What are the smartest financial moves for pro athletes to make during the season?

Automate savings and investing, implement a bucketed cash-flow system, review disability and health insurance, set rules for discretionary spending, handle in-season tax planning, keep investments evidence-based and diversified, and update estate documents. In-season structure makes discipline easier and prevents lifestyle creep.

How much should I save from each game check?

A practical target is 30%–50% of every in-season paycheck toward long-term goals, depending on contract size, taxes, and career horizon. Automate transfers on payday into long-term investment and cash reserve buckets so saving happens before spending.

What insurance coverage is most important for professional athletes?

High-quality own-occupation disability insurance, appropriate health coverage aligned with travel/training needs, and life insurance if you have dependents. Review annually and after contract changes to keep coverage aligned with current income and obligations.

How should athletes invest during the season?

Use an evidence-based, globally diversified portfolio built to support cash flow for decades—similar to an endowment approach. Avoid hype-driven or concentrated bets. Keep costs low, taxes efficient, and contributions automated throughout the season.

Are private deals and startups a good idea for athletes?

They can fit only after your core plan is fully funded and risk-managed. Require professional diligence, clear downside analysis, and guardrails on position size. If the pitch relies more on your name than the business fundamentals, pass.

What tax moves should I handle while I’m in-season?

Track deductions in real time (training, travel, nutrition where eligible), plan charitable giving while income is flowing, and manage state residency and multi-state 'jock tax' exposure proactively with your CPA—don’t wait until filing season.

What does a cash bucket system look like for athletes?

Three core buckets: Essentials (housing, food, family support), Discretionary (lifestyle, travel, gifts), and Future (investments, reserves). Fund Future first via automation, then Essentials, and let Discretionary flex within a preset cap.

Do I really need estate planning if I’m young and single?

Yes. A basic will, powers of attorney, beneficiary designations, and a strategy for how assets are titled protect you and your family. Public profiles increase risk—clarity and privacy matter regardless of age.

How can I control spending during the season without feeling restricted?

Decide rules in advance: automate savings, set a weekly discretionary cap, use a 24–48 hour rule on big purchases, and give yourself guilt-free 'fun money' within your plan. Systems reduce decision fatigue and impulse buys.

Who should be on my financial team as a pro athlete?

A fiduciary financial planner, a proactive sports-savvy CPA, a qualified attorney (estate and contract), and your agent. Ensure incentives are transparent, fees are clear, and advice is coordinated across the team.

How does life planning fit with my finances while I’m playing?

Use the season’s structure to clarify purpose—what you want money to do for your life, on and off the field. Align spending, saving, and investing to those priorities so financial decisions support identity beyond sport.

Smart Financial Moves for Professional Athletes to Make During Their Season

Cash FlowInvestingTaxLife PlanningAthletes

Oct 7

Written By Bryan Gum

When you’re in the middle of your season, everything revolves around performance — training schedules, recovery, travel, film study, and game day execution. The hours are long, the spotlight is intense, and the margin for error is razor thin.

But here’s the truth that often gets overlooked: the financial game you’re playing off the field is just as critical as the one you play on it. You’ve worked hard to earn your contract. The question now is — will your money work as hard for you as you do for it?

For many athletes, the season is actually the best time to build financial strength. The income is steady, your routines are consistent, and your window to set long-term habits is wide open. Below are the smartest financial moves every professional athlete should consider while in-season — not after the fact.

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Why In-Season Can Be the Best Time for Financial Discipline

The rhythm of a professional athlete’s life is split in two: the structure of the season and the wide-open flexibility of the off-season. Ironically, the structured season is when discipline with money can be easiest. You’re earning consistent game checks or contract payments. Your schedule has routine. And you’re naturally in a high-performance mindset.

Waiting until the off-season often means distractions: vacations, family commitments, endorsements, and sometimes the pressure of negotiations. By locking in strong financial habits during the season, you protect yourself from impulse decisions and give your money the same intentionality you give your training.

Smart Cash Flow Systems for Athletes

The simplest but most overlooked financial move is setting up a system for cash flow:

Pay yourself first: Instead of waiting to see what’s left at the end of the month, automate contributions to long-term savings and investments the moment your check hits.
Automate everything: Bills, savings, and investments should happen without requiring daily decisions. Decision fatigue kills discipline.
Use buckets: Separate accounts for essentials (living expenses, family support), discretionary (fun money, travel, gifts), and future (investments, retirement). Don’t forget cash reserves - even high earners need an emergency fund. This keeps lifestyle creep in check.

Think of this as running your personal finances like a team’s playbook: every dollar has an assignment.

Get Help Designing Your Cash Flow System

Protecting Your Lifestyle with Smart Insurance Moves

Injuries don’t just sideline careers — they derail financial futures. That’s why insurance is not optional:

Disability insurance: Athletes face career-ending risks most professionals don’t. Proper coverage is critical.
Health insurance optimization: Make sure coverage aligns with your unique travel, training, and medical needs.
Life insurance for family: If you have dependents, this isn’t about you — it’s about them.

Too many athletes only consider these things after a crisis. The season is the time to protect yourself when income is strong.

Investing Like Your Career Depends on It (Because It Does)

Your playing career may last 3, 5, or 10 years. Your life after sports could last another 50. That’s why investing smartly during your season is non-negotiable.

Think endowment-style: Universities invest billions not to grow wealth recklessly, but to provide sustainable, lifelong cash flow. You can do the same.
Evidence-based investing: Avoid the noise of hype stocks, crypto fads, and speculative pitches. Stick to diversified, low-cost, factor-tilted portfolios.
Be cautious with private deals: For every success story, there are dozens of failed restaurants, gyms, or start-ups pitched to athletes. Be wary of friends and “business opportunities” that depend more on your name than on sound economics.

The discipline you show on the field should mirror the discipline in your portfolio.

Legal and Estate Moves That Can’t Wait

Athletes are public figures, and with visibility comes risk. That’s why estate planning isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy — it’s for anyone with assets, a family, or a public profile.

Draft a will and powers of attorney.
Consider trusts to protect assets and reduce liability.
Structure ownership of properties and businesses smartly.

The goal isn’t complexity — it’s clarity and protection.

Smart Spending During the Season

The season is when the temptation to “reward yourself” runs high. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your success — but do it with a system.

Set rules for major purchases (e.g., a 48-hour rule before buying luxury items).
Decide discretionary limits before the season starts.
Remember: the right team around you (financial advisor, accountant, attorney, agent) keeps you focused on what matters most.

We’ve all seen headlines of athletes who blew through fortunes on cars, houses, or entourages. The smarter move is controlled enjoyment now and exponential freedom later.

Tax Planning in Real Time

Tax planning isn’t just a spring activity. In fact, in-season is the best time for athletes:

You can capture deductions related to training, nutrition, and travel.
You can optimize where you’re taxed (state residency and the “jock tax” are real issues) within league rules and in coordination with your CPA.
You can make charitable gifts during the season while income is flowing.

A proactive CPA in-season can save you far more than a reactive one after the fact.

Life Planning — Beyond the Paychecks

At Lighthouse Planning, we believe money is only a tool. The deeper question is: what kind of life are you building with it?

George Kinder, founder of the Kinder Institute of Life Planning, asks three questions that every athlete/high-performer should reflect on:

If money were no object, how would you live?
If you had 5–10 years left, what would you do differently?
If you had 24 hours left, what would matter most?

The truth is, athletes don’t just need financial strategies — they need identity strategies. Who will you be when the season ends? Who will you be when the game is behind you? The earlier you wrestle with these questions, the stronger your foundation will be.

Conclusion

The smartest financial moves athletes can make aren’t about beating the market or chasing the next big deal. They’re about discipline, clarity, and alignment.

When you take control of your money during the season, you’re not just setting up for a great off-season — you’re setting up for a great life.

The lights will fade, the crowds will quiet, but the financial choices you make now will carry you through decades of freedom, impact, and purpose.

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Bryan Gum