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3549: [Part 1] How I Measure Progress Toward Financial Independence by Craig Stephens of Retire Before Dad
From Optimal Finance Daily - Financial Independence and Money Advice by Optimal Living Daily | Diania Merriam
May 5, 2026 · 11 min · Episode 3549
About this episode
Craig Stephens discusses a practical method for tracking financial independence through a combination of passive income and long-term investment growth.
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3549: Craig Stephens breaks down a practical way to track financial independence by combining passive income with long-term investment growth, rather than relying on a single metric. This approach offers a clearer, more flexible path to early retirement while reducing risk and increasing confidence in long-term financial security. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.retirebeforedad.com/measure-financial-independence/ Quotes to ponder: "If I can create enough investment income that consistently grows above the rate of inflation and covers a solid portion of my living expenses, I can tap less of my retirement savings and reduce sequence-of-return risk." "Financial independence is a financial milestone. Retirement is when I’ll stop working completely." "The FI number is about building a lump sum of money that equals 25 times your annual expenses." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Diania Merriam
Guest: Craig Stephens
Topics covered
- financial independence
- investment growth
- early retirement
- passive income
- financial security
Keywords
- financial independence
- investment income
- retirement savings
- sequence-of-return risk
- early retirement
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Retire Before Dad, Optimal Living Daily, Megaphone
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