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Real Life $100k Surplus Framework: Chief Actuary's Financial Portfolio [Chills 223 ft Alex Lee]

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What if you could retire decades earlier without a CEO’s salary?

Meet Alex Lee—former insurance regulator, ex-CFO, and Chief Actuary— he’s the brains behind some of the most critical financial models in healthcare and insurance, and now, he’s spilling the tea on how he retired early without sacrificing security or happiness. He reveals:

  • The "F-You Money" Mindset: How living below his means gave him the courage to speak truth to power (and why it accelerated his career)
  • Insurance Secrets You’ve Never Heard: Why he SKIPS critical illness coverage (and what he buys instead)
  • The Real Cost of "Upgrading" Your Life: Why he still lives in an HDB flat despite peers flipping condos
  • Retirement Reimagined: His 3-phase "Plan A, B, C" strategy for working only on his terms

This episode pulls no punches: from calling out industry whistleblowing to explaining why "whole life insurance is a scam."

Whether you’re dreaming of retiring early, curious about actuarial science, or just trying to live a smarter financial life, this conversation will give you serious food for thought. Get ready for radical honesty, actuarial math, and actionable strategies to build freedom—without the fluff.

What We Discuss:

  • 05:49 - How did your journey as chief actuary lead to early retirement?
  • 10:07 - How did financial security shape key moments in your career?
  • 17:52 - What insurance products do you use and recommend to others?
  • 22:11 - How do you evaluate insurance costs across different options?
  • 26:43 - How has your insurance strategy evolved from 20s to today?
  • 32:53 - How did you form this investment strategy?
  • 35:23 - Why did you choose to stay in your current BTO and at what cost?

Episode Resources:


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