April 2025 – Newsletter
Scams You Should Know About
There has been a recent increase in reports of individuals, especially senior citizens, being contacted by scammers. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, using deceptive tactics to trick people into handing over their hard-earned money. Whether it’s a fraudulent phone call, a fake charity request, or a phony shipping notification, these scams can be difficult to spot.
WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE:
- SCAMS EVERY SENIOR SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
- DON’S NEW BOOK
- CALENDAR
- CLIENT SPOTLIGHT
- PAPER SHREDDING EVENT
Here are examples of four common scams currently being used:
Unpaid Toll Charge Texts: Scammers are sending fraudulent text messages claiming to be from toll agencies, stating that you have overdue toll charges and prompting you to click on a link to pay.
Apple Pay Scams: Scammers send texts claiming unauthorized Apple Pay transactions, prompting you to call a provided number or click a link.
Tech Support Scams: Scammers pose as tech support agents from reputable companies, claiming your device has issues and asking for remote access or payment for unnecessary services.
IRS Scams: Scammers impersonate IRS agents, claiming you owe taxes and threatening legal action if you don’t pay immediately.
We want to ensure you stay informed and protected. Click the button below for four additional scams you should be aware of—along with tips on how to avoid falling victim. Knowledge is power, and by staying alert, you can safeguard your finances and personal information.
Don’s New Book – Coming Soon!
With contributions by Candace Hackborn, Donald Hershberger III, and Brennan Clark.
Don Hershberger, Founder and President of Paramount Wealth Management, has a new book coming soon!
“Retirement by Design” will offer insight on designing a retirement that goes beyond saving enough money. Don introduces his signature Designed by Inspiration® process to help readers discover how to align their wealth with life’s aspirations, leading to purpose and fulfillment in retirement.
In addition, three of Paramount Wealth’s team members, Donald Hershberger III, Brennan Clark, and Candace Hackborn, have each authored a chapter in this book. Donald covers the topic of creating a family legacy; Brennan outlines concerns for corporate executives and potential solutions, while Candace reviews the unique issues business owners face.
Stay tuned for “sneak peeks” and more information on when the book will be available. Follow Paramount Wealth on Facebook or follow Don on Linkedin for updates.
Calendar
April 15 – Last day to contribute to traditional and Roth IRAs or health savings accounts for 2024. We suggest making all contributions by April 10.
April 15 – Tax Day – deadline to file your 2024 tax return and pay taxes or request an extension. First quarter estimated tax payments due, if required.
April 18 – Financial markets closed for Good Friday. Paramount office closing at noon.
May 9 -Paper Shred Event, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at our office in Jackson, MI
Client Spotlight – Kevin Bowman
A passion for shooting and community~
For Kevin, shooting is more than a sport—it’s a lifelong passion, a social connection, and a way to give back to the community. Growing up in a hunting family, Kevin always enjoyed being outdoors, but over time, he found himself drawn more to the sport of shooting than hunting. “Hunting is 90% waiting and 10% shooting, whereas shooting is 90% shooting and only 10% waiting,” he explains with a smile.
There are three different shooting disciplines that involve clay targets: trap, skeet, and sporting clays. Each offers its own challenge. Trapshooting involves shooting clay targets that are launched away from the shooter in unpredictable angles. Skeet shooting requires shooters to hit targets crossing in front of them from two trap houses.
Sporting clays simulates real hunting situations with targets flying in different directions and at varying speeds. Courses are set up in natural surroundings, with shooters moving from station to station to test their skills on different target presentations. Sporting clays is Kevin’s preferred discipline.
Kevin’s deeper involvement in the sport began in 2007 when his son didn’t make the baseball team. Wanting to keep him engaged, Kevin encouraged him to try competitive shooting. His son took it seriously and, in the same year, won the state title!
Like many parents supporting their children’s sports, Kevin built friendships with other parents from his son’s shooting team. When his son left for college, Kevin continued shooting as a hobby, partly to stay connected with them. The social aspect remains a major draw for Kevin, as well as the challenge of improving his skills. “The results ebb and flow, but it’s all about staying mentally and physically sharp”. As an example, Kevin told me about a time he was shooting the Michigan Trap Shooting Spring Team Shoot and missed the first target. “Casually, with a cool head, I thought to myself, well, just shoot all the rest of the 99 targets and it’ll be a good day. That’s exactly what I did. Final score 99. So close to that perfect score.”
With a passion for mentoring, Kevin became an NRA-certified coach and spent 10 years coaching youth shooting teams. He saw firsthand how shooting gave kids—especially those who weren’t drawn to traditional sports like football or basketball—a chance to compete, develop camaraderie, and build confidence.
One of his most memorable moments in the sport was meeting Vincent Hancock, the Olympic gold medalist in skeet shooting in 2020 and 2024. Hancock shared insights about the importance of staying focused, even when faced with distractions. Kevin recalled how, during his days as a coach, he had the kid’s club team practice “distracted shooting” by introducing background noise during practice to help young shooters maintain concentration.
Kevin is actively involved in multiple local shooting clubs, many of which give back to their local communities. One such club in Grass Lake hosts an annual free fishing day. Kids are given the equipment needed, making it an accessible way for children to “get hooked” on a new hobby that teaches patience, respect for nature, and the importance of conservation.
For those interested in learning to shoot, Kevin’s advice is simple: join a gun club. “The shooting community is incredibly welcoming. You’ll meet great people, gain knowledge, and develop friendships. Everyone is willing to offer advice and even let you try out their equipment.”
Kevin’s journey in the world of shooting is a testament to the sport’s power to build connections, teach discipline, and foster a lifelong passion. Whether coaching young shooters, improving his own skills, or supporting community initiatives, Kevin continues to find joy and fulfillment in the sport he loves.
Paper Shredding Event
Paramount Wealth is hosting our 4th annual Shred Event, exclusively for our clients.
Do you have important documents with personal information that you want to safely dispose of? Bring them to our Paper Shredding Event on Friday, May 9 between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.
The Shred Truck will be in the parking lot of our office in Jackson. Stop by anytime between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm and enjoy FREE paper shredding on us!
- No need to remove staples
- Cardboard like file folders and the back of a checkbook can be shredded
- No cardboard boxes
- All shredding is recycled
Click the button below to download a Shred Timeline. You’ll find out what should be shredded, how long you should keep documents, and how to store documents digitally in your free Raymond James Vault.
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Thank You!
Thank you for being a valued part of our Paramount Wealth family. We look forward to helping you, and those you care about, live a life of true inspiration.
The Paramount Wealth Management Team
The Paramount Wealth Management Team
420 South Brown Street
Jackson, MI 49203
517-787-4444
517-795-2530 (F)
www.paramountwealth.com
Don Hershberger CFP®, AIF®, CRC®, Founder and President, PWM, was named on the 2024 Forbes Top Wealth Advisor Best-in-State list.
The Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors 2024 ranking, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. This ranking is based upon the period from 6/30/2022 to 6/30/2023 and was released on 4/3/2024. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 44,990 nominations, roughly 8,500 advisors received the award. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients’ experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for obtaining this award/rating. Compensation provided for using the rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors for more info.
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