Don't let one facet of NIL drive your decisions

The fastest 3 minutes in name, image and likeness

Author

Tariq Ahmad
May 07, 2025

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Don't let one facet of NIL drive your decisions

And why it’s important to look at NIL holistically

Former Arkansas football player Landon Jackson (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

When it comes to NIL, it’s not all about money.

Nor is it about one specific part aside from money.

It’s about a combination of NIL offerings, guidance, opportunities, etc.

So student-athletes that play for Arkansas-based colleges will see more of their hard-earned NIL dollars going back into their pocket. (Approximately 4.4% according to current Arkansas state tax rates.)

However, should a student-athlete choose an Arkansas-based program solely because of this?

Not necessarily

  • What are schools offering in terms of full NIL offerings?

    • When student-athletes inquire about NIL with potential schools, they should ask more questions that just about money, including (but not limited to):

      • What NIL education is being provided?

      • Will the school help me land NIL deals?

      • What NIL resources are available to me?

      • Do I have access to NIL industry experts through the school?

  • Read the fine print

    • In the Arkansas instance, state taxes are exempt. However, student-athletes are still responsible for paying federal taxes on NIL funds.

    • An additional question to ask is, “What financial and tax services are provided to me for my NIL earnings?”

  • How much money are you really saving?

    • If a student-athlete ultimately decides on an Arkansas-based school solely for not paying state income tax on NIL funds, they should research the dollar amount coming back to them.

    • Is it worth it for a high-level QB signing a $500,000 yearly deal? Probably. (This puts ~$20,000 back in the athlete’s pocket.)

    • Is it worth it for an athlete to not pay state tax on a few $200-500 deals? Maybe not.

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