Gross income is mistaken for spendable income
Tax, VAT and company liabilities may remain payable after income has already been spent.
Specialist support for active playing careers
Tax and financial control for professional footballers.
Your football career may be short. The financial security created from it should last a lifetime. ElanTax helps professional footballers manage salary, bonuses, commercial income, companies, tax payments and financial reporting with greater clarity.
Strictly confidential
Independent tax and accountancy support
Works alongside your existing professional team
01Club IncomeSalary, bonuses, signing-on payments and benefits.
02Commercial IncomeSponsorships, endorsements, appearances and digital activity.
03CompaniesAccounts, Corporation Tax, VAT and director responsibilities.
04Tax ControlForecasts, reserves, payment dates and reporting calendars.
05Career PlanningProperty, business interests, transfers and life after football.
Clear information. Defined responsibilities. Better control.
Accounting support designed around an active playing career.
Football income is rarely just a salary
A specialist accountant can bring every part of your financial position together.
Professional footballers may receive employment income, performance-related payments, commercial fees, company income, property income and overseas earnings. Each source can create different record-keeping, reporting and payment responsibilities.
ElanTax provides independent accountancy, tax and financial-control support. We organise information, prepare accounts and returns, forecast liabilities and produce clear reports so that you and your authorised advisers can make decisions using reliable figures.
- One coordinated view of personal, company and commercial income.
- Clear tax estimates before payment deadlines arrive.
- Organised records for sponsorship, appearances and business activity.
- Defined communication with agents, solicitors and regulated advisers.
Why financial control matters
High earnings can still create serious financial pressure when obligations are not visible.
The objective is not complicated planning. It is timely information, compliant reporting and disciplined control over what is earned, owed, reserved and available.
Records sit with several people
Clubs, agents, sponsors, family members and companies may each hold only part of the financial picture.
Commercial structures lack substance
Agreements, valuation, evidence and accurate accounting are essential for commercial arrangements.
Transfers create cross-border questions
Residence, overseas income, relocation and departure matters should be reviewed early.
How ElanTax supports professional footballers
Specialist footballer tax, accounting and financial-control services.
The scope is agreed around your actual income, responsibilities and advisory team. Services can be provided individually or as a coordinated ongoing package.
01
Personal Tax & Self Assessment
Preparation of personal tax returns, review of income sources, reliefs, payment dates and HMRC correspondence within the agreed engagement.
02
Salary, Bonuses & Club Payments
Review and reconciliation of employment income information, including relevant bonuses, signing-on payments, benefits and other club-related amounts.
03
Company Accounts & Tax
Bookkeeping, annual accounts, Corporation Tax, Companies House support and director reporting for genuine business and commercial activity.
04
Sponsorships & Endorsements
Accounting for sponsorship, appearances, media, social platforms and endorsement income, including invoices, expenses, VAT and tax reserves where relevant.
Commercial income support05
Image Rights Accounting
Tax and accounting support based on commercial substance, proper agreements, evidence, valuation and compliant reporting—not automatic tax-saving assumptions.
Read about image rights06
Tax Forecasting & Reserves
Forward estimates, payment calendars and recommended tax-reserve reporting to reduce the risk of unexpected liabilities.
Tax payment control07
Property & Business Interests
Accounting and tax support for rental income, property companies, gains, business ventures, loans and guarantees, working with legal and regulated advisers where required.
Property and investment tax08
International Transfers
UK residence, arrival or departure matters, overseas income and coordination with overseas tax advisers before and after a transfer.
Support for overseas players09
Career Transition
Accounting and business planning for reduced salary, coaching, media work, property, companies and other income after the playing career ends.
Plan for life after sport!
Football payments must be classified and reported according to their true nature.
Salary and many club-related payments are normally employment income. Commercial and image-related arrangements require fact-specific review. ElanTax does not promote artificial schemes or assume that a company automatically creates a tax advantage.
A practical control framework
Know what has been earned, what is owed and what is available.
A regular reporting routine can turn a collection of bank statements, contracts and invoices into an understandable financial position.
| Control Area | What ElanTax Organises | What You Gain |
|---|---|---|
| Income register | Club pay, bonuses, sponsorship, appearances, digital income, companies and property. | A consolidated view of income sources and missing information. |
| Tax forecast | Estimated personal, company and VAT liabilities with expected payment dates. | Greater visibility before funds are committed or spent. |
| Tax reserve | Regular reporting of amounts that should remain available for known obligations. | A clearer distinction between gross income and usable cash. |
| Compliance calendar | Return deadlines, accounts, Companies House, tax payments and information requests. | Fewer last-minute surprises and clearer responsibility. |
| Management reporting | Agreed summaries covering cash, liabilities, company balances and key movements. | Information that can be shared with authorised advisers and family members. |
Commercial decisions should be supported by commercial evidence.Contracts, invoices, records, valuation and tax reporting must agree.
Commercial income and international movement
Take advice before contracts, transfers and commercial arrangements are completed.
The timing and wording of an arrangement can affect the information required, the responsible taxpayer and the reporting process.
- Review the proposed payment route and contracting parties.
- Confirm whether activity is personal, employment-related or genuinely commercial.
- Consider VAT, company, payroll and overseas reporting implications.
- Coordinate UK work with agents, solicitors and overseas advisers.
- Keep signed contracts, invoices, performance evidence and bank records.
01
Early review is usually more useful than retrospective repair.
Speak to ElanTax before signing a new commercial agreement, relocating to the UK or completing an international transfer.
Relevant professional sports experience
Professional sport experience with chartered accountancy discipline.
Shakar Elahi FCCA spent five years with Mark McCormack’s IMG and has experience advising professional footballers who played in England. He later founded ElanTax, combining knowledge of the professional sports environment with accountancy, tax, property and business advisory experience.
This factual background does not imply any current association with, endorsement by or sponsorship from IMG.
5Years with Mark McCormack’s IMG
FCCAChartered certified accountancy discipline
UKExperience advising footballers who played in England
360°Tax, accounts, business and financial-control perspective
How the engagement works
A confidential process built around your career, income and existing advisers.
Confidential Consultation
We discuss your role, income sources, companies, advisers, current concerns and immediate deadlines.
Information Review
We identify missing records, tax obligations, company requirements and areas where responsibilities are unclear.
Agreed Control Plan
We set the reporting timetable, tax-reserve process, information flow and scope of ongoing work.
Ongoing Oversight
Accounts, returns, forecasts and reports are updated as income, contracts or career circumstances change.
Part of your professional team
ElanTax works alongside agents and authorised advisers without crossing professional boundaries.
With your authority, relevant accounting information can be coordinated so that each professional has what they need while remaining responsible for their own specialist area.
Agents
Coordination of relevant tax and accounting information while the agent remains responsible for representation, contracts, transfers and commercial opportunities.
Solicitors
Accounting and tax input alongside legal advice on contracts, rights, companies, property and other legal matters.
Regulated Advisers
Financial reporting and tax information alongside authorised investment, pension, insurance and financial-planning advice.
Family & Business Managers
Clear communication and defined reporting where properly authorised people are involved in the player’s affairs.
Professional boundary: ElanTax provides accountancy and tax advisory services. We do not provide regulated investment advice, legal advice, player representation or contract negotiation. Where appropriate, we work alongside authorised financial advisers, solicitors, agents and other professional advisers.
Continue exploring specialist support
Related Professional Sports Advisory pages.
Frequently asked questions
Professional footballer tax and accounting questions.
These answers are general. Advice should be based on your contracts, residence, income and company arrangements.
Why does a professional footballer need a specialist accountant?
A player may have employment income, bonuses, benefits, sponsorships, appearances, digital income, companies, property and overseas interests. A specialist accountant can coordinate the records and reporting across those areas and provide clearer forecasts.
How are salary, signing-on payments and bonuses treated?
Club salary and many football-related payments are normally treated as employment income. The precise treatment depends on the facts and type of payment, so contracts and payslip information should be reviewed.
Can ElanTax help me reserve enough money for tax?
Yes. ElanTax can prepare forward estimates, payment calendars and regular tax-reserve reports. Forecasts are estimates and should be updated when actual income or circumstances change.
Can a footballer use a company for sponsorship and image-related income?
A company may be relevant where there is genuine commercial activity, but it is not automatically appropriate or tax-efficient. Commercial substance, contracts, valuation, evidence, VAT, accounts and tax reporting must all be considered.
Can ElanTax work with my agent and solicitor?
Yes. With your authority, ElanTax can coordinate accounting and tax information with your agent, solicitor, regulated financial adviser and other professionals while each adviser remains responsible for their own area.
Should I take tax advice before an international transfer?
Yes. Residence, arrival or departure dates, overseas income, commercial arrangements, property and family circumstances may all be relevant. Advice is most useful before relocation and contracts are finalised.
Does ElanTax recommend investments or negotiate contracts?
No. ElanTax provides accountancy, tax, business and financial-control support. We do not provide regulated investment advice, legal advice, player representation or contract negotiation.
Is the first conversation confidential?
Yes. All enquiries are treated in strict confidence. Do not send detailed banking, medical, tax-document or contract information through the website form.
Private first conversation
Arrange a confidential consultation.
Tell us only enough to identify the right person to contact you. Do not send detailed banking, medical, tax-document or contract information through this form.
1
Strictly confidentialYour enquiry is handled discreetly.
2
Defined professional scopeIndependent accountancy, tax and financial-control support.
3
Works with your teamCoordination with authorised agents and advisers where appropriate.
Build clearer financial control around your playing career.
Speak to ElanTax about tax, accounts, commercial income and long-term financial organisation.
