1. Not Negotiating Your Pay

One of the biggest mistakes we see Travel PTs make is assuming the initial offer is the final offer.

Travel therapy contracts are often negotiable. That doesn't mean a company will always increase your pay, but it never hurts to ask, especially when you have a strong reason. For example, you may have other higher paying offers, significant experience, an extension opportunity, or a facility that is desperate.

You should also look at the entire compensation package, not just the weekly take-home amount. Housing stipends, travel reimbursements, completion bonuses, guaranteed hours, overtime rates, and hourly pay can all affect the overall value of a contract.

If you never ask, you'll never know if there was room to negotiate.

2. Working With Only One Company or Recruiter

Another common mistake is picking one travel therapy company/recruiter and only work with them. Different travel therapy companies can have access to different jobs, and pay packages can also vary between companies for the same or similar positions.

Working with multiple reputable recruiters gives you more information to compare including comparison of benefits. We recommend finding a few recruiters you trust and comparing opportunities when you're ready for your next assignment. You can find our recruiter recommendations here.

Your recruiter is an important part of the travel PT experience, but remember that they work for the staffing company, not for you. Having another company or recruiter to compare the numbers against can give you a better idea of what the market value is for a particular contract.

3. Not Maintaining a Tax Home

This is one of the biggest mistakes a travel physical therapist can make because it can have significant financial and tax consequences.

Travel PTs often hear about tax-free housing stipends, meals and incidentals, and other tax advantages associated with being a traveling healthcare professional. But those benefits generally depend on meeting the requirements for having a legitimate tax home. Simply having a permanent address does not automatically mean you have a tax home.

There are specific IRS rules surrounding tax homes, temporary work locations, and travel expenses. Your individual situation matters, so don't rely solely on what another traveler tells you about their setup or what a recruiter tells you. Recruiters can provide helpful information, but they are not tax professionals.

4. Chasing the Highest-Paying Contract Without Considering Cost of Living

Seeing a contract paying $2,500 per week compared to another paying $2,000 per week can make the decision seem obvious. But you have to run the numbers and factor in your expenses to see the full picture. A higher-paying contract in an expensive area may leave you with less money saved at the end of the assignment than a lower-paying contract in a more affordable area.

For example, California can have some very high-paying travel PT contracts. At first glance, that can make them extremely attractive.

But you also have to consider things like:

• Housing costs

• State and local taxes

• Transportation

• Food

• Other everyday expenses

If one contract pays $3,000 per week but costs you substantially more to live there, while another pays $2,400 per week in a much more affordable area, the $3,000 contract isn't automatically the better financial choice. You need to calculate your expected savings rate using your income and expenses.

5. Not Understanding the Details of Your Contract

Before signing, you should understand exactly what you're agreeing to.

This includes:

• Guaranteed hours

• Cancellation policies

• Hourly pay

• Overtime pay

• Holiday pay

• Stipends

• Reimbursements

Don't be afraid to ask questions. If there's something in your contract you don't understand, ask your recruiter to explain it before you sign.

Recap

Travel physical therapy gives you a lot of flexibility, but that flexibility does comes with more responsibility. You're responsible for comparing contracts, understanding your compensation, managing your expenses, maintaining your tax-home requirements, and making sure you know what you're agreeing to before you sign a contract.

Be aware of these five common mistakes:

1. Not negotiating your pay

2. Working with only one company or recruiter

3. Not maintaining a tax home

4. Chasing the highest-paying contract without considering cost of living

5. Not understanding the details of your contract

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