Blue Ocean Global Technology Interviews Matt Chancey | Founder of Tax Alpha Companies

Matt Chancey, CFP® is the founder of Tax Alpha Companies, specializing in advanced tax mitigation strategies for high-income and high-net-worth individuals. His firm helps clients reduce or eliminate taxes through reinvestment into institutional private equity, credit, and venture capital partnerships.

With a background in finance, medical device entrepreneurship, and real estate, Matt blends hands-on experience with deep tax expertise. A Certified Financial Planner™ since 2009, he’s a nationally recognized speaker and educator, with features in Forbes, CNBC, WSJ, Fox News, and more. 

In 2024, Matt came under the Forbes brand with his debut book: Tax Alpha Solutions. His core belief: smart reinvestment + tax strategy = lasting wealth.

Blue Ocean: Tell us about your professional journey. What inspired you to pursue this career, and what continues to fuel your passion for the profession today? 

Matt Chancey: My journey began with a football scholarship that gave me access to university. I joined a fraternity that exposed me to a world I hadn’t seen growing up. Many of my peers came from families of doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. That environment was inspirational and changed how I saw success.  I realized I didn’t have to rely on athletics to build a meaningful life. I could do it through education, hard work, and persistence. 

I earned a degree in Legal Studies with plans to attend law school, but a fraternity brother introduced me to an opportunity in healthcare sales. I took the job and worked my way through a few roles before co-founding a medical equipment business. After a successful exit, I found myself with money but not the financial literacy to manage it wisely. So I decided to learn about it. I returned to the University of Central Florida, earned a certification in financial planning, and explored various paths in finance, including insurance, estate planning, and tax strategy. 

I got passionate about tax planning, especially for high-net-worth and high-income individuals. Over time, I gravitated toward private partnerships, especially how they combine opportunity with tax advantages. Today, I focus on connecting limited partners with strong general partners in tax-efficient investments. We work closely with CPAs, attorneys, commercial real estate brokers, and M&A professionals to create value where it matters most. 

We educate those professionals on the benefits of partnership law through continuing education, conferences, webinars, and one-on-one conversations. Real trust is built over time through hard work, asking the right questions, and prioritizing people. That’s what keeps me going.

Blue Ocean: Your work spans capital gains, estate taxes, CRA programs, and more. What does a typical day look like for you? 

Matt Chancey: These days, I’m less involved in day-to-day client interactions and more focused on steering the business. A big part of that has been learning to hire the right people, delegate effectively, and trust my team to deliver. This has allowed me to focus on strategy—deciding where we’re headed, what products to prioritize, and which tax codes or planning opportunities we lean into.

A typical day for me involves identifying strategic partners who already work with our ideal clients. For example, a property and casualty firm with thousands of high-net-worth business owners might offer basic insurance but not the advanced planning we provide. That creates space for a valuable collaboration. We approach these relationships with a win-win mindset to complement our partners.

Most of my time is spent building and strengthening those partnerships for long-term growth and shared success.

Blue Ocean: Tax law is constantly evolving, especially for high-net-worth individuals and investors. Which recent developments or upcoming changes are you most excited, or concerned about? 

Matt Chancey: Right now, one of the most important developments is the potential extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which is set to expire at the end of 2025. For the past eight years, we’ve built our planning, tools, and strategies around the framework introduced by the legislation. If it sunsets without replacement, many of these provisions would roll back and create major shifts in tax planning.

There’s growing momentum behind a proposal informally called the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which seems poised to extend and possibly improve upon the TCJA. If that happens, it would provide continuity in the tax code for another eight years, and potentially make some elements permanent. 

That kind of stability would be a big win. We’ve spent years mastering the current rules, and having a consistent legal environment would allow us to keep applying what already works, rather than rebuild from scratch. 

Blue Ocean: You’ve earned a strong reputation for delivering impactful strategies. How do you and your team continue to stay ahead in the highly competitive industry?

Matt Chancey: We focus less on chasing noise and more on building real relationships. In a world driven by clicks, likes, and surface-level interactions, we’ve stayed committed to meaningful, face-to-face connections. I’m old school in that way. I believe in spending time with people who are deeply involved in the work and can offer real insight and trust. That approach has helped us build lasting partnerships.

We stay ahead by aligning with experts such as attorneys and CPAs who live and breathe the legislative side of tax and finance. Instead of duplicating efforts, we rely on their interpretation and focus on applying the insights to our clients’ needs. It’s about working smart. Hard work is given, but surrounding yourself with the right people and knowing how to tap into their expertise is what creates long-term advantage.

Blue Ocean: In your view, what core values or principles do you believe every great professional should uphold, regardless of their practice area?

Matt Chancey: I’m not particularly a strong faith-based person, but I do believe in the Golden Rule: treat others as one would want to be treated by them. Whether it’s being nice to a server or letting somebody merge in traffic, small gestures matter. They make daily life better and reflect who you are when no one’s watching.

I also believe the world improves when more people reach financial stability. At the end of the day, being a good person doesn’t require grand acts.  It’s about showing up with kindness, integrity, and empathy.

Blue Ocean: What are some common misconceptions people have about your field of work?

Matt Chancey: One big misconception is that private equity is purely about profit at any cost. Some people picture it as cold or ruthless, but that’s not the reality for everyone in the space. Like any industry, there are good and bad players. We see ourselves on the side that prioritizes integrity, transparency, and long-term value.

There’s also a lot of misunderstanding around taxes and tax planning. Many assume it’s about finding loopholes to avoid paying what’s owed. In reality, responsible tax strategy is about using the tools the system provides to reinvest capital in ways that create real impact, whether that’s starting a business, funding real estate development, or donating to charitable organizations. These direct investments often generate a more tangible, immediate impact.

They also contribute to the broader economy through jobs, housing, innovation and new tax revenue streams. 

It’s about putting dollars to work more efficiently and intentionally. That’s smart stewardship. When done right, it’s a way to align money with purpose and generate long-term, values-driven growth.

Blue Ocean: What distinct value do you bring to your clients, especially when managing complex or high-stakes situations?

Matt Chancey: One of the most overlooked challenges in business is managing people. Everyone brings their own history, mindset, experiences, and even daily stressors at work. As a leader, it’s my job to engage with empathy while still holding a clear standard. That self-awareness is important. Managing people effectively is a multiplier. It sets the tone for how the team performs under pressure.

Leadership is about setting the standard. You must lead by example and be willing to do the work yourself. Culture isn’t created through words; it’s cultivated over time through consistent action. You can’t ask someone to do something you’re not willing to do yourself.

A critical part of building a business and a strong organizational culture is learning every job along the way. I don’t believe in asking anyone to do something I wouldn’t do myself.  That hands-on leadership builds credibility and helps shape a strong culture. We value initiative and ownership, but that has to be backed by fair pay and support. It’s building a team that feels trusted, empowered, and genuinely invested in the mission. Clients feel that difference, especially when the stakes are high.

Blue Ocean: How do you maintain emotional and psychological resilience when handling sensitive or high-pressure cases?

Matt Chancey: Resilience comes down to experience and preparation. I often compare it to being an airline pilot. By the time you’re flying with them, they’ve landed in every condition imaginable. But for the pilot, what feels turbulent to passengers is routine for them. Similarly, after years of handling complex cases, you begin to expect the unexpected and stop assuming things will go perfectly.

I’m not naturally optimistic. I tend to anticipate what might go wrong. That defensive mindset allows me to be prepared. I approach every situation with contingency plans, and when things go smoothly, it’s a bonus. This approach has helped me stay level-headed, focused, and ready to navigate whatever comes.

Blue Ocean: What advice would you offer to aspiring professionals entering the profession today?

Matt Chancey: When I was younger, I wasn’t thinking about future trends or emerging industries. I was just trying to get by. Looking back, I wish I’d developed a forward-thinking mindset sooner: asking where the world is headed and how to position myself for it. The business landscape is only getting more complex, and strategic foresight is becoming more essential than ever. 

One path I’d seriously consider if I were starting fresh is acquisition entrepreneurship. Rather than building a company from scratch, it’s about buying an existing and profitable small or mid-sized business and building on it. These businesses already have customers, revenue, employees, and maybe even multiple locations. It’s up and running. Your job is to learn the operation, improve it, and grow. The surprising part is how accessible financing can be for the right deal.  Thousands of retiring owners are looking for someone sharp and motivated to carry their legacy forward. For those with energy, vision, and a willingness to learn, it’s a powerful and often overlooked way to build something meaningful.

Blue Ocean: What hobbies or interests do you enjoy outside of work?

Matt Chancey: A few years ago, I would’ve said I didn’t have any hobbies. I grew up playing sports, but as I got older, the wear and tear caught up with me. That’s when I discovered racing. It gives me the same competitive edge and adrenaline rush I enjoyed from sports—just without the physical strain. 

This hobby has been more rewarding than I initially expected. Running a complex business means your mind is always on for calls, emails, texts, reports, decisions, and ongoing responsibilities.  But when I’m in a race car, all that shuts off. Your full attention must be on the vehicle, the track, and the moment. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to a true mental reset.. I’ve also gotten into fantasy football, which taps into my analytical side. It’s a fun mix of stats, strategy, and friendly competition. It’s another outlet that keeps me sharp in a different way.

Blue Ocean: Is there a guiding principle, philosophy, or quote that has significantly influenced your career and life?

Matt Chancey: I’ve made some unconventional choices in life. I’m 52, never married, and that’s allowed me to pour everything into building something meaningful. I may not have a family of my own, but I employ people who do, and seeing our work impact their lives and their kids’ futures is something I take pride in. I grew up poor, raised by uneducated parents, and I knew early on I never wanted to go back to that. That fear pushed me to work relentlessly, smartly, and hard. 

When people talk about “work-life balance,” I’m not convinced it truly exists at the highest levels. Greatness demands tradeoffs. If you want to build something exceptional, it requires commitment, focus, discipline, and a willingness to sacrifice elsewhere. I’ve probably logged more working hours by now than most people do by retirement. Not because I had to, but because I could. Time, not money, is the real currency each has to choose where to spend it. You can’t be world-class at everything at once. I don’t believe in the myth that you can “have it all.”.

Conclusion

Matt Chancey’s story reflects his approach to life. It highlights his resilience, adaptability, and long-term vision. From being the first in his family to attend college to navigating the complexities of private finance, he’s made bold, thoughtful choices at every turn. He didn’t follow a conventional path; he built his own by staying grounded, betting on himself, and remaining open to change. That mindset has shaped not only his success but also the impact he continues to make in the lives of others.