Chapter 1: The Ultimate Financial Checklist for Launching Your DPC Practice
By Daniel Luna, Founder of DPCBookkeeper.com
Dr. Patel watched the cursor blink at the bottom of her resignation letter. It wasn’t fear holding her back; it was arithmetic. Numbers had never been her comfort zone, but freedom had.
She wanted time for patients again, fewer rules, and a practice that actually reflected her values. Direct Primary Care felt like that answer. What she didn’t yet have was a roadmap for money.
If you see yourself in that story, you’re not alone. Every founder stands here at some point. Half inspired, half unsure. This DPC Bookkeeper financial checklist exists to turn that uncertainty into order.
Clinicians are trained to diagnose illness, not build spreadsheets. Yet every thriving DPC clinic I’ve seen shares one thing: a disciplined financial foundation. Without it, even passion buckles under pressure.
When I began advising independent practices, I found that most mistakes came from poor structure, not poor medicine. The good news is that structure can be taught. This chapter walks you through ten essentials that keep your dream stable long after launch day.
Your legal structure shapes everything—from how taxes work to how risk is contained.
Start with an LLC if you’re launching solo. It keeps liability separate and paperwork simple. Once profit grows beyond roughly $60,000, consider electing S Corporation status to reduce self-employment taxes. The IRS S-Corporation Guide explains the details directly.
Some states require clinicians to form a PLLC or Professional Corporation instead. Verify with your state’s licensing board before filing. Keep every formation document and your EIN letter together; you’ll reference them often.
Open three accounts: one for operations, one for taxes, and one for reserves. Mixing funds clouds judgment and invites bookkeeping headaches.
Banks such as Mercury, Relay, or any of the major banks integrate smoothly with QuickBooks Online, keeping records automatic. Once your money is organized, decision-making becomes clearer.
Optimism is fine; denial is expensive. The following table reflects typical startup ranges for lean solo clinics.
| Category | Low-End | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal & Formation Fees | $500 | $500–$1,000 | Entity setup |
| EMR & Tech Stack | $300 | $300–$600 / month | Hint, Elation, AtlasMD |
| Rent & Utilities | $1,000 | $1,000–$3,000 / month | City dependent |
| Supplies & Equipment | $5,000 | $5,000–$12,000 | Clinical + office |
| Marketing | $1,000 | $1,000–$3,000 | Brand launch |
| Bookkeeping & Accounting | $250 | $250–$600 / month | Outsourced or hybrid |
| Insurance | $1,000 | $1,000–$3,000 | Malpractice and property |
| Miscellaneous | $2,000 | $2,000–$5,000 | Furniture, software |
Plan on $10,000 to $25,000 in startup costs. Add ten percent for surprises. For a broader budgeting framework, the U.S. Small Business Administration offers a simple calculator.
A good Chart of Accounts is your clinic’s language for money.
Start basic:
Customize as you grow. My team at DPCBookkeeper.com configures these charts for founders weekly, linking them to QuickBooks so that reports actually mean something.
Save at least three months of expenses; six is safer. If your burn rate is $8,000 per month, aim for $24,000 to $48,000 before launch. Cash reserves protect your sanity as much as your balance sheet.
Record all spending, even pre-launch. Many of those costs are deductible as startup expenses. Use QuickBooks Online or similar software to categorize weekly. Consistency beats perfection.
Pricing determines longevity. Divide your monthly overhead by your target number of patients, then add fifteen percent for profit.
If expenses total $10,000 and your panel goal is 300 patients, you break even near $40 per member. Thriving often begins at $70 to $100 per month. Fair pricing sustains care.
Quarterly estimated taxes are due in April, June, September, and January. Self-employment taxes hover around 15 percent of profit unless you file as an S Corporation. Sales tax rarely applies to medical services, though some states tax supplements.
Deposit 25 to 30 percent of net income into your tax savings account automatically. The IRS Estimated Taxes Guide outlines deadlines and forms clearly.
Bookkeeping backlogs drain time and trust. Engage a healthcare bookkeeper early to handle reconciliation, profit tracking, and tax readiness. You can focus on patients instead of paper chase.
Reserve one morning each month for a financial check-in. Compare income, expenses, and trends. Patterns show where growth is hiding and where money leaks away. Action always beats avoidance.
Every DPC journey starts with courage. What keeps that courage alive is clarity. Systems and habits turn vision into a practice that lasts.
If you want to launch with confidence and a clean financial system, partner with us at DPCBookkeeper.com. We’ll help you build the structure that lets your mission breathe.