Today we’d like to introduce you to The Tax King Matt.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
From a spiritual perspective, I’ve achieved the status that I have today, first and foremost because of God’s favor on my life. From a natural perspective, I’ve achieved the status that I have today because I was motivated from an early age. That motivation came from a crush that I had on a female classmate. I thought she was so pretty, so I decided to surprise her with a gift. I went home and saw a “gold” necklace (which obviously was not real gold) that my mom used to sell for Avon. I took the necklace to school the next morning and presented the girl with the necklace in front of everyone. I did not expect her reaction. She threw the necklace down on the floor (in front of everyone) and said, “Ew…I don’t like you.” The back story is that her “boyfriend” was this cool basketball player who came from a middle working-class family. I knew then that I did not want to remain poor. I was either going to be rich or poor, so I aspired to excel in all areas of academics and that’s what I did. I graduated in the top of my class and went on to complete 10 years of college.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
Success is not easy, especially for those of us who are self-made. Self-made millionaires tend to follow very similar paths. I’ve been married with children and divorced. I’ve had dozens of businesses with most of them failing within 6 months. I’ve been bankrupt seven times. I’ve been foreclosed on twice, and there was a 3-month period where I had moved with my wife and family four times. I’ve been homeless (while pursuing my MBA and still finished with a 3.93 GPA). I had a 20-year stint where every new car I purchased was eventually repossessed. My struggle was extreme to write the least.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
I am a Global Estate Planner. Establishing Private Placement Life Insurance Policies (PPLI) policies for celebrities and the world’s wealthiest people is what I do. My mentor operates in more than 111 countries, and he introduced me to PPLI, which in my opinion, is the “Holy Grail” of all tax strategies. It is a tried and true tax strategy promoted by some of the largest law firms in the world including #5 Baker McKenzie. Wealthy taxpayers should choose me over the competition because I am a U.S. Marine! Obviously, I am joking here, but on a serious note, clients should choose me because I live to win! I live to accomplish goals, and nothing is more satisfying to me than to win at protecting my client’s wealth from litigation and taxes.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success?
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever heard came from Earl Nightingale in his “Lead the Field” series, which I read in 1990. He stated, “The amount of money you will earn is directly proportional to 1) your ability to do what you do, 2) the demand for what you do, and 3) the difficulty of replacing you. Therefore, if a person is the best at what he or she does, there is a high demand for what he or she does, and if it is difficult to replace him or her, that person will experience phenomenal success such as I have.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
I can think of many meanings or measures of success, but I would think readers or listeners would be more interested in my definition of success in financial terms. In financial terms, success means being able to create enough wealth to provide for one’s family and loved ones, being able to leave an inheritance to those same individuals and being able to leave a meaningful amount to charity and the less fortunate. Much of this can also be accomplished while one is alive.
What’s next for you?
Along with continuing my Global Estate Planning practice, I plan to promote my upcoming book, “Taxes Be Gone”, which is a part of my “Leverage Series” and to promote business retreats and workshops at my estate in Medellin, Colombia.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
Reach out to me on Instagram @officialtaxkingmatt