Players a lockout is coming, make sure you have a plan for the coming months with your money.

"I want to sell my business, and they think I can get $12,000,000 for it." "What would my lifestyle look like if I did that?" The lazy answer to this question is to slap a percentage on it. $12,000,000 after capital gains = ~ $9,600,000. Multiply $9.6M by a safe withdrawal number (3-5%). You get $288,000 - $480,000 a year. Yet you fail to account for... About 30 other factors, things like: *Risk capacity *Taxable buckets *Portfolio return profiles *Future earning capacity *Liquid assets vs. non-liquid assets Said another way, there are tons of dials you can turn that completely change the answer to this question. I know this because we have successfully walked dozens of business owners through this question (and the eventual sale of their business). So if you are a business owner, wondering how to navigate this question...just remember there are ways for you to spend more (and sleep well at night). You just need to understand all the dials you can turn.

Your business has grown by $10,000,000. Yet you have the same financial strategy and team (the problem here): - As your business grows, so does your team. Not just in headcount But in talent. The business only grows with the best people. Yet with your own money, you haven't done anything. - ...and look, I get it, it is a pain to switch. But what if I told you these are some of the wins business owners have had this year by switching... *Found an $800,000 tax mistake *Planned for and avoided $10,000,000 in estate taxes *Got an entrepreneur to $10,000,000+ in liquid assets The thing is, these moves matter far more for you today than they did 5 years ago. Each one now has millions on the line, not just a few thousand. So ask yourself this question: "Would you hire that same team again today?" ***If you're an entrepreneur doing $1M+ in personal income, we might be a fit to help you. Link to schedule a call with our team in the comments.

An athlete with $3,000,000 saved asked me: "How much can I spend while I am still playing?" Here is how I approach this...

An athlete earns $15,000,000 in this career. They retire with: · Funded 401(k) · Future pension benefits · Earned more than 5-10x the average American You might think there is nothing to plan for But…

Alexander Ovechkin made $175,000,000+ in a 21-year NHL career. Justin Verlander made $200,000,000 more Here is why...

NEW VIDEO: What I understand about athlete money at 35 that I didn't at 18. You'll be a former player a lot longer than you'll be a current player. But I always thought, "That's for the other guy. That's for the next guy in the locker room, not for me. I got it."

The first 18 years make up 90% of your time with your kids. Yet most of the time, we are just missing it... We are trying to make the next dollar. We are sitting there scrolling on social media. We are looking for the next exciting thing to grab us. When the truth is, we should just be enjoying where our feet are. As a dad of four kids, I need this reminder as much as anyone. Time stops for no one, especially us young parents. You know when an older couple stops and says, "It goes so fast, you better enjoy it." Turns out, they couldn't be more right. So here is my challenge to you: what are you doing to impact your kids this week?

A common mistake I see as investments climb above $5,000,000. The rules you used to get there start going out the window. As your wealth builds, so do your opportunities. The one-off deal becomes an ever-week conversation. Soon the simplicity that got you to $5,000,000 is replaced with the desire to find the investment that will 10x. ...when you don't really need it. Before you know it, you have 15 private deals, all issuing capital calls, and a slew of K1s. Your tax situation is frustrating. Your balance sheet is more complicated. All because we feel the need to make things more complicated as our wealth grows. My friends, oftentimes the things that got you there are just fine for the next stage. Remember, your investment portfolio should fuel your life, not your ego.

MLB Service Time Milestones: 1/4 of Season = Team 401(k) contributions 43 Days = Pension eligibility starts 4 Years = Ability to stay on the health care plan 10 Years = Full Pension at 62 of $290,000 per year Every baseball player needs to know the role these benefits plan into your financial life.

We are seeing our college football clients top $1,000,000 in NIL/Rev Share contracts. Here are the four pillars we focus on to maximize their tax benefits: First, understand that NIL & Rev Share money is 1099. That means it is subject to self-employment tax (15.3%). There are also no withholdings, meaning players get the full amount and are responsible for paying the tax. - Step 1: Tax Election Setting up your LLC is just step one (it does nothing for taxes). Then you need to make a tax election ~ at this level, an S Corp wins. We structure the correct salary, then the rest of the money comes out as distributions. It maximizes retirement accounts and limits that self-employment tax, saving clients tens of thousands in taxes. - 2. Tax-Advantaged Accounts Living in the highest tax bracket means we want to prioritize accounts that give us a tax benefit. The two we utilize the most for our college athletes are: *Solo 401(k) - Up to $72,000 in 2026 *Roth IRA - Up to $7,500 in 2026 We have also seen Defined Benefits plans be an option for the right player to further maximize tax savings. - 3. Tax Deductions The bad news is you have 1099 income (remember that extra 15.3% SE tax). The good news is you have 1099 income (deductions can be plentiful). We prioritize tracking these through a business account and credit card. Everything from travel to training to business vehicles can be positioned as deductions. The key here is understanding what is, what isn't, and what is worth buying (remember even on a deduction, you are still spending the money). - 4. Tax Projections There is no money getting taken out of our contract. That means each quarter you need a team running projections. *What do you owe *When will you owe it *Where should you position that tax money You want to make sure you avoid all penalties and keep your money earning interest as long as possible. - With college deals topping $1,000,000, our team has become a leader in helping athletes navigate this landscape. *The average NFL career lasts ~ 3 years. *The time to be maximizing your money should be today. If you are looking for a time to help maximize your NIL money, you can schedule a call with our team below.

The S&P 500 was up nearly 18% in 2025. Yet you could have harvested $75,000 in losses. You see, our athletes and entrepreneurs are in the top 1% of earners. That means the majority of their investments are outside of tax-advantaged retirement accounts. So our sole focus is on our clients' after-tax return. This is where direct indexing can play a role for clients. Consider that in 2025: The index rose 17.9%. The index had more than 30% of individual positions lose money That combination creates opportunity for performance + tax advantages. Through direct indexing, we can create "paper losses" to offset: *Future capital gains *Ordinary income tax ($3k per year) *Use highly appreciated securities for charity This can be a great strategy for the right high earner, yet as with any investment strategy, it has to fit your specific situation. For our athletes and entrepreneurs, it is often a win/win.

NEW VIDEO: How I'd Invest $1M, $5M, & $10M as a Professional Athlete In this video, I break down exactly how I build investment portfolios for athletes at each level of net worth.

$1,000,000 only gives you $30,000 to $50,000 per year. Here is the number that changes everything for athletes: You sign. You get the million-dollar+ signing bonus. You sign the $10,000,000 free agent deal. Only to realize the number that actually matters is none of those. It is your Safe Withdrawal Rate... Said another way ~ It is the money you can pull from your investment portfolio without touching the initial principal and interest. For us, this number starts at 3-5% pre-tax based on a number of factors: *Current Spending *Current Net Worth *Current Risk - Return of the Portfolio The goal is to increase lifestyle (and spending) as your investment portfolio (and SW #) grows equally. So remember, the most important number isn't the number you sign for...or even the number in your bank account ~ It is the number you can spend forever without running out of money. 📍 If you are an athlete or entrepreneur looking to get smarter with your money. Check out our Moment Money Quiz in the comments. In less than 60 seconds, you will find out where you stand and how you can improve.

Your business is worth $15,000,000. Yet your brokerage account has $250,000 in it. Here's what every level from $250,000 to $10,000,000 buys you: - $250k ~ The Jenga Tower *Enough to have breathing room. *Not enough to have any certainty. Two bad quarters, and the only move is to pull blocks from the very bottom. Nobody builds a company to stay in this stage. - $500k ~ The First Crack You start running the math on a life where the business isn’t everything. The belief you have to keep going “all in” starts to crack. Yet the thought of one bad year still keeps you up at night. - $1M ~ Your Bench First time you watch money grow that the business didn't earn. It stops being a rounding error to your net worth. Sure it isn’t featured in the starting lineup, but it is on the team. - $3M ~ Leverage The client you want to avoid. You can drop them and never look back. The money is buying back your power. Inside the business and outside of it. - $5M ~ Now What Your problems are turning into questions. “I have to” starts turning into “Do I want to?” You make the call ~ Not next quarter’s P&L. - $10M ~ Enough You can always go for more. You just don’t have to. - Your business is the best investment you will ever make. It is also the least liquid, and the easiest cage to build for yourself. Money outside of it is what lets you do everything you want inside of it.

$4,000,000 in investments, yet no more paychecks. Mike was 35, but his professional athlete career was over. $900,000 locked up until 60, $3,100,000 available today. The plan to pay him today and keep his money compounding: - The Breakdown: *$25,000 in monthly spending *$3,100,000 in taxable investments *$900,000 his MLB 401(k) plan *$100,000 pension at age 62 - The Foundation: **$20,000 were fixed expenses (must have) $5,000 were variable (nice to have) 5% withdrawal on $3.1M = $155,000 pre tax/$131,700 post tax. Monthly spending gap of $9,025 (must have). $216,600 put in cash to cover 2 years of spending gap. Then Mike went to work (literally)… - The Solve: Mike had a guiding light, earn $108,300 after tax. His timeframe? Two years of runway with his cash. A stretch goal but one that was doable. Solve the gap and his “retirement” looks like… - At the age of 62, Mike’s finances look like this: $5,766,119 in taxable investments (8% return) $7,189,255 in his MLB 401(k) (8% return) $170,689 in yearly pension payouts (2% COLA increases) Mike’s athlete paychecks stopped at 35. Yet his money never stopped working for him. - *** Name, numbers, and details have been changed and do not reflect actual results. All figures are hypothetical and assume a flat 8% annual return, a 2% annual pension COLA, and a 5% withdrawal rate, before fees and taxes. Actual returns vary and face sequence of return risk. This is not tax, legal, or investment advice.

The MLB draft didn’t work out. You have two choices, so consider this… Look, I get it…you are somewhere between bummed out, confused, and just plain mad. Yet let me give you a lens to view your career through. Every pitch you throw, or at bat you take, prepares you for your MLB debut. It doesn’t matter if that pitch happens in the minor leagues or that at bat is at a mid-week game in college. You are getting the rep… Now the choice of how you view it (and take advantage of it) is yours. I see too many players let the draft result seep into the first year of college baseball. Don’t let that happen… The competition is too high. The window to perform is too small. You got one shot to do this thing, so go get after it. Because if you don’t, someone else will and that rep...well, it won’t be yours anymore. Oh, and the data shows you might just have better odds of being a big leaguer.

“I knew I needed to switch, but I didn’t know where to go” A 10-year big leaguer told me this before he hired us… “Dude, if I walk in anywhere, they are just going to tell me what I want to hear.” Look, I get it and know that feeling all too well… So here is what I told him... “Look, walk through our process, and I will just show you what you are doing and what I would do differently.” Literally no pitch… We get sold enough as professional athletes; it is endless... I just pointed out some things that were costing him in taxes and ways he could reduce risk while still living the life he wants. When we got towards the end of the meeting, I remember telling him: “My only promise is you won’t get a yes man with us. I am going to challenge you to understand this stuff, but you have to want that.” Today that player is ahead of 99% of his peers financially. He doesn’t need to become an expert with money. He does need to have a team that will challenge him to learn. Athletes, this money is an incredible blessing; it is also your responsibility. So here is my challenge to you ~ consume content on what you want to learn about (I literally talk about everything with money and athletes). Ask questions; don’t stop at the first question. Challenge your team; trust me, you will thank yourself later.