Family Office Podcast: Billionaire & Centimillionaire Interviews & Investor Club Insights
The Family Office Podcast released 3-7 episodes a week of interview mandate interviews, private investor strategies, innovative investment structures, and wealth management related insights.
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Family Office Podcast: Billionaire & Centimillionaire Interviews & Investor Club Insights
How Business Owners Can Protect Wealth & Reduce Risk with 831(b) Plans | Van Carlson Interview
In this episode of the Family Office Podcast, host Andrés Ospina sits down with Van Carlson, founder and CEO of SRA 831(b) Admin — the nation’s leading administrator of 831(b) plans. With 25+ years of experience, Van unpacks how traditional insurance is failing today’s business owners and reveals powerful, compliant strategies to self-insure risk using pre-tax dollars.
You’ll learn how smart risk management can:
- Help businesses weather economic storms
- Turn tax liabilities into financial assets
- Fund deductibles, protect brand reputation & survive disruptions
- Provide a competitive edge through 831(b) plans
Timestamps
00:00 – Meet Van Carlson: Coast Guard vet turned insurance innovator
01:37 – How the 2008 recession exposed traditional insurance gaps
05:10 – What is an 831(b) plan and why was it created?
06:40 – How 831(b) helps manage unfunded liabilities with pre-tax dollars
08:58 – How 831(b) plans reduce tax burdens and boost financial stability
13:01 – How 831(b) covers cyber risk, brand protection & supply chain risk
19:38 – 831(b) vs. 401(k): tax implications & exit strategies
21:31 – What business owners must understand before setting up an 831(b)
26:01 – The future of risk management: what’s coming next
32:49 – Today’s world is riskier — here’s how to stay resilient
Whether you're an investor, advisor, or entrepreneur, this episode offers real tools to protect what you’ve built and position your business for long-term success.
🔗 Learn more at: https://www.831b.com
Hi everyone, welcome to the Family Office podcast where we bring you stories, strategies, and solutions that matter most to private investors, family offices, and business owners. I'm your host today, Andres Ospina, and in today's episode, we're packed with some great insights that you don't want to miss.
Our guest today is Van Carlsen, founder and CEO of SRA 831B Admin — a true innovator in the world of risk management and alternative insurance solutions. Van has been on over 80 podcasts, built an Inc. 5000 company, and has more than 25 years of experience helping entrepreneurs and advisors navigate economic storms while building wealth and protecting what matters most.
So we're going to deep dive today into why traditional insurance is failing many businesses, how the right risk strategies can create new opportunities, and what investors, advisors, and business owners need to know now with so much uncertainty in the world.
So Van, welcome to the show. We're excited to have you here.
— Yeah, I'm excited to have our conversation and appreciate the intro.
— For sure, no, 100%. I know we spoke a little bit about your career. You did how many years in the Coast Guard?
— I did four years. I was the smart one — I got in and out. I got the GI Bill and, you know, finished up my school after that. So it was a good four years. I needed that, and it prepared me for the rest of my life, actually.
And reading up on your bio, I saw that your career kind of pivoted during the Great Recession, right? Leading you to build SRA 831B Admin. Can you share a little bit of like those “aha” moments that drove you to create a better resolution for business owners?
— Yeah, you bet. You know, I was a pretty successful property and casualty agent. I retained my hat of working with business owners. You know, as I grew my agency, I was able to hire a lot of things out — hired employees and all that kind of stuff — but I definitely kept with the business owners. I love that aspect of the business — working with business owners, entrepreneurs, people that are willing to take a risk every day to get up and try to turn a business into a profitable entity.