Equities playbook for businesses

The Business Owner's Equities Playbook Advanced Strategies for SEP IRAs, Treasury Management, and Options Trading By DCD Consulting Group

Your business generates income. Your balance sheet holds cash. Your retirement account sits in index funds.

And every year, inflation quietly erodes all three.

The Business Owner's Equities Playbook is the strategic financial guide built specifically for entrepreneurs, operators, and business owners who are ready to stop managing their business finances defensively — and start deploying capital with the same precision they bring to running their company.

Five chapters. Five systems. One integrated playbook for building real, durable wealth through your business.

Chapter 1 — The SEP IRA as a Business Owner's Secret Weapon Contribute Up to $70,000 Per Year. Deduct Every Dollar. Invest It Strategically.

Most business owners know SEP IRAs exist. Very few understand how powerful they actually are — or how to invest the funds inside one with real intention.

This chapter covers both.

✅ What Is a SEP IRA and Who Qualifies — Sole proprietors, LLCs, S-corps, partnerships — if you have self-employment income, you likely qualify. This section explains the rules in plain language so you can get started without confusion

✅ 2024/2025 Contribution Limits and Tax Advantages — Contribute up to $69,000 in 2024 and $70,000 in 2025 — up to 25% of compensation — and deduct every dollar as a business expense. A $60,000 contribution could generate $24,000 in immediate tax savings depending on your bracket

✅ SEP IRA vs. SIMPLE IRA vs. Solo 401(k) — Which Fits Your Business

PlanBest For2024 Max ContributionEmployees AllowedSEP IRASimplicity + high limits$69,000YesSolo 401(k)Maximum solo contributions$76,500 (50+)NoSIMPLE IRAEmployee participation + matching$16,000 + 3% matchYes

✅ Dollar Debasement Treasury Strategy Inside a SEP IRA — How to position your retirement account as an active inflation-fighting vehicle, not just a passive index fund account

✅ Allocating to Bitcoin ETFs, Commodity Equities, and Hard-Money Assets — The specific asset classes that belong inside a debasement-aware SEP IRA — and how to size them within a tax-deferred structure that amplifies every dollar of growth

A consulting business owner earning $200,000 annually can contribute up to $50,000 to a SEP IRA — immediately reducing taxable income while building a strategically invested retirement account. This chapter shows you exactly how.

Chapter 2 — Dollar Debasement Treasury Strategy for Businesses Stop Letting Excess Cash Lose Value. Build a Treasury System That Fights Back.

A business with $2 million in excess cash earning 2% while inflation runs at 4% loses $40,000 in purchasing power annually. That loss compounds. Most business owners don't see it — because it doesn't show up as a line item expense.

This chapter gives you the framework to stop it.

✅ Identifying Excess Cash on the Balance Sheet — A systematic cash categorization framework: operational needs (0–30 days), short-term reserves (1–6 months), and investable surplus (6+ months) — so you know exactly what can be deployed and what must stay liquid

✅ Moving Beyond Money Markets: T-Bills, Short-Duration Bonds, Hard Assets — Treasury bill laddering strategies currently yielding 4–5%, short-duration bond ETFs for enhanced yield, and hard asset allocation (REITs, commodities, precious metals) for inflation protection that money markets simply cannot provide

✅ Bitcoin and Digital Asset Treasury Allocation — FASB 2023-08 Overview — The 2023 FASB accounting update changed everything for corporate Bitcoin holders, allowing fair value measurement rather than impairment-only treatment. This section explains what that means for your balance sheet, how to size a 1–10% digital asset allocation appropriately, and what custody and compliance requirements apply to business holders

✅ Building a Treasury Policy Document — What Boards and CFOs Need — The written treasury policy that specifies asset allocation ranges, maximum position sizes, rebalancing triggers, and governance protocols — the document that turns a strategy into an institutional system

Cash is not a safe asset in an inflationary environment. It is a depreciating one. This chapter gives your business the treasury infrastructure to treat it that way.

Chapter 3 — Getting Started with Equity Options in a Business Brokerage Account Approval Tiers | Broker Selection | First Strategies

Options are not just for individual traders. Business brokerage accounts can access the full range of options strategies — and the income potential they offer is substantial. But before you trade a single contract, you need to understand how the approval system works and how to set your account up correctly.

✅ Options Approval Explained — Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3

TierStrategies UnlockedRisk LevelRight ForTier 1Covered calls, cash-secured putsLowestMost business accountsTier 2Long calls/puts, spreads, credit/debit strategiesModerateExperienced operatorsTier 3Naked options, advanced multi-leg strategiesHighestRarely appropriate for business accounts

✅ Tier 1: Covered Calls and Cash-Secured Puts — The income strategies that reduce portfolio risk while generating 6–12% additional annual returns on existing holdings — the right starting point for virtually every business account

✅ Tier 2: Buying Calls and Puts, Spreads — How long options and defined-risk spread strategies expand your toolkit for hedging and income generation with controlled downside

✅ Tier 3: Naked Options and Advanced Strategies — And Why Most Businesses Stop at Tier 2 — An honest assessment of unlimited-risk strategies and why the income potential rarely justifies the exposure for business accounts that cannot absorb catastrophic losses

✅ Broker Selection for Business Accounts — What to Look For — Platform reliability, options commissions ($0.50–$0.65 per contract), business account documentation requirements, accounting system integration, and the specific brokers that serve business entities best in 2025

The approval process for business options accounts takes 1–2 weeks and requires entity documentation beyond what individual accounts need. This section walks you through every step so there are no surprises.

Chapter 4 — Business Income Plays with Options Covered Calls | Cash-Secured Puts | The Wheel | Tax Treatment

This is where strategy becomes cash flow. This chapter gives you the complete income generation playbook — with worked examples, position sizing guidelines, and the tax treatment framework your accountant will need.

✅ Covered Call Strategy on Existing Equity Positions — How to sell call options against stocks you already hold, collect immediate premium income, and generate an additional 6–12% annually without selling a single share

Example: 500 shares of a $100 dividend stock → sell 5 call contracts at $105 strike → collect $2,500 in premium. Rinse. Repeat monthly.

✅ Cash-Secured Puts to Acquire Shares at a Discount — How to get paid to place limit orders. Sell puts at 10–20% below market prices, collect 1–3% monthly premium on committed cash, and either keep the income or acquire quality shares at attractive valuations — both outcomes work

✅ The Wheel Strategy — Consistent Premium Income in Any Market

The complete cycle:

1. Sell cash-secured puts → collect premium → get assigned at target price
2. Sell covered calls on assigned shares → collect more premium → shares get called away
3. Repeat with cash-secured puts → the wheel keeps turning

This self-reinforcing income system generates premium at every stage regardless of market direction — and this chapter shows you how to run it systematically across a business portfolio

✅ Tax Treatment of Options Income in a Business Entity — How premium income is classified, how assignment affects cost basis, short-term vs. long-term treatment, record-keeping requirements, and the coordination with business tax strategy that prevents costly surprises at year-end

A $1 million business portfolio running a systematic covered call and cash-secured put program can conservatively generate $3,000–$8,000 in monthly premium income. This chapter shows you how to build and manage that program.

Chapter 5 — LEAPS for Businesses: Long-Term Strategic Positioning Capital Efficiency | Bitcoin ETF LEAPS | Commodity LEAPS | Sizing Guidelines

LEAPS — Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities — are options contracts with expiration dates 12–39 months out. They allow businesses to establish substantial market exposure with significantly less capital than direct stock ownership requires. For business owners who need to maintain cash reserves for operations while still participating in long-term market growth, LEAPS offer one of the most capital-efficient tools available.

✅ What Are LEAPS and How They Work — The complete mechanics of long-dated options contracts, how time decay behaves differently at longer horizons, and why LEAPS function as leveraged equity exposure with defined maximum loss

✅ Using LEAPS as a Capital-Efficient Alternative to Owning Shares — A LEAPS call on a $200 stock might cost $30–50 per share equivalent — controlling the same upside as full ownership while risking only 15–25% of the capital. This section shows how to use that efficiency to diversify across more positions while preserving operational cash reserves

✅ LEAPS on Bitcoin ETFs, Commodity ETFs, and Equity Indexes

• Bitcoin ETF LEAPS — Leveraged cryptocurrency exposure inside a standard business brokerage account, without custody complexity or direct ownership risk
• Commodity ETF LEAPS — Multi-year inflation hedges on energy, metals, and broad commodity indexes without the complexity of futures contracts
• Index ETF LEAPS — Capital-efficient broad market exposure that keeps cash available for business operations while participating in long-term market appreciation
• International Index LEAPS — Geographic diversification and currency exposure through a single instrument

✅ Sizing and Risk Management Guidelines

ParameterGuidelineMaximum per position2–5% of investment capitalTotal LEAPS exposure15–25% of investment portfolioProfit-taking target100–200% gainStop-loss level50–75% of premium paidMinimum time to expiration12–18 months at purchase

LEAPS are not a replacement for core equity positions — they are a capital-efficient complement that allows businesses to do more with the same capital base.

The Complete DCD Consulting Group Business Finance Suite:

GuideCore FocusBusiness Owner's Equities PlaybookSEP IRAs, options income, treasury strategy, LEAPSDebasement-Aware Equity StrategiesPortfolio construction, IRA options, inflation hedgingDigital Assets for BusinessStablecoins, Bitcoin treasury, compliance, settlement

Who This Playbook Is For:

👔 Business Owners & Entrepreneurs who want a structured system for putting business capital to work — not just holding it in a savings account

🏦 Self-Employed Professionals who are leaving significant tax savings on the table by underutilizing their SEP IRA

💼 Operators with Business Brokerage Accounts ready to generate consistent monthly income through disciplined options strategies

📊 CFOs & Finance Directors building formal treasury policies that go beyond money markets and basic cash management

⚖️ Business Advisors & Consultants who need a comprehensive, implementation-ready resource for business financial strategy

What Makes This Playbook Different:

Most financial guides are written for individual investors. This one is written for business operators — people who think in terms of systems, cash flow, risk management, and measurable outcomes.

Every strategy is framed around the questions business owners actually ask:

• How much does this reduce my tax bill — right now?
• How much income does this generate — and how reliably?
• What is my maximum downside — and how do I control it?
• How does this integrate with my existing business financial structure?

And every chapter is built for implementation — not theory.

The businesses that build lasting wealth don't just generate revenue. They manage capital strategically — protecting it from inflation, deploying it into income-producing assets, and compounding it inside tax-advantaged structures that multiply every dollar of effort.

This playbook is the system for doing exactly that.

👉 Download The Business Owner's Equities Playbook today and build the financial infrastructure your business deserves.