🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Did your Social Security check actually go up in 2026 or did Medicare quietly take some of it back? A new year brings new updates, and 2026 is no exception when it comes to Social Security.

Even small rule changes can have a meaningful impact on your retirement income. Today, we break down what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and why Social Security decisions should never be made in isolation. Whether you’re already collecting benefits or getting close to filing, this conversation helps you think through how these updates fit into a broader retirement strategy, not just a calendar date.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💵 Cost-of-Living Adjustments vs. Medicare Premiums – Why raises don’t always feel like raises

🧾 Taxes & the New Senior Deduction – What it does (and doesn’t) mean for Social Security taxation

⏳ When to File for Benefits – Early, full retirement age, or delayed strategies

⚖️ Break-Even & Longevity Considerations – Why health and life expectancy matter

🔄 Spousal & Survivor Strategies – Coordinating benefits as a couple

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

Artificial Intelligence is transforming everything, but is the hype getting ahead of reality?

This video tackles one of the biggest investor questions of 2025: Are we in an AI bubble? With markets up 20% three years in a row and Nvidia now worth over $5 trillion, it’s easy to wonder if history is repeating itself.

The Pauls break down how today’s AI boom compares to past manias — from the dot-com era to railroad stocks in the 1800s — and why the fundamentals behind AI might make this time different. They also explain how they’re managing portfolios in this environment, why trimming oversized positions is smart, and how retirees can protect gains without missing future growth.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

💡 Defining a Bubble: What history teaches us from railroads to dot-coms.

📊 Fundamentals vs. Hype: Why AI may not be another Pets.com.

💸 Portfolio Strategy: How The Pauls are trimming risk and locking in gains.

🏦 Retiree Focus: Preserving income and capital in a euphoric market.

🌍 Diversify Smartly: Why international and value stocks may hold better opportunity.

🔮 Prediction Preview: What they’ll be watching as AI evolves into 2026.

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51

🎯 Not sure where you stand with your retirement plan? Schedule your Complete Planning Review: https://www.rwpaul.com/complete-planning-review

When the market is strong, everyone feels like a confident investor—but true risk tolerance isn’t about how you feel when things are going well. In this episode of Retirement Approved, Matt and Steve dig into the emotional and mathematical sides of risk tolerance—how much risk you can handle versus how much you’re willing to handle. Managing emotions can be just as important as managing returns, and this video will help you understand investor behavior better.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

🎲 Risk changes with emotion – Market highs make investors fearless; downturns make them cautious.

💵 Think in dollars – A 20% loss feels different when your portfolio is much larger.

⚖️ Capacity vs. tolerance – Understand both your financial ability and emotional comfort with risk.

🔁 Rebalance regularly – Lock in gains during strong markets to protect against future dips.

🧠 Avoid recency bias – Past success doesn’t guarantee future results, especially after long bull runs.

Learn more about us: https://www.rwpaul.com/our-firm

Contact Matt & Steve: https://www.rwpaul.com/contact

Phone: 248-305-9911

Find us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/481OA51