Educating first responders on building financial strength, and wellness, as well as full service financial planning, retirement planning, and understanding their pensions. Nick Daugherty began his career with the Grand Prairie Police Department in 2003, serving as a patrol officer, school resource officer, and on an underage alcohol and drug task force. After 2 ½ years he transitioned to lead the
criminal intelligence unit. Following his semiretirement in August of 2017, Nick continued to serve as a reserve officer until his full retirement in 2023. As a young adult, Nick struggled with financial mismanagement. He did a lot of irresponsible things with money, partaking in “stupid tax” (the art of buying toys that he couldn’t afford using credit cards). Before he knew it, he had accumulated over $80,000 in consumer debt, most of which was wrapped up in cars, a $21,000 car stereo system, and expensive vacations. He was tired of being in debt and tired of working so much overtime just to pay his bills. Nick recognized the need for financial education. He discovered the “debt snowball” method to paying down debt and committed to paying off all of his debt. He worked over a thousand hours of overtime over two years and achieved his goal of becoming consumer debt-free in 2007! In 2011, Nick was approached by Grand Prairie Police Chief, Steve Dye, who asked him to design and teach a progressive financial wellness program for new recruits at the police academy. This program expanded into mandatory training for officers across numerous agencies throughout the DFW metroplex. “Building Financial Strength in First Responder Families” has now been taught to personnel from over 4,000 agencies, police academies, national conferences, and leadership organizations nationwide, giving them tools to help them start to win with money and work toward their retirement goals. Nick is now the owner of FinancialCop, one of the largest financial wellness training groups for first responders nationally, as well as a full service, fiduciary only financial planning firm. Additionally, he holds a health and life insurance license and has completed advanced coursework through Ken Zahn’s Certified Financial Planning professional education program. Driven by a deep passion for teaching, Nick is dedicated to guiding first responders and their families in financial management and planning. To have a nation full of first responders that have the ability to retire when they want to instead of spending their time chasing down a pension!
*The views expressed on this page are for informational purposes only and are not designed to advise you on how to handle anything specific to your finances, nor will listening to our advice guarantee your financial success. Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and do not take into account your specific financial situation, and/or needs. Investment advice offered through
Third party posts found on this site do not reflect the views of Serve & Protect Financial Texas, FinancialCop, or IFP and have not been reviewed by IFP as to accuracy or completeness. Advisory services offered through Retirement Plan Advisors, LLC, a Federally Registered Investment Adviser. RPA and FinancialCop LLC are not affiliated.
07/15/2026
A new opportunity doesn't replace a solid financial plan—it should strengthen it.
Trump Accounts have generated a lot of attention, but what do they actually mean for first responder families?
In our newest blog series, we break down:
✔️ What Trump Accounts are
✔️ How they may help children build long-term wealth
✔️ How they compare to 529 Plans, Roth IRAs, and other savings options
✔️ Why your own retirement strategy should still come first
Financial decisions are rarely one-size-fits-all. Understanding your options is the first step toward building lasting financial security for your family.
07/15/2026
