The Financial Operating System Behind Your NIL Career
Agents change. Schools change. Sports careers end. Your financial strategy shouldn't. OPG is the long-term advisor for college athletes building real wealth from NIL income.
Built by advisors who played the game.
Most financial advisors weren't on the field. Ours were. Tanner Dallas played college football at McKendree University. Matt Bitter played college baseball at Lindenwood University. Both trained athletes early in their careers, and both married Division I softball players. That background matters, because building wealth as a college athlete is not the same as building wealth as a professional, an executive, or a business owner. The schedule is different. The income is different. The career horizon is different. The pressure on family, brand, and time is different.
OPG was built to serve clients with complexity. NIL athletes have it in abundance: multi-state tax exposure, lumpy 1099 income, eligibility rules, brand-building obligations, and a career window that can close without warning. We meet that complexity with an integrated wealth and tax practice in one firm.
The new reality of college athletics
The 2025 House v. NCAA settlement changed the financial picture for college athletes. Schools can now share revenue with student-athletes directly — up to $20.5 million in the 2025-26 academic year, growing each year. Third-party NIL deals over $600 must be reported and reviewed for fair market value. The IRS treats most NIL income as self-employment income, meaning athletes are responsible for quarterly estimated taxes, self-employment tax, and multi-state filings when they travel.
Few college athletes are prepared for this. The challenge is not earning the income. It is keeping it, growing it, and structuring it so the value lasts well beyond the playing days.
Seven pillars of NIL financial planning
Financial Foundation
The discipline most athletes are never taught.
- Banking and account structure designed for variable income
- Cash flow planning calibrated to a college schedule
- Spending guardrails and reserve targets
- Emergency fund and tax-reserve discipline
- Financial literacy curriculum delivered over the engagement
Integrated Tax Strategy
Delivered through Opulence Tax Group, our in-house tax practice.
- Entity structuring (LLC and S-corp election when appropriate)
- Quarterly estimated tax payments
- Multi-state filing and jock-tax management
- Non-cash compensation tracking (apparel, travel, vehicles, housing)
- Deduction capture for training, equipment, agent fees, and travel
- Year-end planning to manage brackets and timing
Wealth Building
Investment strategy designed around a career window.
- Custom portfolios calibrated to age and goals
- Roth IRA contributions, available the moment NIL income arrives
- SEP IRA or Solo 401(k) once income supports it
- Taxable brokerage accounts for goals inside the playing window
- Selective access to alternative investments for qualified clients
- Education funding (529 plans, graduate school planning)
Risk Management
The protection most athletes overlook until it is too late.
- Disability insurance, including career-ending injury coverage
- Life insurance analysis and structuring
- Personal liability and umbrella coverage review
- Permanent life insurance as a wealth-strategy tool where appropriate
Brand and Career Planning
Treat the NIL career like the business it is.
- Frame NIL income as building a personal brand business
- Reinvestment versus accumulation decisions
- Post-eligibility transition planning
- Coordination with brand, legal, and marketing advisors on IP and trademarks
Family and Team Coordination
The financial center of gravity for everyone involved.
- Parent and guardian education sessions
- Frameworks for family financial requests
- Coordination with agents, attorneys, CPAs, and collectives
- Boundary setting and sudden-wealth conversations
Compliance and Recordkeeping
Quiet infrastructure that protects everything else.
- Awareness of NIL GO and fair market value documentation
- 1099 organization and quarterly reconciliation
- Audit-ready recordkeeping system
- Annual compliance checkpoint with Opulence Tax Group
Who we work with
NIL athletes earning income from collectives, brand deals, school revenue sharing, or any combination of the three. We work with athletes across sports, divisions, and stages of career — from high school recruits anticipating NIL income to seniors preparing for a professional contract or a transition to life after sport. We also work closely with parents, guardians, agents, and collectives as part of the athlete's team.
We are not an NIL agency. We do not negotiate NIL deals or represent athletes commercially. We are the financial planning and tax strategy firm that sits alongside everyone else on the team.
How we engage
Most college athletes do not yet have the investable assets that fit a traditional advisory model. Our NIL engagements use a flat-fee or subscription structure designed around income level and complexity rather than asset balance. Tax services through Opulence Tax Group are included.
Onboarding
90-day financial foundation curriculum
Ongoing
Quarterly planning meetings aligned with the academic and sports calendar
Tax
Integrated quarterly tax planning and annual filing through OTG
Ad hoc
Support for new NIL deals, transfers, and major financial decisions
Transition
Clear path to a traditional comprehensive engagement when the career evolves
The team
Tanner Dallas, CFP®
Co-Founder and Lead Advisor
Tanner played a season of college football at McKendree University before having reconstructive surgery on his patella tendon and deciding to focus on school and coaching athletes. He holds a degree in Sports Management from Missouri Baptist University and is a Certified Physical Preparation Specialist (CPPS). During his collegiate years he completed mentorship training at EXOS Performance in San Diego, California. His wife played Division I softball at SIU Carbondale and Lindenwood. Tanner trained athletes throughout college and early in his professional career.
Full bio
Matthew Bitter, EA
Co-Founder and Tax Strategist
Enrolled Agent (EA). Former college baseball player at Lindenwood University. His wife played Division I softball at Corpus Christi and Lindenwood and played semi-professional softball in Europe for a summer. During his early years in the financial services industry, Matt still trained athletes as a passion. He leads tax strategy through Opulence Tax Group.
Full bioFrequently asked questions
Ready to build something that lasts beyond the game?
A 30-minute intro call is the best place to start. No fee, no pressure, just a conversation about your situation.
Opulence Planning Group is a DBA of Black Knight Wealth Management, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Opulence Tax Group is the tax services practice affiliated with Opulence Planning Group. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Working with a fiduciary adviser does not guarantee better investment results or a profit, nor does it protect against loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All financial planning, investment, and tax strategies should be evaluated in the context of your specific circumstances. Please consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
Opulence Planning Group does not negotiate, broker, solicit, or represent athletes in Name, Image, and Likeness deal negotiations. NIL services described on this page refer exclusively to financial planning, investment advisory, and tax services.
Additional information about Black Knight Wealth Management, including its Form ADV and Form CRS, is available at adviserinfo.sec.gov.