- Home
- Retirement
- Retirement Planning
The donation by financier Ross Stevens is meant to be a "retirement program" for Team USA Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
By
Donna LeValley
published
7 February 2026
in Features
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
- Copy link
- X
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Signup +
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Signup +
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Signup +
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Signup +
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Signup +
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Signup +
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Signup +
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Signup +
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterUnlike almost every other major nation, the U.S. government does not fund its Olympic athletes, let alone their retirement accounts. Most Team USA members live below the poverty line while training, relying on side hustles or "mom and dad" to survive. Starting with the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics, Ross Stevens, Founder and CEO of Stone Ridge Holdings Group, will give $200,000 to every U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athlete — even if they don’t win a medal.
The "Passing the Torch" report, produced by the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics & Paralympics, highlights a significant wealth gap: nearly 60% of USOPC and governing-body executives earn over $150,000 annually. In contrast, 26.5% of current athletes earn less than $15,000 a year — a razor-thin margin considering the average athlete's competition costs are $12,000 annually.
Who is eligible?
The goal of the initiative, called the Stevens Awards, is to help the "average" Olympian who isn't making millions from sneaker partnerships or promoting sports drinks. Top-earning athletes won't be eligible for the "bonus." For instance, NHL players taking the ice for Team USA, who earn an average salary of $2,688,173, will not benefit from the payout.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Sign upAthletes must meet the following criteria:
- Income cap: To ensure the money goes to those who need it, it’s restricted to athletes making less than $1 million per year.
- Paralympians included: The fund covers every single U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athlete who makes the team.
- Stackable: If an athlete makes three different Olympic teams, they earn three sets of awards — totaling $600,000 in future benefits.
The $200,000 package
The money won't be accessible right away. The $200k payout is structured as a long-term nest egg rather than a quick cash transfer. Each eligible athlete receives:
- $100,000 cash grant: This is paid out over four years. However, athletes can’t touch it immediately. They can access it 20 years after their first Olympics or when they turn 45, whichever comes later.
- $100,000 Life insurance policy: A guaranteed benefit for the athlete’s family or chosen beneficiaries.
The donation that started the ball rolling
"The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the ultimate symbol of human excellence. I do not believe financial insecurity should stop our nation's elite athletes from breaking through to new frontiers," Stevens said. Essentially, he’s giving them a retirement plan they otherwise wouldn't have.
Called the Stevens Financial Security Awards (Stevens Awards), the gift is intended to provide financial support to those who represent the U.S. Stevens’ goal is to "...honor the sacrifices they (athletes) have made on behalf of all Americans while inspiring the development of their dreams in the post-Games chapter of their lives."
The $100 million donation was announced in a press release on March 4, 2025, by USOPC. Chair Gene Sykes said, "...we can create more than a financial safety net — we can build a springboard that will propel these athletes to even greater heights beyond their Olympic and Paralympic careers.”
Both Sykes and Stevens, according to the statement, issued a "call to action for additional financial support, whereby the program will live forever and support every generation of Olympic and Paralympic athletes to come." The $100 million gift will be able to sustain awards "at least through the 2032 Games."
Get expert financial strategies and lifestyle insights delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to our free newsletter, Retirement Tips.
Related Content
- How to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics Without Overpaying
- Here’s How to Stream the Super Bowl for Less
- How Much It Costs to Host a Super Bowl Party in 2026
- Super Bowl LX: Should Investors Root for the Seahawks or the Patriots?
Donna LeValleyRetirement WriterDonna joined Kiplinger as a personal finance writer in 2023. She spent more than a decade as the contributing editor of J.K.Lasser's Your Income Tax Guide and edited state specific legal treatises at ALM Media. She has shared her expertise as a guest on Bloomberg, CNN, Fox, NPR, CNBC and many other media outlets around the nation. She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and the University at Buffalo.
Latest-
10 Cheapest Places to Live in Colorado
Property Tax Looking for a cozy cabin near the slopes? These Colorado counties combine reasonable house prices with the state's lowest property tax bills.
-
Look Out for These Gold Bar Scams as Prices Surge
Fraudsters impersonating government agents are convincing victims to convert savings into gold — and handing it over in courier scams costing Americans millions.
-
How to Turn Your 401(k) Into A Real Estate Empire
Tapping your 401(k) to purchase investment properties is risky, but it could deliver valuable rental income in your golden years.
-
How to Turn Your 401(k) Into A Real Estate Empire — Without Killing Your Retirement
Tapping your 401(k) to purchase investment properties is risky, but it could deliver valuable rental income in your golden years.
-
Don't Bury Your Kids in Taxes: How to Position Your Investments to Help Create More Wealth for Them
To minimize your heirs' tax burden, focus on aligning your investment account types and assets with your estate plan, and pay attention to the impact of RMDs.
-
Are You 'Too Old' to Benefit From an Annuity?
Probably not, even if you're in your 70s or 80s, but it depends on your circumstances and the kind of annuity you're considering.
-
In Your 50s and Seeing Retirement in the Distance? What You Do Now Can Make a Significant Impact
This is the perfect time to assess whether your retirement planning is on track and determine what steps you need to take if it's not.
-
Your Retirement Isn't Set in Stone, But It Can Be a Work of Art
Setting and forgetting your retirement plan will make it hard to cope with life's challenges. Instead, consider redrawing and refining your plan as you go.
-
Why Picking a Retirement Age Feels Impossible (and How to Finally Decide)
Struggling with picking a date? Experts explain how to get out of your head and retire on your own terms.
-
For the 2% Club, the Guardrails Approach and the 4% Rule Do Not Work: Here's What Works Instead
For retirees with a pension, traditional withdrawal rules could be too restrictive. You need a tailored income plan that is much more flexible and realistic.
-
Retiring Next Year? Now Is the Time to Start Designing What Your Retirement Will Look Like
This is when you should be shifting your focus from growing your portfolio to designing an income and tax strategy that aligns your resources with your purpose.
