FYI Education only β€” not financial, legal or tax advice. πŸ”’ Your numbers never leave your device.
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NIL news. Updated all day.

The top stories from the reporters who cover NIL best.

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Headlines, photos and excerpts belong to their publishers β€” we show a short preview and send you to the original. Sources: On3 Β· Front Office Sports Β· NIL Revolution Β· Sportico Β· Yahoo Sports Β· CBS Sports

Know what you keep

Get the bag.
Keep the bag.

Your NIL check isn't all yours. Your agent, the IRS and your state all get paid first β€” and nobody withholds a dime. Put your number on the check and see what's actually yours.

No sign-up. Nothing you type is sent anywhere β€” the math runs on your phone.

🧱 Brick Γ— Brick Savings & Truth Co. No. 2627
Pay to the
order of
You
Forty thousand and 00/100Dollars
Memo
Brickyard MotorsAuthorized signature
Agent 20%βˆ’$8,000
Taxes est.βˆ’$6,595
You keep$25,405
See the breakdown
Your breakdown
$25,405of $40,000 Β· 64Β’ of every dollar
βš™ Fine-tune school vs. NIL money Β· agent rates Β· how it's paid Β· filing status
5%
20%
Rev share reported as

Common agent rates: ~5% on school & collective money, 15–20% on brand deals. Many schools report rev share as royalties (no self-employment tax) β€” CPAs call that untested, so "plan safe" is the default.

Tap any line to learn what it isAgent Taxes Yours

Tap a line to see what it is, why it's there and how to shrink it.

Estimates for 2026. How the math works
Decode the deal

Read it like a lawyer. Sign it like a pro.

Two sample agreements written the way real ones are. Tap any highlight to see why it matters and what to ask for instead.

Sample Β· fictional

Name, Image and Likeness
Endorsement Agreement

This Name, Image and Likeness Endorsement Agreement (this "Agreement") is entered into as of August 1, 2026 (the "Effective Date") by and between Brickyard Motors, LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company ("Company"), and the undersigned student-athlete ("Athlete"). Company and Athlete are each a "Party."

Recitals. A. Athlete is enrolled at, and a member of the football program of, an NCAA Division I institution (the "Institution"). B. Company wishes to engage Athlete to promote Company's dealerships and to use Athlete's name, image and likeness ("NIL") in that promotion, and Athlete wishes to accept, on the terms below.

1. Term. 1.1 The term of this Agreement begins on the Effective Date and continues for twelve (12) months (the "Initial Term"). 1.2 Thereafter, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive twelve (12) month periods (each, a "Renewal Term") unless either Party gives written notice of non-renewal at least ninety (90) days before the end of the then-current term.

2. Services. 2.1 Athlete shall provide: (a) two (2) original Instagram feed posts per calendar month featuring Company, each tagging @brickyardmotors and including "#ad" or another disclosure required by the FTC Endorsement Guides; and (b) up to four (4) in-person appearances per term, each not to exceed two (2) hours, scheduled by mutual agreement at least fourteen (14) days in advance. 2.2 Company acknowledges that Athlete's academic and athletic obligations take priority and shall not require Services that conflict with team or Institution activities.

3. Compensation. 3.1 In consideration of the Services and rights granted, Company shall pay Athlete a total fee of Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00), payable in twelve (12) equal monthly installments of $3,333.33 (any rounding difference to be added to the final installment), each due within fifteen (15) days after the end of the month in which Services were performed. 3.2 Company shall also provide Athlete the use of one (1) 2026 model-year demonstrator vehicle during the term. Athlete shall maintain insurance satisfactory to Company and is responsible for any damage beyond normal wear and tear.

4. Compliance. 4.1 Athlete shall disclose this Agreement to the Institution and submit it through the College Sports Commission's NIL Go platform within five (5) business days after signing. Company shall provide any information reasonably requested for that review. If this Agreement is not cleared, or is cleared only at a different amount, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith to amend it so it can be cleared. 4.2 No payment is due for any period during which this Agreement has not been cleared.

5. Grant of Rights. 5.1 Athlete grants Company a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use Athlete's name, image, likeness, voice, signature and biographical information, and all content created in connection with the Services, in any media now known or later devised, to advertise and promote Company. 5.2 Company shall not use the Institution's names, logos or marks without the Institution's separate written permission.

6. Exclusivity. During the term, Athlete shall not provide endorsement or promotional services to, or permit the use of Athlete's NIL by, any business engaged in the automotive or automotive-related services industries.

7. Early Termination; Repayment. 7.1 Company may terminate this Agreement immediately on written notice if, in Company's sole discretion, Athlete engages in any conduct that brings Athlete or Company into public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule, or that reflects unfavorably on Company. 7.2 If during the term Athlete (a) transfers to another institution, (b) withdraws from or is dismissed from the Institution's football program, or (c) is declared ineligible for intercollegiate competition, Athlete shall repay Company, within thirty (30) days, the pro-rata portion of all compensation paid for the remainder of the then-current term.

8. Representation. Athlete is represented by BigTime Sports Management, LLC ("Agent"). Company shall pay twenty percent (20%) of each installment directly to Agent and the balance to Athlete.

9. Independent Contractor; Taxes. Athlete is an independent contractor and not an employee of Company. Company will not withhold taxes from any payment and will issue IRS forms as required by law. Athlete is solely responsible for all taxes on compensation received under this Agreement, including the fair market value of the vehicle.

10. Assignment. Company may assign this Agreement, in whole or in part, to any affiliate or successor without Athlete's consent. Athlete may not assign this Agreement.

11. Governing Law; Disputes. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Any dispute shall be resolved by binding arbitration in the county of Company's principal place of business, and each Party waives any right to a jury trial.

12. General. This Agreement is the entire agreement of the Parties and supersedes all prior discussions. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by both Parties. If Athlete is under eighteen (18) years of age, this Agreement must also be signed by Athlete's parent or legal guardian.

BRICKYARD MOTORS, LLC
By: ____________________
Title: _________________
ATHLETE
____________________
Parent/guardian (if under 18): __________

Fictional sample agreements for education β€” written to read like real ones. Not legal advice. Have a sports attorney who works for you review your actual deal.

Check your deal

The red flag check. 12 questions.

Answer from your actual contract. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

0/12 answered
Question 1 of 12

Build the stack

Brick by brick. Before you spend a dollar.

Your whole check as 100 bricks. The top comes off before you touch it. You decide what the rest becomes.

Load a plan:
Agent + taxes β€” gone before it hits your account
$1,800
Foundationemergency fund
InvestRoth first
Familya set number
Funguilt-free
Livingwhatever's leftauto
Decide

Two offers? Run them both.

The bigger number doesn't always pay more. Taxes, agents and exit clauses move the real answer.

A
You keepβ€”
B
You keepβ€”

Money isn't everything: compare exit clauses, playing time, the NIL market in each city and your degree path too.

The rules, 2026-27

What changed. What it means for your money.

Ten rules in plain English, each with a source.

βœ“ Last verified Sept 22, 2026
On the horizon

The Protect College Sports Act is moving in the Senate. It cleared procedural votes 74–24 and 77–22 (Sept 15 & 17); a final Senate vote was expected the week of Sept 21, and the House is out until after the midterms. As written, it would lock in the rev-share cap, override state NIL laws and cap agent fees at 5%. ESPN β†— Β· Senate summary β†—

Swipe through all 10
01

Schools can pay you directly.

Since July 1, 2025 (the House v. NCAA settlement), schools can pay athletes straight out of athletic revenue. The cap is $20.5M per school in 2025-26 and about $21.58M in 2026-27, then rises 4% in 2027-28.

For your money: rev share is contract money. Negotiate it like a pro deal and get the payment schedule in writing.

College Sports Commission β†—

02

Football gets most of it.

The settlement doesn't set a split. In 2025-26, schools paid 63.8% of rev share to football, 20.9% to men's basketball, 8% to women's basketball and 7.3% to every other sport combined.

For your money: outside football and basketball, your real money is third-party NIL β€” brands, camps, lessons, content.

Opendorse via Front Office Sports β†—

03

Report $600+ deals to NIL Go.

Third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go (the College Sports Commission's clearinghouse, built with Deloitte) within 5 business days of signing or agreeing on payment. Incoming high-schoolers and transfers can get up to 14 days in some cases.

For your money: don't spend money from a deal that hasn't cleared. Report everything. Keep copies.

CSC memo, Apr 2026 β†—

04

Booster money gets a pay check.

Deals with "associated" payers β€” boosters, collectives, your school's media-rights partner β€” need a valid business purpose and must land in a fair pay range. Since July 1, 2026, associated deals of $600–$15K skip the pay-range review until you pass $50K in a year.

For your money: no-show collective money is over. Real deliverables make a real deal.

CSC memo, Jun 2026 β†— Β· Bloomberg Law β†—

05

Rejected deals skew big.

NIL Go's first-year report (July 2026): 34,195 deals cleared ($355M) and 1,812 rejected ($89.85M) β€” rejected deals averaged about five times the size of cleared ones. Rejected deals can be reworked: Nebraska's $7.5M in media-partner deals cleared after a restructure.

For your money: if your deal is big and booster-backed, add a "restructure in good faith" clause.

ESPN β†— Β· NIL Revolution β†—

06

Buyouts are real.

Rev-share contracts can carry exit fees, and some schools are suing to collect: Cincinnati ($1M), Ole Miss ($550K and $400K), FAU (half of remaining pay). Third parties can't pay your buyout to get around the cap. No court has ruled yet on whether these clauses hold up.

For your money: read the exit clause before you enter the portal. Negotiate one that shrinks every month.

ESPN β†— Β· FOS β†— Β· UPress β†—

07

Agents: no cap β€” yet.

No national limit on agent fees. Typical: ~5% on school and collective money, 15–20% on brand deals. Louisiana now requires NIL agents to register. A federal executive order calls for a national agent registry, and the Protect College Sports Act would cap fees at 5%.

For your money: every 1% on a $400K deal is $4,000. Negotiate tiered fees.

Louisiana AG β†— Β· EO 14400 β†—

08

The eligibility clock changed.

NCAA Division I adopted a five-year, age-based eligibility model on June 23, 2026 β€” and it's already being challenged in court (Wisne v. NCAA).

For your money: more seasons can mean more paychecks. Confirm your clock with compliance before you plan around it.

NCAA β†— Β· NIL Revolution β†—

09

It's all taxable. Even the free stuff.

Cash, product, cars, trips, crypto β€” taxed at fair market value. Many schools report rev share as royalties, which CPAs call untested. For 2026 payments, the 1099-NEC threshold rises to $2,000 β€” no form doesn't mean no tax.

For your money: set tax money aside from every check, and log anything you get that isn't cash.

IRS: NIL income β†— Β· IRS: 1099-NEC β†—

10

Four tax dates a year.

Nobody withholds on NIL money. The IRS expects estimated payments on Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15 and Jan 15. You can skip January if you file by Feb 1 and pay in full.

For your money: miss them and penalties stack on top of what you already owe.

IRS Form 1040-ES β†—

From the Brick by Brick Podcast

Hear it from people who've done it.

Episodes

Get the Bag, Keep the Bag: Real NIL Money Talk for Athletes

Matthew Bradley & Adam Seiko: Financial Literacy for College Athletes

Signed a FAKE Contract: How Athletes Get Scammed by Agents

Do Followers = Bigger NIL Deals? What Athletes Must Know

You Don't Need 10,000 Followers to Get Brand Deals β€” Jourdan Joseph

How the math works sources, assumptions, limits

Take-home calculator

2026 federal brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married) per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32; the 20% QBI deduction with the athletics "specified service" phase-out (starts at $201,775 single / $403,550 married, over $75K / $150K; no W-2 wages assumed); self-employment tax on 92.35% of net earnings β€” 12.4% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base plus 2.9% Medicare, and 0.9% Additional Medicare over $200K / $250K. Tax is incremental: what your NIL money adds on top of any other income. We assume everything lands in one tax year β€” the safe way to plan; the two-year estimate uses 2026 rates for both years. State tax is an estimate: real brackets for CA, NY, NJ, DC and Ohio (2026: 0% on the first $26,050, 2.75% above); flat-tax states at their flat rate; and for other graduated-rate states we use the top rate, which can overstate tax a lot at lower incomes. Ohio's deduction for business income isn't modeled, so Ohio may come out lower. Local and city income taxes (common in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana and NYC) aren't included. "Job wages / other income" is treated as W-2 wages, which share the Social Security wage base with your NIL earnings. "Royalty" treatment removes self-employment tax and the QBI deduction on the rev-share portion.

Retirement moves

2026 limits: IRA $7,500; Roth IRA phase-out $153K–$168K (single) / $242K–$252K (married); 401(k) deferral $24,500; total Solo 401(k) $72,000 (IRS, Nov 2025).

"Is my deal fair?"

A rough benchmark, not a price. Rev-share base values reflect a typical rotation player at a full-cap Power 4 school β€” built from the ~$21.58M 2026-27 cap and Opendorse's 2025-26 split (63.8% football, 20.9% MBB, 8% WBB, 7.3% other), set below the average because a few stars pull it up. Third-party NIL bases are rough P4 averages; NCAA data analyzed by Hokie Analytics put the Power 5 football median at $3,557 a year (2023-24). Multipliers are centered so an average athlete is about 1.0Γ—. Use it to ask better questions, not to make a portal decision.

News

The NIL Wire pulls public RSS feeds from the outlets listed, refreshes about every 30 minutes and links every story to its original source. Headlines, photos and excerpts belong to their publishers.

Estimates only. Not financial, legal or tax advice. Talk to a CPA and a sports attorney who work for you.

Put your teammates on

Share the lesson. Not your balance.

Posting your dollar amount makes you a target for scammers and bad advisors. These cards teach without telling.