Industry Specialists
Sports Industry Accountants
Specialist accountants for athletes, coaches, personal trainers, and sports organisations. We understand image rights, sponsorship income, and the unique challenges of sports careers.
Why Choose Sports Specialist Accountants?
The sports industry presents unique financial challenges. Professional athletes often have short, high-earning careers followed by decades of life. Income can come from multiple sources: salaries, image rights, sponsorships, appearance fees, and prize money. Each requires different tax treatment.
Beyond elite athletes, the fitness and sports sector includes personal trainers, coaches, gym owners, and sports clubs, each with their own accounting needs. K&R Accountants works across the sports industry, from grassroots clubs to professional athletes.
We help you maximise tax efficiency during earning years, plan for career transitions, and build long-term financial security. Whether you are just starting out as a personal trainer or managing complex sponsorship deals, we provide practical, specialist support.
How We Help Sports Professionals
Athletes & Players
- ✓Personal tax return preparation
- ✓Image rights company structuring
- ✓Sponsorship income management
- ✓Pension and retirement planning
- ✓Post-career transition support
Trainers, Coaches & Clubs
- ✓Self-employment tax returns
- ✓Gym and studio business accounts
- ✓Sports club annual accounts
- ✓CASC registration and Gift Aid
- ✓Staff payroll processing
Sports Industry Accounting Services
Comprehensive accounting support for the sports and fitness industry.
Personal Tax Returns
Self Assessment for athletes and sports professionals
Image Rights Planning
Structuring image rights income tax-efficiently
Sports Club Accounts
Annual accounts for sports clubs and organisations
Sponsorship Income
Tax treatment of sponsorship and endorsement deals
Payroll
Staff and coach payroll for sports organisations
Bookkeeping
Track income from multiple sources
VAT Returns
VAT for sports businesses and merchandise
Pension Planning
Long-term planning for short careers
Sports Professionals We Work With
Planning for Life After Sport
Most sports careers end early. We help athletes build financial security during peak earning years through pension planning, investments, and business ventures.
Personal Trainers & Fitness Professionals
Whether you work in a gym, run your own studio, or train clients in their homes, we understand the fitness industry. Most personal trainers are self-employed, even when based at a gym.
We help you track income from multiple sources, claim all allowable expenses, manage irregular earnings, and plan for the future. As your business grows, we advise on incorporation, taking on staff, and scaling your operation.
Common PT Expenses
- • Equipment and weights
- • Training certifications and CPD
- • Professional liability insurance
- • Travel to client locations
- • Marketing and website costs
- • Uniform and branded clothing
- • Software and apps
Sports Industry Accounting FAQs
Why do sports professionals need specialist accountants?
Sports careers are often short and income can be highly variable. Athletes may receive income from multiple sources: salaries, image rights, sponsorships, appearance fees, prize money, and endorsements. Each has different tax treatment. Specialist accountants understand these income streams and help plan for life after sport.
How are image rights taxed?
Image rights income can be structured through a separate company, potentially attracting corporation tax rather than higher rates of income tax. However, HMRC scrutinises these arrangements carefully. The split between employment income and image rights must be commercially justifiable. We help ensure arrangements are robust and compliant.
What expenses can athletes and coaches claim?
Allowable expenses vary depending on employment status. Self-employed coaches and personal trainers can claim equipment, training courses, travel to clients, insurance, professional memberships, and marketing costs. Employed athletes have more limited claims but may be able to claim for specific work-related equipment not provided by their employer.
How do I manage irregular income as an athlete?
Sports income is often irregular: signing bonuses, performance bonuses, and varying contract values. We help with cash flow planning, tax payment forecasting, and pension contributions to smooth income over time. Building reserves during high-earning years is crucial for financial security.
Do you work with amateur sports clubs?
Yes. We work with grassroots sports clubs, from small football clubs to larger organisations. We handle annual accounts, Gift Aid claims for charitable clubs, CASC registration, payroll for coaches and staff, and VAT where applicable. Community amateur sports clubs have specific tax reliefs we help you access.
Can you help with post-career financial planning?
Absolutely. Professional sports careers often end in the 30s or 40s. We help athletes plan for this transition through pension maximisation, investment planning, business ventures, and property investments. Early planning during high-earning years makes a significant difference to long-term financial security.
Ready to Work With Sports Industry Specialists?
Contact us today for a free consultation. We will review your situation and explain how we can help you manage your finances and plan for the future.