Athlete Wealth Podcast

Sarah Garver, the wife of Ranger's catcher Mitch Garver, is passionate about being a wife, mother, and veterinarian. In this episode, Sarah shares why she pursues her career in conjunction with Mitch being a professional baseball player and the benefits her work provides even though she does not technically "need to work."

Given the above, it makes sense why the Garver family phrase is "It's only temporary." Sarah gives a great perspective on why that is their phrase, what it means to them, and how that governs what their family is working towards. Sarah understands that good and bad circumstance are only temporary, and as she states, "you can get through harder times if you understand that it is only temporary."

Sarah's success story is that she has fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian and continued practicing, even after Mitch was traded, after experiencing several cross-country moves and balancing her more challenging job of being a mother. As a veterinarian, Sarah provides her family flexibility, purpose, and application of the knowledge and skillsets she has obtained over many years. Through it all, Sarah affirms that she is a better mother and spouse because of her work.

Sarah's simple yet profound advice to other baseball spouses going through similar circumstances - if you want to pursue a career, do it!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• (1:59) Garver Family Story
• (2:10) Beginnings of Mitch & Sarah's relationship in high school
• (3:32) Transition to college - while Mitch was trying to figure out where to play baseball, Sarah began pursuing the education for her career as a Vet.
• (4:12) Sarah discusses Mitch being drafted by the Twins in 2013 and her acceptance to grad school at Oregon State 1 week later.
• (6:40) Sarah and Mitch navigated being a team while having different goals.
• (7:48) Sarah discusses the implications of Mitch being a walk-on in college and ultimately signing after his senior year of college, which included a negative experience with an agent relationship.
• (9:29) How important good advice and representation are as families navigate professional baseball.
• (13:07) Sarah discusses how they navigated their marriage on limited time and money while Sarah was a grad student and Mitch was a minor league player.
• (16:09) How they believed it was important to spend the money to see each other - even when they necessarily did not have the money to do so.
• (16:33) Sarah explains how almost everything in this life is, to quote her, "Only Temporary."
• (18:50) Sarah talks about why she is a Veterinarian and the benefits being a Vet provides to their family
• (19:47) Being clear on what you accomplish matters - even while being the wife of a professional athlete.
• (24:07) Flexibility in her career allows her to continue serving animals, pursuing her passion, balancing work, and being a mother.
• (27:37) Sarah discusses the importance of her career and the positive impacts on her being a mother, being a spouse, and being part of the Garver family.
• (32:56) Sarah's advice to others contemplating pursuing a career - is “just do it and figure it out later.”

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:

Jess Skubal has a unique perspective. She has a deep understanding of what it means to be married to a professional baseball player - her husband, Tarik Skubal, is a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. She is also familiar with the most significant financial mistakes athlete families make due to her professional background working as a tax CPA for Deloitte, one of the world's top 4 public accounting firms. Jess is passionate about making sure every dollar is maximized, and as we state in the conversation: Investments are a matter of opinion, and taxes are a matter of fact.

Jess gives great insight on both the "WHY" and the "WHAT" related to tax planning and the importance of being able to take advantage of every opportunity available to the athlete.

Jess defines "WHY" as "having more money to do what is important to you.” Jess shares a personal story about how their own proactive tax planning led her and Tarik to fund their niece's college education.

Jess then also gives excellent advice on the "WHAT" by discussing three specific tax planning strategies that are available to the professional athlete and are unfortunately commonly missed:

• Opening an Individual 401(k) plan for the player's off the field income
• Recalculate your W2 received to ensure the player "pays where he plays."
• Executing a 'Back Door Roth IRA' strategy for the player and wife for $12,000 of tax-free investment growth annually.

To ensure you are taking advantage of every opportunity, Jess' simple yet profound advice to other baseball spouses going through similar circumstances - do not be afraid to ask questions of your advisor, and better yet, find an advisor who will answer and accept your questions.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• 2:51 - Jess shares the story of how she in Tarik met in High School in Kingman, AZ
• 4:00 - Jess discusses Tarik's journey to the big leagues - including not being highly sought after or recruited out of high school.
• 4:55 - Jess worked as an accounting clerk while they did long-distance dating in college.
• 6:29 - Jess chose accounting as a major because she saw an opportunity to help people who were important to her.
• 8:01 - Jess began her post-collegiate career as a CPA working for Deloitte, one of the Big 4 and most prestigious accounting firms in the world, while Tarik was a Top 100 prospect in the minor leagues.
• 9:49 - While at Deloitte, Jess worked on many clients, primarily as a tax preparer.
• 11:24 - Jess later in her career worked on closely held and family businesses, but as she quotes, her "pride and joy" client was the tax planning work she performed for a family office.
• 12:53 - While working for her family office client, the 'Patriarch' of the family passed away, which generated an almost $40m estate tax liability. The importance of the family's tax planning surfaced by saving "a generation's worth of wealth.”
• 15:00 - Josh and Jess expand on the importance of general estate planning and the importance of estate tax planning to the athlete.
• 16:31 - One of Jess' overarching beliefs is to "ask the question." Often, advisors are not asked appropriate questions by their clients, which causes critical tax planning strategies to be missed.
• 18:07 - Jess expands on the definition of tax preparation vs. tax planning.
• 18:56 - Proactive thinking and tax planning are how you arrive at the most advantageous tax outcomes.
• 19:35 - Tax planning should happen 365 days out of the year - not just when you file your return in April of the following year.
• 20:46 - Players have two streams of income: W2 income earned as an employee from the team and 1099 income earned from all trading cards and endorsement money. Those two different income streams have different tax planning strategies available to the player.
• 21:06 - Jess talks specifics on W2 vs. 1099 strategies, including the importance of estimated tax payments.
• 21:45 - Players can set up a separate retirement called an individual 401k, which, as Jess says, has a 'triple benefit' to the family if done appropriately.
• 23:11 - The individual 401k is different than the MLB Vanguard 401k - because of Tarik's the field income, Tarik and Jess were able to receive a tax deduction for the money that went into the account; the money in the account is invested for their retirement, and with the money saved on taxes, the Skubals were able to fund a 529 plan for their niece's college education.
• 24:18 - Jess expands on the purpose of money and why appropriate tax planning gets you to do 'more of what you want to do.’
• 25:50 - The W2s generated to players could potentially be wrong - which is not well known, even amongst baseball players. Real dollars in tax savings could be missed if the family's CPA does not recalculate ...

There are several questions that constantly come up when we are having conversations with athletes and business owners like:

• What should a “deal” look like from both sides of the table?
• How should an athlete think about branding themselves?
• How are businesses utilizing their newfound ability to participate in NIL?

In this episode of AWM Capital’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) series, we are joined by Anthony Ranaudo. Anthony is a College World Series champion, 1st round draft pick, and former MLB player. Today, Anthony is the owner and founder of Cards and Culture, a store and social platform in the collectibles, art, memorabilia, and lifestyle business that is utilizing NIL deals to help promote his business and the athletes themselves.

Anthony has a unique perspective as both a business owner utilizing NIL, and a former professional athlete who understands the brand building opportunities that come with being a high-profile athlete.

In this episode, Anthony gives us an insight into what athletes should be thinking about in terms of building their brands through NIL opportunities. He and Will discuss the importance of building a network, understanding the marketplace, spotting the right deals, staying present and humble, and more.

Episode Highlights

• 1:50: Perspective on the evolution of NIL in the first year.
• 4:08: How Anthony is utilizing NIL for his business.
• 5:20: Ways for athletes to take advantage of the NIL opportunity.
• 7:40: General perception of NIL versus reality.
• 12:30:What roadblocks are currently present for businesses entering into the NIL space?
• 13:50:Business and athlete use of trademarks and logos.
• 15:45:How and why athletes build brands and networks as a college athlete.
• 21:35:Social media presence as a high school athlete.
• 25:20:What kind of deals should an athlete look to enter into?
• 28:25:The future of NIL and what the landscape will look like in the coming years.
• 31:25:The importance of educating yourself on how to best utilize NIL

If you have any questions or would like to reach out to Anthony or Will directly, please email them at:

Anthony Ranaudo – [email protected]

Will McGuffey – [email protected]

In the constantly evolving landscape of NIL, understanding university guidelines as well as the resources that are available is paramount for success. From understanding state laws and NCAA rules, to what activities are allowed, or even how to manage taxes, there are several important topics that every student athlete should know.

In this episode of AWM Capital’s NIL Podcast Series, Taylor Jacobs, Compliance Coordinator at LSU, talks with Will McGuffey about how to effectively participate in the NIL marketplace. Taylor shares her insight on how student athletes and their families should prepare for and participate in NIL, navigating agent relationships, and how NIL can make a positive impact in their life. This episode is a great starting point for understanding how universities work with their athletes to effectively participate in NIL activities.

While there are still a lot of uncertainties and unknowns that surround NIL rules and regulations, this episode should help settle some of those worries by giving listeners an inside look at how universities are helping prepare their student athletes. With more and more schools implementing similar policies and educational programs, Taylor’s advice will help athletes at all schools feel more confident in where to turn for guidance as they prepare to enter the world of NIL.

Episode Highlights

• 1:00: A look at Taylor’s responsibilities with NIL at LSU.
• 1:50: The evolution of NIL from its inception.
• 3:30: A discussion about what NILSU is and how schools are helping educate athletes and businesses.
• 5:43: Common questions that athletes and businesses have about NIL.
• 8:45: What type of disclosure is required for NIL agreements?
• 10:48: Agents and NIL, what is allowed?
• 12:57: Agent registration with the university and the state.
• 15:43: Rules about the length of NIL contracts.
• 18:47: How athletes can use NIL to prepare them for life after sports.
• 19:30: A look at resources available for high school athletes to help understand NIL.
• 21:56: A beginner’s look at taxes and money education for athletes.
• 25:02: The effects of possible changes in state laws and NCAA rules.
• 28:12: Important advice for anyone who wants to participate in NIL.

If you have any questions or would like to reach out to Will or Taylor directly, please email them at:

Taylor Jacobs – [email protected]

Will McGuffey – [email protected]

Since July 2021 when the NCAA opened the floodgates with its interim policy, Name, Image, and Likeness - or “NIL” as it is more commonly referred to - has been a hot topic. Unfortunately, while NIL is constantly being seen on social media or when watching press conferences where college football coaches are responding to allegations made by other coaches about it’s unfair use in recruiting or the transfer portal, there is not much clarity or information out there for the student athlete or their family to rely upon.

In this episode, Will McGuffey sits down with NIL expert David Fleshman, who is a partner at the Breazeale, Sachse, & Wilson law firm in Louisiana and an Adjunct Professor of Sports Law at the LSU Paul M Hebert Law Center, to discuss the background and basics of NIL and how it affects amateur athletes.

With everyone asking questions about making money while maintaining eligibility as an amateur athlete, Will and David discuss what an athlete and their family should do as well as where they can look for guidance.Whether you are a high school athlete or a current collegiate athlete, there are several steps that should be taken to ensure you stay compliant and protect your athletic eligibility. In the constantly evolving NIL world, everyone should understand that each state, university, conference, or high school athletic association could possibly have different rules that will need to be understood and followed. With every individual’s situation being different, David discusses the importance of knowing where to look and what resources should be utilized to maintain eligibility.

Episode Highlights

• 2:20: What is NIL?
• 6:25: What is the history of NIL for athletes participating in NCAA sports?
• 11:20: What rules has the NCAA placed on athletes regarding NIL?
• 12:35: A guide on where an athlete should look for guidance on what laws and rules are applicable to them.
• 16:20: Do NCAA Conferences have any rules that need to be looked at when entering an NIL deal?
• 17:50: What should a high school athlete who wants to enter an NIL deal do?
• 19:35: Will an NIL deal from high school affect college eligibility?
• 21:40: Are there different laws in different states and how can these affect eligibility?
• 25:50: NCAA rules against “pay to play” and how NIL is different.
• 30:00: “Collectives” at NCAA schools and how they are used.
• 33:30: Where should an athlete look to find state and school rules?

If you have any questions or would like to reach out to David or Will directly, please email them at:

David Fleshman – [email protected]

Will McGuffey – [email protected]