Escape The Clock: How to Become Financially Free and Have the Option Not to Work

Daniel C. Rodgers
  • 5.0 (9)
  • How To
  • Updated Weekly

Join me, Daniel C. Rodgers, WMCP® and author of the award-winning book Escape The Clock, as I break down the tactics you need to take control of your finances and achieve financial independence. These 40-minute episodes deliver bite-size, easy-to-understand strategies to get the most out of your money, giving you the option not to work, on your terms. For the book, the planner, and more free resources, visit www.escapetheclock.com.

  1. 6d ago ·  Video

    What the Money Pros Are Saying, Live From FinCon 2026

    Live from FinCon 2026 in Palm Springs: personal finance creators, coaches, and advisors share money tips on financial independence, early retirement, FIRE, investing, debt, and financial literacy. If you only got one money tip from a pro, what should it be? Five money pros. One tip each. Recorded live at FinCon 2026 in Palm Springs, Daniel asks Anthony Weaver, Kelsa Dickey, Shari Rash, Nik Johnson, and Whitney Hansen for the money tip on their mind right now. Then retired personal finance teacher Kathy Cuevas turns the mic around: why would anyone walk away from a tech career to teach money? CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 — Live from FinCon 202600:02:20 — The conversation that made the trip00:04:22 — Anthony Weaver: Personal finance is personal00:07:10 — Kelsa Dickey: Your future deserves savings00:09:01 — Shari Rash: Rethinking savings-by-age rules00:11:03 — Nik Johnson: You're one concept away00:12:51 — Whitney Hansen: Back to the basics00:14:43 — Kathy Cuevas asks: Why leave tech?00:19:26 — Teaching money in a Title I school00:24:02 — What people get wrong about money00:33:30 — Why time beats money00:36:21 — The work trips I never got to take EPISODE REFERENCES & RESOURCES: ℹ️ Credit card debt — NY Fed 2026 — https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/research/2026/20260811 ℹ️ Personal finance mandates — NGPF 2026 — https://www.ngpf.org/live-us-dashboard/ CONNECT WITH THE GUESTS: 🎙️ Anthony Weaver, About That Wallet — https://www.aboutthatwallet.com/podcast 🎙️ Kelsa Dickey, Money Made Human — https://spendfirst.com/podcast 🎙️ Shari Rash, She's Talkin' Money — https://www.shestalkinmoneypodcast.com/ 🎙️ Nik Johnson, Everyday Money Heroes — https://everydaymoneyheroes.com/ 🎙️ Whitney Hansen, The Money Nerds — https://www.themoneynerds.com/ 🎙️ Kathy Cuevas, Financial Freedom Pathway — https://www.financialfreedompathway.us/ 🌐 FinCon — https://finconexpo.com/ ESCAPE THE CLOCK RESOURCES 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast ⬇️ Free Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🤝 Free 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe SUPPORT THE PODCAST: ▶️ Watch more full episodes — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLO34lLUX2G8hVBErMy34e7RsYfUJBeiL 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@EscapeTheClockMedia?sub_confirmation=1 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs it 📕 Grab my award-winning debut fiction Killswitch — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #escapetheclockpodcast #escapetheclock #financialfreedom #financialindependence #earlyretirement #workoptional #financialliteracy #fincon2026 #fire #personalfinance #moneypodcast

    What the Money Pros Are Saying, Live From FinCon 2026

  2. Sep 22 ·  Video

    The Gold Rules: What Every Investor Should Know Before Buying Gold with Greyson Geiler, Fund Manager of the GoldRush Yield Fund

    What if the safest-sounding asset in the world is the one nobody ever taught you how to own? Greyson Geiler began his career on the trading floors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and has spent more than two decades as an investment advisor. Today he is an Investment Advisor Representative with Andorra Capital and Lead Portfolio Manager of the GoldRush Yield Fund. In this episode, Greyson explains what gold actually does inside a portfolio, why he is not worried about another 1933-style confiscation, how the IRS taxes gold as a collectible, and why a gold fund manager tells people to build a plan and an emergency fund before buying a single ounce. Chapters: 00:00 - Gold Took 45 Years to Break Even01:38 - A Dollar Saved in 2000 Buys 51 Cents04:33 - From the CME Pits to a Closet of Gold06:16 - Why Central Banks Keep Buying Gold08:33 - Could the Government Take Your Gold10:35 - Bitcoin, Gold and a Weaponized Dollar13:49 - Gold That Pays Interest in Gold16:40 - Physical Gold Versus a Gold ETF20:06 - Gold Is Taxed Like a Collectible22:31 - How Bullion, ETFs and Miners Are Taxed24:16 - How Much Gold to Own and When to Buy28:03 - Guaranteed Income Comes Before Gold30:47 - A Gold Fund Manager Puts Gold Fourth34:30 - No Dividend, No Coupon, No Rent36:33 - Where You Hold Gold Decides the Tax39:16 - Everything Else Depends on a Promise Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Purchasing power - BLS (2026) https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm ℹ️ Real earnings - BLS (2026) https://www.bls.gov/news.release/realer.nr0.htm ℹ️ Credit card rates - Federal Reserve (2026) https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/current/ ℹ️ Central bank survey - World Gold Council (2026) https://www.gold.org/goldhub/research/central-bank-gold-reserves-survey-2026 ℹ️ Central bank buying - World Gold Council (2026) https://www.gold.org/goldhub/research/gold-demand-trends/gold-demand-trends-full-year-2025/central-banks ℹ️ Gold price history - JM Bullion (2026) https://www.jmbullion.com/investing-guide/facts/history-of-gold-prices/ ℹ️ Silver prices - Forbes (2026) https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/silver-price/ ℹ️ Collectibles tax - IRS (2026) https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc409 ℹ️ Emergency savings - Bankrate (2026) https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/emergency-savings-report/ Connect with Greyson: 🌐 Website — https://andorracapital.com 💼 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/greyson-geiler-8621a81a/ Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe 📒 Grab my debut fiction book Killswitch at https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers #GoldInvesting #PreciousMetals #FinancialIndependence #TaxPlanning #PortfolioDiversification

    The Gold Rules: What Every Investor Should Know Before Buying Gold with Greyson Geiler, Fund Manager of the GoldRush Yield Fund

  3. Sep 15 ·  Video

    Retire and Thrive: How to Turn Decades of Experience Into Income You Own with Lynn Friesth

    What if your career ends on someone else's schedule — and the only asset left that can replace the income is the one everyone keeps telling you is expiring? Lynn Friesth spent 40 years in manufacturing leadership at John Deere before retiring in 2015. Over the next decade he built a coaching practice, recorded more than 200 podcast episodes, mentored founders through SCORE and the Iowa Venture School, and at 75 built an AI coaching assistant with no coding background. In this episode, Lynn explains how to design an intentional life after work instead of drifting into one, why doing everything at once is the most common post-retirement mistake, and how a 75-year-old with a slide rule background ended up building an AI tool that coaches people around the clock. Chapters: 00:00 - 48% of Retirees Left Earlier Than Planned02:16 - The Retirement Party Nobody Gets Anymore05:31 - Drifting After 40 Years at John Deere08:21 - Retired With a Pension and Still Working11:23 - People Skills and a Slide Rule14:13 - Fractional Work and Other Paths After 5016:01 - Money Mistakes and the Zone of Genius18:41 - Building an AI Coach With No Coding22:39 - Filter Failure, Not Information Overload26:34 - Small Experiments Before You Leave Work29:17 - Take a Sabbatical, Not a Vacation31:17 - Four Months of Life at Red Lights35:18 - Leaving Work at 43 With No Plan37:45 - Does It Energize or Sustain You41:08 - What Would You Do If Nobody Paid You44:13 - Your Decades Are Not a Sunk Cost Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Early retirement trends and workforce confidence - EBRI 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey https://www.ebri.org/retirement/retirement-confidence-survey ℹ️ Age and high-growth entrepreneurship - Azoulay et al. (2020) https://www.nber.org/papers/w24489 ℹ️ Older worker labor force projections - Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) https://www.bls.gov/emp/data/labor-force.htm ℹ️ Age discrimination in the workplace - AARP 2026 Survey https://www.aarp.org/work/age-discrimination/age-bias-survey-2026/ ℹ️ Life expectancy at 65 - SSA Actuarial Life Table https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html ℹ️ U.S. deaths projected to exceed births - CBO Demographic Outlook (2025) https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61164 ℹ️ Slow productivity and deep work principles - Cal Newport, Slow Productivity (2024) Connect with Lynn: 🌐 Website - https://www.lynnfriesth.com 🎙️ Creating An Encore Career Podcast - https://www.lynnfriesth.com/podcast 💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnfriesth/ 🤖 LynnAI — https://app.coachvox.ai/share/LynnFriesth Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe 📕 Grab my debut fiction book Killswitch at https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers #RetireAndThrive #EncoreCareer #RetirementPlanning #FinancialFreedom #AICoaching

    Retire and Thrive: How to Turn Decades of Experience Into Income You Own with Lynn Friesth

  4. Sep 8 ·  Video

    Words to Wealth: Turning Reading Comprehension into Financial Independence with Russell Van Brocklen, Founder of Dyslexia Classes

    What if the greatest asset you'll ever own isn't your house or a hot stock, but the very thing most unique about yourself? Russell Van Brocklen went to law school reading and writing at a first grade level. He learned to read there, then built a method out of what worked and convinced the New York State Senate to fund it. His original program is owned by the SUNY Research Foundation, and he spent more than a decade training New York City special education teachers. Today he runs DyslexiaClasses.com. In this episode, Russell explains why a student's specialty is the only viable entry point, what happens to motivation outside it, why he starts specific and works outward, how word analysis on your own writing comes before the writing gets good, what a ten year old reading at a second grade level did with a 900 page biography, and how that habit lets a young adult read a loan document instead of just signing it. Chapters: 02:12 - A $29,000 Gap Between Reading Levels05:36 - New York State Funded This Method07:10 - Ten Years Old and 900 Pages In10:31 - Half of Freshmen Misjudge Their Debt12:40 - Start With a Movie You Know Cold15:10 - Hero, Goal, Villain, and Conflict16:45 - Type It Out Then Take It Apart21:45 - Credit Card Fine Print Costs You More25:00 - Fifteen Minutes a Week Is Enough27:45 - Reward the First Sale and Repeat31:00 - Trapped in a System Built by Adults33:05 - Reading Every Night for 19 Years38:15 - Start With What You Already Love41:20 - Write First Then Mine Your Own Words43:30 - Explain It or Do Not Sign It Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Definition of human capital - OECD, The Well-being of Nations (2001) https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2001/05/the-well-being-of-nations_g1gh268d.html ℹ️ US adults at the lowest literacy level, 2017 versus 2023 - NCES, PIAAC (2024) https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/2023/national_results.asp ℹ️ Wage gap across the adult literacy scale - OECD, Survey of Adult Skills https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/about/programmes/edu/piaac/reports/2013-Skills-for-Life-Key-Findings-from-the-Survey-of-Adult-Skills.pdf ℹ️ Concrete to abstract instruction beats the reverse - Fyfe, McNeil, Son and Goldstone, Educational Psychology Review (2014) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-014-9249-3 Connect with Russell: 🌐 Website - https://dyslexiaclasses.com 💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-van-brocklen-2007ab87 📖 Free Guide - https://mailchi.mp/dcacd9a6f9ae/3-reasons-ebook Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Support Dan by picking up his debut science-fiction novel Killswitch. You can find it at https://escapetheclock.com/book/killswitch or any online place books are sold. This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #FinancialFreedom #EarlyRetirement #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast

    Words to Wealth: Turning Reading Comprehension into Financial Independence with Russell Van Brocklen, Founder of Dyslexia Classes

  5. Sep 3 ·  Video

    604 Days: What to Do With the Time Early Retirement Buys You

    Everyone asks how much money it takes to retire early. Almost nobody asks what you plan to do with the time. I left in May 2024 at 43 with a spreadsheet that ran to age 100 and a to-do list I had put off for decades. Two years later, here is the honest accounting of what I did with the time I bought back: I wrote two books, earned the WMCP designation, taught financial literacy as a volunteer, fostered dogs, and launched this podcast. Almost none of it paid. That is the point. In this special off-schedule episode I walk through what actually got built, why a financial plan has to become a life plan, and the milestone I am proudest of. Killswitch, my debut science-fiction novel, released September 1, 2026. It took 604 days and 137,500 words. I also get into why a book about artificial intelligence belongs on a financial independence show, and why my son editing it and designing the cover was the return I never budgeted for. Regular Tuesday programming continues as scheduled. Get Killswitch: 📕 Hardcover, $29.99 — https://amzn.to/4qVrgRy 📗 Paperback, $17.99 — https://amzn.to/4qQqjK9 📱 Kindle, $4.99 — https://amzn.to/4iIBGS9 🔗 All formats — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch/ Free on Kindle Unlimited. Borrowing it costs nothing, it counts, and it supports the book. If you read it and it holds up, an honest review does more for a debut than anything else I could ask for. Chapters: 00:00 - What Early Retirement Bought Me01:41 - Teaching Money and Fostering Dogs04:19 - The Goal That Was Never the Podcast06:23 - AI Today Is a Very Good Magic Trick08:15 - Building What We Cannot Turn Off10:28 - Inside the Premise of Killswitch12:02 - The Choice With No Good Answer14:38 - Why This Book Needed Early Retirement Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Killswitch 5-star review — Literary Titan (2026) https://literarytitan.com/2026/08/27/killswitch/ ℹ️ 604 Days: What I Did With the Time I Bought Back — Escape The Clock Insights (2026) https://escapetheclock.com/insights13 ℹ️ Financial literacy volunteering in Washington — Financial Beginnings https://finbegwa.org ℹ️ Foster-based dog rescue, Redmond WA — Motley Zoo https://www.motleyzooanimalrescue.org Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers #KillswitchBook #Killswitch #EarlyRetirement #FinancialIndependence #LifeAfterWork #RetirementPlanning

    604 Days: What to Do With the Time Early Retirement Buys You

  6. Sep 1 ·  Video

    Trapped by the Win: How to Keep the Gains and Take the Exit with Ashley Romiti

    What if a third of everything you built disappeared on the way out the door? Ashley Romiti underwrote more than $500 million in real estate as an investment property agent in Orange County. After nearly 15 years in commercial real estate she kept seeing the same story: longtime owners on appreciated property, worn down by management, with no idea what their exit options were. So she founded GCA 1031, where she helps retiring landlords move into passive, tax-deferred income. In this episode, Ashley explains why a sale can hand 30% to 40% of the gain to capital gains, depreciation recapture, net investment income tax and state taxes, how a 1031 exchange defers the entire bill, why the 45-day and 180-day deadlines carry no extensions, how Delaware Statutory Trusts trade the keys for shares of institutional real estate, and the fee loads and sponsor red flags to watch for. Chapters: 00:00 - A Third of Your Gains Can Vanish01:44 - Millions Own Rentals and Cannot Exit05:20 - What Selling Really Costs an Owner07:55 - Tax Planning Before the Sale Not After09:34 - How a 1031 Exchange Actually Works11:18 - 45 Days and 180 Days No Extensions12:53 - Delaware Statutory Trusts Explained15:47 - Trading Control for Passive Income17:49 - Why DST Fees Run 8 to 12 Percent21:41 - Step Up in Basis and Estate Planning25:45 - Value the Property and Pull the Return27:36 - The Roth Mistake That Cost Me Years30:44 - Layered Taxes Hit Real Estate Hardest33:13 - The Third Door in the Tax Code35:29 - Four Steps to Price Your Exit37:41 - You Spend What Is Left Not Net Worth Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Who owns America's rentals - HUD / Census (2022) https://archives.hud.gov/news/2022/pr22-242.cfm ℹ️ Housing wealth held by age 60+ - Realtor.com and Redfin (2025) https://www.realestatenews.com/2025/07/22/boomers-now-hold-nearly-40-of-us-housing-wealth ℹ️ Capital gains and the 25% recapture ceiling - IRS Topic 409 (2025) https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc409 ℹ️ Depreciation allowed or allowable - IRS FAQ (2025) https://www.irs.gov/faqs/sale-or-trade-of-business-depreciation-rentals ℹ️ Net investment income tax - IRS Topic 559 (2025) https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc559 ℹ️ Like-kind rules and the 45 and 180 day deadlines - IRS FS-2008-18 https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/fs-08-18.pdf ℹ️ DST equity raised in 2025 and sponsor count - Mountain Dell (2026) https://altswire.com/dst-sales-surpass-8-4-billion-in-2025-according-to-mountain-dell/ ℹ️ Investors who exchange only once - Ling and Petrova (2020) https://1031buildsamerica.org/study-ling-petrova-2020/ Connect with Ashley: 🌐 Website — https://www.gca1031.com 💼 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-romiti-dst 📊 Free DST Guide — https://www.gca1031.com/access-the-dst-investor-guide/ Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers #1031Exchange #DelawareStatutoryTrust #RealEstateInvesting #PassiveIncome #CapitalGainsTax

    Trapped by the Win: How to Keep the Gains and Take the Exit with Ashley Romiti

  7. Aug 25 ·  Video

    Life After Work: How to Plan the Retirement Transition Nobody Prepares You For with Gregg Lunceford, Author of Exit From Work

    What if you built the freedom to walk away, hit your number, and still could not make yourself leave? Gregg Lunceford watched client after client get handed an early retirement package they were financially ready for and could not bring themselves to sign. Nobody in his industry could explain it, so he earned a PhD studying the modern retirement transition. He is a Certified Financial Planner, the author of Exit From Work, and a Managing Director and Wealth Advisor at Mesirow. In this episode, Gregg explains why leaving work is the first major career decision most people make without a mentor. He breaks down the three things work pays you on top of the paycheck, the gap between the ought self and the ideal self, how to negotiate a gradual exit instead of walking off a cliff, and why going back to work is discovery rather than failure. Chapters: 00:00 - Leaving Work Is Not a Math Problem01:32 - Work Was Never Just a Paycheck04:23 - Gregg's Research10:45 - Ageism Makes Leaving a One Way Door12:28 - The Four Paychecks Work Gives You15:08 - What Pro Athletes Teach Early Retirees16:56 - Three Years Instead of a Resignation19:06 - Build a Social Ladder Like a Bond Ladder21:19 - The Ideal Self and the Ought Self27:47 - The Honeymoon Phase Runs 18 Months32:52 - Going Back Is Discovery Not Failure38:53 - Never Be Afraid to Bet on Yourself40:48 - Every Transition Came With a Guide42:46 - Six Months After Hitting the Number45:58 - Write the Vision Down and Ask49:43 - Give Your Time Back to Yourself Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Workers considering a later retirement date - F&G via CNBC (2025) https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/18/working-longer-retirement-plan.html ℹ️ Older workers who would stay on with needs met - Asset Preservation (2025) https://www.apsitaxes.com/blog/working-past-retirement ℹ️ Purpose in retirees versus workers - Gerontological Society of America (2023) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10736899/ ℹ️ Life expectancy at age 65 - Social Security Trustees Report (2025) https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/how-raise-social-security-retirement-age-while-protecting-poor ℹ️ Retirees returning to work - AARP (2026) https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/retirement-decisions-working-job-hunting/ ℹ️ Retirees who wish they had planned more - Schroders (2026) https://www.schroders.com/en-us/us/institutional/clients/defined-contribution/us-retirement-survey/living-in-retirement/ Connect with Gregg: 🌐 Mesirow Profile - https://www.mesirow.com/bio/gregg-lunceford 📘 Book - https://amzn.to/4xzequN Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #RetirementTransition #LifeAfterWork #ThirdAge #EarlyRetirement #FinancialFreedom #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers

    Life After Work: How to Plan the Retirement Transition Nobody Prepares You For with Gregg Lunceford, Author of Exit From Work

  8. Aug 18 ·  Video

    Playing the Wealth Game: The Money Moves of the Rich with Freddie Rappina

    What happens when the rules you were handed were never the rules the wealthy were playing by? In this episode, Freddie Rappina explains the difference between the two money games most Americans never know they are choosing between. Checkers is the path we are all handed: avoid debt, max the retirement accounts, buy the index fund, wait 30 years. Chess is what the wealthy actually play: let assets appreciate, borrow against them instead of selling, and use that money to buy things that pay you back. Dan and Freddie get into where the line really sits between debt that builds you and debt that buries you, how the flywheel of leverage and cash flow works at any scale, why your own advisor may never mention any of it, and how to know when you are ready to switch games. Chapters: 00:00 - The Rules of Money Nobody Teaches You01:47 - $1.9 Million to Reach the Top 10%04:16 - Watching Wealthy Clients at 2106:08 - Debt Attitude Separates the Two Games09:15 - Why the Wealthy Read the Tax Code11:19 - Win at Checkers or Switch to Chess13:22 - $1.28 Trillion in Credit Card Debt14:56 - The Flywheel That Pays Its Own Loan16:28 - Build the Statement a Lender Will Fund18:00 - Reserves for the Storms That Are Coming20:06 - Why Advisors Steer You From Real Estate23:14 - No Life Insurer Failed During COVID27:15 - Two Ways to Borrow $40,00029:22 - $103,202 Is the Median at Age 6532:50 - Building Assets You Never Sell35:09 - Know Your Goal and Play to Win Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Top 10% of US wealth - Federal Reserve (2025) https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/z1/dataviz/dfa/distribute/chart/ ℹ️ Real estate by earner group - Redfin analysis of Federal Reserve data (2025) https://www.barchart.com/story/news/816336/the-top-20-of-earners-hold-over-half-of-americas-real-estate-wealth ℹ️ Top 10% household net worth - Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (2022) https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scfindex.htm ℹ️ How millionaires built their wealth - Ramsey Solutions National Study of Millionaires https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/the-national-study-of-millionaires-research ℹ️ Credit card debt and average rates - Federal Reserve Bank of New York (2025) https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc ℹ️ Insurer mortgage loan holdings - NAIC (2025) https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/capital-markets-special-reports-asset-mix-ye2025.pdf ℹ️ 401k balances by age - Vanguard How America Saves (2026) https://workplace.vanguard.com/insights-and-research/report/how-america-saves-2026.html Connect with Freddie: 🌐 Website - https://optafinancial.com 📕 Book - https://amzn.to/4x2pgsG Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #WealthBuilding #GoodDebt #RealEstateInvesting #FinancialFreedom #PassiveIncome #EarlyRetirement #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers

    Playing the Wealth Game: The Money Moves of the Rich with Freddie Rappina
See All (78)

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Join me, Daniel C. Rodgers, WMCP® and author of the award-winning book Escape The Clock, as I break down the tactics you need to take control of your finances and achieve financial independence. These 40-minute episodes deliver bite-size, easy-to-understand strategies to get the most out of your money, giving you the option not to work, on your terms. For the book, the planner, and more free resources, visit www.escapetheclock.com.

Information

You Might Also Like