The Real Time to Build a Family Office Is When You Think You Don't Need One | Ali Katz

Over $1 million lost, an IRS audit two years after her divorce, and a lawsuit she couldn't afford to fight — Ali Katz gets brutally honest about the belief that cost her the most. In this solo episode, Ali breaks down the belief that quietly cost her the most: "this doesn't apply to me." Despite starting her career working on tax transactions for Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger's law firm, she didn't think legal, insurance, financial, or tax planning applied to her own life — a belief rooted in growing up as the "poor" family in a wealthy Miami community. That single belief ended up costing her more than $1 million over the years, including an unexpected $116,000 tax bill, $250,000 in debt from selling a business to the wrong buyer, and a $50,000 lawsuit she settled because she didn't have the right insurance. The turning point came two years after her divorce, when a forensic accountant's warning that her "books were really messed up" turned into an IRS audit letter. After two days of spiraling into self-blame, Ali hired real support, redirected that energy into her business instead, and built her second million-dollar business in just 18 months. **In this episode:** - Why "this doesn't apply to me" is one of the most expensive beliefs you can hold about money - The four pillars of a family office: legal, insurance, financial, and tax - Why the right time to build your family office is before you feel rich, not after - How an IRS audit forced Ali to rebuild her entire approach to money - Why raising capital or bringing in a business partner too soon almost always backfires - How to turn "eyes squeezed shut" money decisions into "eyes wide open" ones **Free Resource:** Get my Inheritance Guide — practical guides on what's actually transferring, and how to talk about it: https://www.alikatz.com "The time to build your family office isn't when you're rich. The time to start is actually when you think you don't need one." — Ali Katz "I built my second million dollar business in just 18 months." — Ali Katz Follow and subscribe to get notified of every new episode, and — most importantly — share this one with somebody you need to be in conversation with right now. **Connect with Ali Katz:** Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealikatz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAliKatz/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thealikatz/ Website: https://alikatz.com/