What would make your life better? A new house or car? A bigger paycheck or bank account? It’s easy to want more when you think of being happier and living better.1 And there’s little doubt that money can buy some (more) happiness.2 But the happiness we get from money is fundamentally limited.3 It leaves us […]

How often do you think about retirement? Most of us think about it a lot — at least four times a week.1 We think about when we’ll retire and how we’ll spend our time in retirement.2,3 As exciting as that can be, it can also be nerve-racking to think about trying to fill up all […]

Do you think you’re telling yourself the truth about money? We may think we know the facts about our finances. But our beliefs can often overshadow the facts. Our wishes, hopes, and fears can tip the scales away from the truth. This makes it easier for us to believe what we want to about money […]

We at Paragon Financial Advisors don’t believe that “any direction” is acceptable. The financial well-being of you and your loved ones is too important to be left to chance. That’s why we encourage our clients to develop their personal financial goals. Goals are basically a result or achievement toward which you are willing to expend […]

It is no secret that returns in the capital markets (stocks and bonds) have been volatile (and below historical averages) for the past few years. Some market “experts” are predicting that those lower returns will be the “new normal” for some years to come. If that prediction is correct, individuals must save more to maintain […]

In previous postings, we discussed some of the factors facing prospective/current retirees. These factors were classified in three general categories: 1) factors over which we have total control, 2) factors over which we have some control, and 3) factors over which we have no control. The second category (factors over which we have some control) […]

In early May, we attended an “Inside Retirement” conference sponsored by Financial Advisors magazine; the topics were centered on “income and longevity.” Various nationally known speakers discussed pertinent items related to those themes. We found some of the presentations worthy of discussing here. Alicia H Munnell (Peter F. Drucker Professor of Management Sciences at Boston College, […]

All Social Security recipients are aware there was no cost of living increase in Social Security benefits for 2016. However, some recipients are facing a reduction in their Social Security check. The reason: the Medicare Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). The amount individuals pay for their Medicare coverage is a function of their modified […]

On January 4, 2016, we wrote a blog about the volatility and performance of the financial markets in 2015. To say the financial markets have been “interesting” since then exemplifies an understatement. As we write this on Feb 11, 2016, the S&P 500 has declined approximately 10% since the end of 2015 and has fallen […]

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 passed by the 114thCongress in December made some changes in benefits that were available for claiming Social Security benefits. How, and when, individuals and couples claim their Social Security benefits can have significant impact on the amounts received over the claimant’s lifetime(s). Usually, the minimum age for claiming benefits […]