How $50k Passive Income Beats a $100k Job (The Real Math)

Описание: Why is a $100,000 salary often a "poverty trap" while $50,000 in passive income feels like wealth? In this forensic audit, we break down the $100k Salary vs. $50k Passive Income debate to find out who is actually richer in 2026.

Most people chase the six-figure milestone without calculating the "Friction Costs" of a high-earning career. Today, we follow "David," a $100k earner, and discover why his "Real Hourly Wage" is shockingly low once you account for the Tax Velocity, the Conformity Tax, and the high cost of convenience.

In this video, Cole Calculates:

The Tax Friction: Why active income is the most expensive way to make money.

The Maintenance of Success: How much it actually costs to "hold" a $100k job (commutes, clothes, and burnout).

The Cognitive Burn: Why decision fatigue is the hidden tax on your future wealth.

The Passive Advantage: How $50,000 in dividends or real estate can outperform a $100,000 W-2 salary.

The Escape Velocity Number: The one calculation your boss never wants you to make.

If you’re a "HENRY" (High Earner, Not Rich Yet) or someone feeling the squeeze of the 2026 economy, this breakdown will change how you view your paycheck. Stop measuring your success by your Gross Income and start measuring it by your Residual Freedom.

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CHAPTERS:
0:00 The Six-Figure Illusion
1:15 Meet David: The $100k Treadmill
2:45 Tax Velocity: Where the Money Goes
4:30 The "Conformity Tax" Explained
6:10 The $50k Passive Income Advantage
8:25 Cognitive Burn & Decision Fatigue
10:45 The Final Calculation: Who is Richer?
12:30 How to Achieve Escape Velocity

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