication and training will be shared with employees.

More to come and please check your email for subject line: ADP Transition. Time sensitive information will need to be completed.

We are excited for the transition and look forward to a user friendly more advanced system!

Effective with pay period starting June 27, 2021 Special Pay for Physical Therapists will be retired and replaced with XP Pay. Previously, when physical therapists were asked and accepted additional work hours beyond 40 scheduled clinical hours for coverage, the first three hours were at the Special Pay rate, which was the PT’s hourly rate plus $5.00.

With this change, PTs who are asked and accept additional work hours for coverage, beyond 40 scheduled clinical hours will be paid $50 per hour starting at hour one.

CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES Physical Therapist Fairfield Groton Guilford New London Wallingford Westbrook Physical Therapist Assistant Westbrook

Has Something Changed This Year?

Athletic Trainer New London - East Lyme HS New London - Waterford HS

Moved

Marital Status

Cell Phone

Taxes Owed in 2020

Personal Email

Birth/Adoption

If yes, the following change can be completed in Paychex: • Address • Cell Phone • Email Address • Emergency Contact Information • Federal and State W4’s or notify HR If yes for the following changes, please notify HR: • Beneficiary Information • Dependent Information • Certifications

Patient Services Coordinator Groton Waterbury Windsor

Physical Therapy Aide Essex Groton Guilford New Milford Newington Westbrook Wethersfield

Auditor Admin

Check www.PTSMC.com/job-openings for our most up-to-date postings, and feel free to share!

Call Jenn or email at Jenn.Detlefsen@ptsmc.com for PT Aide positions.

Call Karen or email at karen.havlicek@ptsmc.com if you are interested in another position.

CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations to the following PT Aide who has completed the SIPTA (Skills Introduction for PT Aides) Program: Alex Rostenberg, Avon

EMPLOYEE NEWS

NEW EMPLOYEES Welcome Back!

Roy Colter, Newington Physical Therapist

Alex Gauthier, Essex Physical Therapist

Welcome Back!

Welcome Back!

Kelly Hoisl, Windsor Physical Therapist

Anna Mayo, Float PSC

Brooke McNabola, Wallingford PT Aide

Cody Morrissey, East Hampton Physical Therapist

Alex Morton, Wallingford PT Aide

Aidan O’Connell, Admin Intern

Natalie Peterson, Plainville Physical Therapist

Lauren Randall, Wallingford Physical Therapist

Kashvi Shah Windsor PT Aide

Anthony Shea, Plainville PT Aide

Khamille Turnage, New Haven Physical Therapist

Keely Yarish, Avon Physical Therapist

NOT PICTURED: Zach Gardner, Glastonbury PT Aide Brandon Parada, Windsor PT Aide

Conner Gavin, Orange Physical Therapist

Brian Henderson, Branford PT Aide

Welcome Back!

Employee

Spot light Jacky Severance, Middletown Patient Services Administrator Meet employee spotlight, Jacky Severance! Jacky started as a Patient Services Coordinator in Middletown in March 2019. She quickly proved to be a vital part of the Middletown clinic as they experienced rapid growth. Within the year, she was promoted to Patient Services Administrator.

Jacky was born in Springfield and lived in Longmeadow, MA for her entire childhood until she left to further her education at University of Hartford. Unsure of what she wanted to do for a career, Jacky took a year off and signed up for a cooking class. Her instructor was a professor at Johnson & Wales University who later became an important mentor in her life. Jacky developed a passion for baking & cooking, and she enrolled at Johnson & Wales and obtained her Culinary degree.

It was at Johnson & Wales that Jacky also met her (now) ex-husband. After graduation they got married and moved into the Waldorf Astoria where they lived for two months while he started his new job and they got settled in NYC. Shortly after, she gave birth to her daughter, Hannah.

After some time, they moved back to MA and opened their own restaurant called The Loose Goose Café in Amherst. The café was Jazz themed after Jacky’s father’s passion for Jazz. They served items like baked goods, salads, soup and sandwiches which held names related to Jazz terms.

After 15 years, they sold the restaurant and Jacky eventually moved to Rocky Hill, CT and was ready to start the next chapter of her life. She got a job at a medical office and had an unfortunate gym accident that led her to seek Physical Therapy at PTSMC in Newington. Alyssa Griffo (current East Hampton PT) was her PT and is also the sister-in-law of Partner & Director, Mike Antunes. See the connection? When Alyssa heard that Mike needed a PSC, she turned to her brother-in-law and said, “We need to go find Jacky!”.

Jacky is forever grateful to Alyssa for thinking of her and can’t say enough positive things about the Middletown family. When asked what her favorite part of the job is she replied, “Working with my co-workers, I LOVE everyone there!”

While putting out fires with insurance companies, researching issues that arise and providing our patients with excellent customer service, Jacky appreciates the support from her significant other, Rob Bass (Middletown PT)s. Jacky explained that the PT Aides view her and Rob as Pam & Jim from “The Office” and some of the greatest laughs are had when they are being taught all the cool terms and the new social media platforms out there.

Some things that Jacky likes to do outside of work include exercising, cooking, spending time with family and watching her favorite TV shows. Jacky’s parents have retired to Old Saybrook and that is one of her favorite places to visit and relax. Finally able to make travel plans, Jacky is looking forward to a trip down to Virginia this summer to visit Rob’s family and see the Shenandoah Valley.

JULY BIRTHDAYS Steve Platt Madyson Fitzner Laurel Hill Kaylynn Harmann Laura Nicklis Sandra Boccialetti Katy Sullivan Emily Tucker Emma Rusconi Ryan McIntyre Beyounce Tracey Alex Bernabe Conner Gavin Stephanie Weyrauch Virginia Katz Brooke McNabola Patrick Andrews Kate Picone Scott Olmstead Ron Buchetto Allyson Melillo Chrystene Graboski Bella Lanata Anthony Ciaburri Roslin Wilhelm

1 1 3 4 5 6 9 11 13 14 14 15 15 18 22 25 25 26 27 27 28 28 28 30 30

Guilford Middletown New Milford Southbury Avon Admin Orange Windsor Guilford West Hartford Fairfield Fairfield Orange Orange Westbrook Wallingford Waterbury Southbury New London Westbrook Admin Avon Middletown Orange Plainville

JULY ANNIVERSARIES

Alex Rostenberg Skylar Vumback Annemarie Gigante Emma Rusconi Emily Sargent

PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PT Aide PSC

Avon Essex Fairfield Guilford Newington

Kasey Adinolfi

Partner & Director

Wethersfield

TRIVIA The opening lines of the Declaration of Independence are: A. We the People of the United States...

B. We hold these truths to be self-evident...

C. When in the course of human events...

D. The government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish...

Email your answer to mallory.mason@ptsmc.com by July 9th to be entered to win a gift card!

STUDENT PROGRAM UPDATE

This month Mario Paredes welcomes Joshua Dobratz to the Orange clinic for his two month affiliation. Joshua is enrolled in the UCONN DPT program.

Clinical Instructor Recognition PTSMC's Student Program would like to officially kick-off the inaugural Clinical Instructor Recognition Program. Over 50% of all clinicians have worked with students in some capacity – THANK YOU everyone for your hard work and dedication to clinical education!

Let’s welcome new CIs to our crew and recognize those who have gone above and beyond in their work as a CI.

First time CIs in 2021

Caitlyn Ayotte, Windsor Josh McAdams, Danbury Samantha Ostrowsky, Guilford Mario Paredes, Orange Justin Santamaria, Westbrook Erik Schmitt, Westbrook Vlad Smolgovskiy, West Hartford

2021's Superstar CIs are: CIs who have hosted at least 5 students* Joe Allen, Newington Kevin Connellan, Plainville Kristina Lipeika, Watertown Rebecca Petrosino, Fairfield Ted Raczka, Branford Lindsey Scianna, Watertown *data tracked since 2016

PTSMC is excited to announce these first recipients for this new recognition program! Rewards and certificates will be sent out as a way of saying thanks for all you do!

Interested in becoming a CI? Please reach out to juliann.chacko@ptsmc.com to learn more!

Summer 2021 Gear Order Do you want some PTSMC swag? The Summer 2021 GearOrder is coming! Stay tuned for a follow-up email from Mallory Mason with new instructions.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to Emma Belval, on her promotion to Patient Services Administrator in our Westbrook clinic. Emma started with PTSMC in December 2016 as a Patient Services Coordinator. She brought with her more than 4 years of customer service experience as well as experience in a role scheduling, problem solving, managing daily cash and supervising staff. Emma quickly adapted to the healthcare environment. In 2017, she completed a Health Claims Specialist program. Her professional development and dedication has earned her this role.

Parnter & Director Scott Cameron commented, “Emma has been a rockstar for me and the Westbrook staff, particularly during the pandemic. Emma works tirelessly ensuring Westbrook patients receive the most customer centric service. Our patients trust and adore Emma. I appreciate her organization and sense of responsibility.”

Emma looks forward to increased responsibility in leading the front desk, as well as the new processes that are part of the Patient Services Administrator role. In her free time, Emma spends time with friends and family and enjoys traveling the world. She is especially looking forward to traveling to the Maldives in August with her fiancé.

2020 (2021) Summer Olympics!

Let’s show our spirit: • Friday, July 23rd: Olympics Spirit Day honoring the Opening Ceremonies, dress to support any country participating in the 2020 (2021) Olympics.

• As usual, let’s compete: we will host an Olympic challenge each week of the Olympics (total of 2 events) and clinics will compete for Bronze, Silver, and Gold!

Some Quick Olympic Facts: The Summer Olympics were originally scheduled for 2020, and even though hosted in 2021, it is still referred to as the 2020 Olympic games.

They will take place in Tokyo, Japan. This city previously hosted the summer games in 1964.

The Opening Ceremonies will take place on July 23rd, and sources say you can expect some pretty cool tech to be involved. Rumor has it we are even going to see a number of robots in the stands!

The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Olympic Medals will be made of recycled electronic devices.

By Jim Hungerford, CPA, Director of Accounting and Finance

Battle of the 401(k): Roth vs Traditional Contributing to your PTSMC 401(k) is one of the best ways to save for retirement. With PTSMC’s 401(k) plan, you have the option to choose between contributing money into a traditional 401(k) or a Roth 401(k). One of the most common questions I get asked by friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc. is whether they should put their money into a traditional 401(k) or the Roth 401(k). While these two types of 401(k) accounts have some similarities, they also have some differences.

So, which one should you choose? Below are some of the differences and similarities of each type, and some things to think about in choosing where to put your hard-earned dollars. You need to understand those differences and how they affect you to make the most of your retirement savings.

What is a Roth 401(k) versus a Traditional 401(k)?

Both types have the same contribution limit. In 2021, the contribution limit is $19,500 per year or $26,000 if you’re over 50. The opportunity to invest that much every year is a huge perk of both traditional and Roth 401(k)s.

With a traditional 401(k), you don’t pay income taxes on the money you put in today — which is why it’s sometimes referred to as a pre-tax contribution. The money you decide to contribute in a traditional 401(k) comes out of your paycheck before taxes, and it reduces your total taxable income. For example, if you made $60,000 in salary and put $8,000 into your traditional 401(k), those contributions would cut your taxable income down to $52,000.

With a Roth 401(k), you make contributions “post-tax,” meaning you’ve already paid income tax on that money. You don’t get to deduct them, but that’s OK — the tax benefits of a Roth 401(k) come later.

You may be wondering why anyone would contribute to a Roth 401(k) if it means paying taxes now. If you only look at the contributions, that’s a great question.

The huge benefit of a Roth 401(k) is what happens when you start withdrawing money once you retire.

Withdrawals and taxes at retirement Uncle Sam (The IRS) has a long memory. If you use a traditional 401(k), he’ll have been waiting for you to retire so he can finally collect those taxes you didn’t pay when contributing. When you make withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) during retirement, they’ll be taxed according to your tax bracket at that time.

The biggest benefit of the Roth 401(k) is this: Because you already paid taxes on your contributions, the withdrawals you make in retirement are tax-free. With a Roth 401(k), since you contributed to the fund with “after tax” dollars, your tax bill is already paid, so you’ll get to withdraw your money you contributed and all of the earnings and growth on those contributions, tax-free, as long as your account is at least five years old.

Here’s what that means in a basic example: Let’s say you have $1 million in your nest egg when you retire. If you’ve got it in invested in a Roth 401(k), that $1 million is yours. If the $1 million is in a traditional 401(k), you’ll pay taxes on your withdrawals in retirement. If you’re in the 20% tax bracket, that would mean $200,000 of that $1 million is going to taxes. It goes without saying that your nest egg will last longer in retirement if you’re not paying taxes on your withdrawals. That’s one of the great features of the Roth 401(k).

So, which one is right for you?

The whole traditional-vs-Roth 401(k) question has a lot to do with taxes and cash flow needs, and everyone’s situation is different, so there really isn’t a one size fits all answer. For example, if you’re a parent with young kids at home, you might need the tax deduction of the traditional 401(k) now to save taxes and increase take home cash to help pay for daycare, your first mortgage on a house, college savings and the like. On the other hand, if you are just starting out, don’t have competing cash priorities of daycare or college savings, it would make sense to at least consider using a Roth 401(k) while you are in what could be the lowest tax bracket of your career.

Here’s what most financial advisors/CPA’s would say: If you think your tax rates are going to go up in retirement, consider the Roth. If you think your tax rates are going to go down in retirement, or you need to reduce your taxable income today, then consider the traditional.

There’s really no way of knowing what tax rates will be thirty to forty years from now, so I always tell people to hedge their bet and use both a traditional and a Roth 401(k) in whatever allocation they feel comfortable with. You can divide your contributions between the two any way you want — you just can’t do more than $19,500 ($26,000 if you’re over 50) in total. The whole “which type of 401(k)” question isn’t half as important as just getting started. Putting money toward your future regularly and often is step one in securing your retirement.

Want to dive deeper in to retirement savings? Check out the Wellness page for the recorded Financial Wellness Webinar link!

PTSMC Happenings!

New Haven got together for a happy hour at Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ. Lock Street is celebrating summer with a Spirit Day every other week.

Janet Tarasuk, Practice Liaison, and Kasey Adinolfi, Wethersfield Partner & Director attended the First Tee Charity Golf Tournament at TPC River Highlands.

For the first time in 16 months, Partners, Directors, and Admin leadership got together for the Management Meeting at Admin.

Brian Greer, Glastonbury Partner & Director, married Erin Dorsey on Saturday, June 26th.

Jen Neri, Simsbury Physical Therapist married John Ashman on Friday, June 25th.

Shelton hosted 20 PTSMC clinicians for the Myopain DN-1 course the weekend before opening day. Thank you Nick Almonte for lending your new space.

Pictured left: Matt Baronowski, Avon PT, and Pat Kinsella, Guilford PT.

Looking fresh! Waterbury recently completed renovations for a more updated look.

Joe Caligiuri, Naugatuck Partner & Director, is the newly appointed President of the Watertown Rotary Club.

Tom Kassan, West Hartford Partner & Director, is serving in leadership roles for the APTA of Connecticut. He is the Chair of Public Policy Committee and Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness (DEI).

FINANCIAL WELLNESS WEBINAR

Engagement & Wellness Calendar July - August Olympic spirit day & challenges

July - August

September Financial Wellness Webinar #2

On June 10th Megan Trask, CFP from Connecticut Wealth Management, presented a webinar for PTSMC employees on Retirement Savings. The presentation broke down what Megan called the “retirement road map,” explaining Social Security, how 401(k), HSA, and IRA’s all work for you (including how they effect your taxes), and a look at how you can check in on your personal savings including, where to start and where to go next.

September

Check Out Your Health Insurance Incentive Programs

If you weren’t able to catch the live webinar here is a link to the recording:

Over the last few weeks PTSMC employees who are members of UHC have been walking their way to the https://ptsmc.egnyte.com/dl/tPdmFBuPGs/Financial_Wellness_Webinar-_Retirement_Savings-06.10.21.mp4_ bank - literally! Their steps per day are turning into dollars in their pocket or Health Savings Account. This is If you are interested in the full PowerPoint that was presented, it will be emailed to all though UHC’s wellness incentive program called Motion. employees by Friday July 2nd from Wellness. Below is also a worksheet from the PowerPoint If you are a UHC member through PTSMC, your where you can take a quick glance at recommended savings checkpoints. colleagues highly recommend you take a few minutes and register for the Motion program. Need the steps?

Look for previous emails from wellness@ptsmc.com or Don’t miss out on the next Financial Wellness Webinar coming this Fall! reach out to wellness@ptsmc.com and we will forward the details.

Those who have a different health insurance, take a look at your carrier’s website and your personal online account to check for wellness incentives they offer! It’s worth a look both to motivate yourself to be healthy and reap some reward.

Check out what Sandra Boccialetti said about Motion: “I’m at $122! And I used the $55 that you get at sign up to get a new fit bit. It is definitely a motivator. I wouldn’t be doing the stuff I’m doing if I wasn’t doing Motion.”

You also earn these cute badges when you complete milestones!