I'm a financial advisor who got into this space through gaming. → Bachelor's in Finance, emphasis in Financial Planning → Collegiate Valorant → Tier 2 Fortnite player → Peaked Top 100 Radiant → Faceit Rank 10 in CS Gaming gave me a front-row seat to players, creators, and anyone building a life around this space, making real money without someone who actually understands the scene in their corner. That's the gap I'm trying to fill. I never charge for an introductory consultation. DMs are open if you have a question.

Sports Illustrated reported that within two years of retiring, 78% of former NFL players had gone bankrupt or were under serious financial stress, despite career earnings most people would consider life-changing. Only a select few esports players and creators ever come close to professional athlete-level earnings, but there are still real similarities: - Fast income at a young age - A career window that might not last forever - Little financial education to navigate it You don't need to be afraid to spend money. It's just important to live below your means and build your investments while the income is coming in, to help make sure it outlasts the career.

Think of a creator you grew up watching who isn't really relevant anymore. If they built a financial plan around their peak years, they may be in a stronger position today. If they didn't, and just spent in line with the income at the time, that peak might be the best financial year they ever have. Relevance fades for almost everyone eventually. The plan built during the good years can play a large role in what happens after.

There's usually a natural order to financial planning, and it starts with the easy stuff. A couple of the most common ones I see: - Too much cash sitting on the sidelines, not put to work - Not understanding or optimizing different account types Once the foundation is handled, tying money to actual goals matters more than any specific number. Travel, saving, a new car, whatever it is, all fine, as long as there's a plan in place.

A gap between contracts is when a lot of players lean into content creation or coaching. Here's what that shifts financially: It moves someone into self-employment, meaning you're responsible for paying quarterly taxes and withholding, and full responsibility for saving and deducting expenses.

Do you only work with esports players and creators? No. A lot of my content is centered around that audience, but the core planning concepts are the same ones that apply to any business owner or professional. It's the same as an esports therapist, psychologist, or attorney, same schooling as anyone else in their field, but a passion for this specific world, often because gaming gave them so much growing up. That's really what sets the niche apart, not a different skill set, just a deeper connection to it.

Building wealth takes time. So many people want to get rich quick, but that's not the reality for almost everyone. A good financial advisor helps strike the balance: living, enjoying hobbies, traveling, while still prioritizing the future. It's not one or the other.

A world championship run is a genuine opportunity to build a personal brand. Sponsorship interest, appearance opportunities, and follower growth all spike during that window. Standout players can sometimes delay acting on it since the following built through gameplay carries some momentum on its own, other players don't have that same cushion.

A creator's financial picture usually moves through stages. Early on, it's about tracking scattered income, sponsorships, ad revenue, platform payouts, and getting organized around it. As it scales, that income needs a real system behind it, entity structure, taxes, savings. Eventually, some creators build new businesses around the audience, merch, courses, a product line, each with its own financial considerations.

What are players supposed to do if they get cut and end up without a team for a while? Some lean into streaming to bridge the gap. Others step away from the game entirely with no income stream replacing the contract at all. Either path benefits from the same habit built in advance: living on less than what's earned while under contract, since there's no way to know when the next opportunity actually shows up.

A player moves to LA, then wants to relocate to Texas for better ping or lower cost of living. A few options if a lease is already signed: checking for an early termination clause, subleasing if the lease allows it, or negotiating directly with the landlord.

Will or trust? Depends on the goal. Will: simpler and cheaper to set up, but goes through probate (public, can take time), and only takes effect after death. Trust: costs more upfront, but skips probate, stays private, and can control timing, like delaying an inheritance until a certain age. Can also take effect while still alive if structured that way. Both work well, just for different situations.

Salary from a team, brand deals, streaming income, tournament winnings, they can all show up on the same tax return in the same year.   Each may be taxed differently depending on how it's classified, W-2 wages, 1099 income, or other reporting requirements. It's why creating a plan is so important.

What separates a good agent from a bad one?   - Transparency about their fee structure - Actual negotiating leverage - Actively finding and vetting brand deals - Consistent communication and support

A situation that comes up more than people expect: both sets of grandparents want to be named guardian if something happens to the parents. A privileged problem to have, but a genuine one. Without a will spelling it out clearly, that decision falls to a court, one that doesn't know the family, the values, or how the parents would have wanted their kids raised. Naming a guardian isn't just picking a name. It's making sure the people who love your kids most don't end up in a dispute about it.

Have you ever wondered if you'd qualify for unemployment as a streamer or esports player? It comes down to how you're paid. A W-2 means an employer withholds taxes and pays into unemployment insurance, that status may qualify you. 1099 or self-employment income typically doesn't, since nothing's being paid into that system.

A useful way to think about long-term money: not one account trying to do everything, but buckets tied to different time horizons. Short-term, cash or safe accounts for money needed soon. Mid-term, moderate risk for goals several years out. Long-term, higher growth potential for money that won't be touched for a while. As one bucket gets used, the next moves up to refill it.

Common misconception: a bonus gets taxed at a higher rate than regular income.   It doesn't have its own tax rate. It's taxed as ordinary income, just like a paycheck, though a large bonus can push total income into a higher bracket for that year.   The withholding is often set at a higher flat rate upfront, which can make it look that way, but it gets reconciled at tax time based on actual income and bracket.

Liquid means how quickly something can be turned into cash without losing value in the process.   A savings account is highly liquid. Real estate or a business arenot, even if they're worth a lot on paper. Net worth on paper and money that's actually accessible are two different things.

Insurance exists to transfer risk, not to grow money. Its job is protecting against something catastrophic and unlikely, not generating returns.   Confusing the two is often where people end up with a policy that doesn't actually fit what they needed it for.

Not all sponsorship deals pay the same way. Some pay a flat fee upfront. Others pay based on performance, clicks, views, or sales generated.   The second type can produce very different income depending on how the content performs, sometimes far less than expected, sometimes far more.