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Guiding You on the Path to Peace of Mind:

20 Years of Plaintiff-Only Advocacy

When planning for the plaintiff’s future needs, Paramount’s objective has been to empower injury victims and their families to regain control of their lives following the settlement of their case; guiding them from litigation to living – and advocating alongside them for life.

We believe that every plaintiff deserves the opportunity to craft a personal settlement and benefit protection plan; a financial roadmap that offers shelter from severe shifts in financial markets and that can provide guaranteed benefits for the uncertain times ahead.

Settlement Protection Survey

Let’s start planning for your future today by answering the questions in the survey below. The answers provided will provide the insight we need for our initial planning session.

Following this initial session, Paramount will provide you with a comprehensive report that includes a Needs Assessment, future health insurance outlook, and more for your own reference and record-keeping.

Let’s start planning for your future today!

Before we meet, check out some resources that introduce Paramount’s settlement planning process and the benefits of structured settlements.

Jessika Schreiber

Settlement Advisor

716-328-0964 jess@planningisparamount.com

Jess’s Story

A Settlement Advisor at Paramount, and Buffalo, NY native, Jessika Schreiber, has spent the last 12 years counseling and guiding injury victims and their families; helping them plan for a financially secure life after settlement.

“The most rewarding aspect of what I do every day is the unexpected connection I get to make with plaintiffs and families of injured victims as they navigate through an often-challenging post-settlement world. I want to reassure everyone I work with that I am always available, whenever they need me, well after their financial plan has been set in place.”

When she isn’t visiting with clients or playing with her 2 sons; Max and Miles, you can find Jessika on stage, fronting her band, XOXO Pop Band, headlining a bi-weekly residency at the Buffalo-based Dueling Pianos 716 event, or singing the national anthems for the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bisons.

Check Out Some Common Planning Questions

It is important that injury victims understand that a structured settlement is different that a market-based portfolio.

Structured settlements are intended to provide stability and guaranteed income that plaintiffs and their families can count on.

What does 'Settlement Planning' mean?

Acting in the plaintiff’s best interests allows Paramount to focus on the plan rather than any one specific “financial product.” Every case that our advisors consult on begins with a plaintiff’s Needs Assessment and with Paramount’s experienced and highly trained advisors.

Planning allows our advisors to see the full picture of the plaintiff’s current and future government benefit eligibility, future medical expenses, home care, and other often-overlooked needs while addressing their future personal and financial goals.

What is a Structured Settlement?

If your only exposure to the term “structured settlement” has been through daytime tv commercial jingles, you’re not alone.

But, a structured settlement annuity is so much more.

Structured settlements offer injury victims the opportunity to put a select amount of settlement dollars into an annuity, and custom-tailor future guaranteed and tax-free payment streams. 

These payment streams can even be guaranteed for the life of the injury victim, offering monthly, guaranteed income that cannot be outlived; talk about peace of mind!

Does the Entire Amount of the Settlement Need to be in a Structured Settlement?

No – absolutely not!

While there are certain instances where it may make sense to put the entire amount into a structured settlement annuity, there is no requirement to do so.

That is why Paramount’s planning process and the survey linked above are so important. At Paramount, we want you to thrive following the settlement of your case. That means, using funds to pay down debts, having cash on hand for immediate needs, and finding the right amount to fund a structured settlement. 

Does my future Structured Settlement payment decrease if the stock market crashes?

No, once a structured settlement is locked-in, the payments that you have selected are guaranteed. 

One of the reasons that structured settlements play such a critical role in the lives of plaintiffs is that future structured payments are not impacted by downturns in the stock or other traditional global money markets.

Your selected structured settlement payments are never in jeopardy in the face of a financial crisis.

Are Structured Settlement Payments Tax Free?

Yes!

When Paramount is involved early in the settlement process and the settlement is properly planned, future payouts from a structured settlement annuity are tax-free.

This means, unlike traditional investment solutions, the funding amount, plus all interest that the annuity yields is paid out tax-free.

Are Structured Settlements guaranteed? Can I name a beneficiary?

Yes, when planned properly, structured settlement payouts are guaranteed.

If you elect for lifetime payments, those payments will be made every month for as long as you live; if you select a lump sum payout in 10 years, that lump sum is guaranteed to pay out; and if your plan included both, then all payments are guaranteed.

You can even name beneficiaries to the payouts, so that in the event of unforeseen death, future guaranteed payments flow directly to the named beneficiary, rather than an estate – just like an insurance policy.

What are the annual or other fees for a Structured Settlement?

Unlike a traditional investment account or portfolio, structured settlement annuities do not have annual or ongoing fees. 

Structured settlement advisor commissions are based upon the funding amount of the annuity and are highly regulated, and universal across all annuity providers throughout the country.

Further, Paramount charges no fees for initial planning sessions, or long-term account management of the structured settlement.

Can Structured Settlements payments be deferred or do I need to start payments immediately?

Structured settlements offer unmatched creativity and flexibility in terms of payout scenarios. You can start payments immediately, or defer the first payment out 20 years.

This is one of the reasons that we stress the importance of planning sessions. These sessions allow us to get an understanding if what is important to you and how the settlement funds can positively impact your future. 

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"Jessika helped a family whose child suffered a traumatic brain injury. Her planning strategies helped the child maintain eligibility for the government benefits he needed while ensuring he could actively engage in the community and never outlive the settlement dollars. I highly recommend using Jessika to help your clients with their settlement planning."

Seth CardelliAttorney, Levin & Perconti
“

Jessika and her team is always responsive to any inquiries made by our staff, and the work they do to make sure that our clients' medical liens are reduced to the lowest possible amount makes our job a lot easier. I highly recommend them to any firm that seeks to keep its clients happy – which should be every single firm out there.

Andrew GeigerAllan Berger & Associates