Thursday, April 19, 2007

Structured Settlement Calculator.

Personal injury settlement calculators provide you a new method of computation for determining a settlement amount. It tells the appropriate amount that can be claimed from the damage or the loss that has happened. For this calculation of the claim, consultation with your attorney helps you to recover the legal damages caused by the civil wrong of the person who caused you the personal injury.

Personal injury settlement calculators are specifically used only for personal injury. This saves lots of time and helps you to reach a reasonable and fair personal injury settlement. It is a real time saver and a solid frame of reference is made using this calculator. It calculates the amount value and gives you a clear picture of the lump sum you might be paid for your structured settlement.

Calculations which are done by the personal injury damage calculator include factors such as medical expenses, future medical expenses, the process involved in rehabilitation, prosthetics, wages that are lost, future lost wages, pain and suffering, future pain and suffering, disability, the future disability involved, loss of quality of life, the present and the future impairment, loss of consortium, and the loss of services.

The amount involved in the personal injury is categorized in each of the above factors. A fair settlement amount is then calculated. In certain cases, if the insurance companies do not pay you the claimed amount, then one has to consult with their attorney for the recovery of the lost and the legal damages caused by the civil wrong of the defendant. It is not recommended to evaluate the personal injury without knowing the law or consulting your attorney, since in many cases the insurance companies attempt to minimize the damages by just refusing few of your legal damages.

Structured Settlement Broker.

A structured settlement is made available as a compensation for accident victims. These payments are the result of court proceedings and are designed to cater to the medical and financial needs of the affected person. However, at times the offender and the victim may not have an idea about impending costs, which makes it difficult to decide upon a reimbursement amount. To analyze these costs, people need to have immense knowledge of medical expenses. Structured settlement brokers provide this analysis.

Expert structured settlement brokers are specialists who are able to provide approximate calculations of impending costs. These professionals are able to determine future medical expenditures. Their calculations include medical costs and increasing costs of living over the payout period of the structured settlement.

Approximations that structured settlement brokers determine are usually estimates. This is because medical developments are always evolving. Hence, the cost of future innovations cannot be determined. Nevertheless, these brokers and the offenders determine initial charges based upon these estimates. The payment plan can be decided before, during or after a trial. At times, structured settlement brokers assist attorneys if they are not well-versed with guidelines of these payments.

In order to provide services, structured settlement brokers need to obtain details about the victim. This could include information related to the employment and health records of the concerned person. The credit history and financial status of the victim is also disclosed to the broker. These brokers consult with the victim’s lawyer and assist in the consultations with the other party. This endeavor helps arrive at an adequate settlement payment plan.

Structured settlement brokers also advise clients if the structured settlement is to be sold. They counsel clients and help determine actual needs. However, these brokers cannot prevent or manipulate buyers to provide a complete market value for the settlement. These are always sold at discounted rates. These brokers are well-versed with structured settlements and can help sell the entire payment at any time.

Structured Settlement Protection Act.

Model:

SECTION 1. TITLE. This Act shall be known and referred to as the “Structured Settlement Protection Act.”

SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Act--

(a) “annuity issuer” means an insurer that has issued a contract to fund periodic payments under a structured settlement;

(b) “dependents” include a payee’s spouse and minor children and all other persons for whom the payee is legally obligated to provide support, including alimony;

(c) “discounted present value” means the present value of future payments determined by discounting such payments to the present using the most recently published Applicable Federal Rate for determining the present value of an annuity, as issued by the United States Internal Revenue Service;

(d) “gross advance amount” means the sum payable to the payee or for the payee's account as consideration for a transfer of structured settlement payment rights before any reductions for transfer expenses or other deductions to be made from such consideration;

(e) “independent professional advice” means advice of an attorney, certified public accountant, actuary or other licensed professional adviser;

(f) “interested parties” means, with respect to any structured settlement, the payee, any beneficiary irrevocably designated under the annuity contract to receive payments following the payee’s death, the annuity issuer, the structured settlement obligor, and any other party that has continuing rights or obligations under such structured settlement;

(g) “net advance amount” means the gross advance amount less the aggregate amount of the actual and estimated transfer expenses required to be disclosed under Section 3(e) of this Act;

(h) “payee” means an individual who is receiving tax free payments under a structured settlement and proposes to make a transfer of payment rights thereunder;

(i) “periodic payments” includes both recurring payments and scheduled future lump sum payments;

(j) “qualified assignment agreement” means an agreement providing for a qualified assignment within the meaning of section 130 of the United States Internal Revenue Code, United States Code Title 26, as amended from time to time;

(k) “responsible administrative authority” means, with respect to a structured settlement, any government authority vested by law with exclusive jurisdiction over the settled claim resolved by such structured settlement;

(l) “settled claim” means the original tort claim or workers’ compensation claim resolved by a structured settlement;

(m) “structured settlement” means an arrangement for periodic payment of damages for personal injuries or sickness established by settlement or judgment in resolution of a tort claim or for periodic payments in settlement of a workers’ compensation claim;

(n) “structured settlement agreement” means the agreement, judgment, stipulation, or release embodying the terms of a structured settlement;

(o) “structured settlement obligor” means, with respect to any structured settlement, the party that has the continuing obligation to make periodic payments to the payee under a structured settlement agreement or a qualified assignment agreement;

(p) “structured settlement payment rights” means rights to receive periodic payments under a structured settlement, whether from the structured settlement obligor or the annuity issuer, where –

(i) the payee is domiciled in, or the domicile or principal place of business of the structured settlement obligor or the annuity issuer is located in, this State; or

(ii) the structured settlement agreement was approved by a court or responsible administrative authority in this State; or

(iii) the structured settlement agreement is expressly governed by the laws of this State;

(q) “terms of the structured settlement” include, with respect to any structured settlement, the terms of the structured settlement agreement, the annuity contract, any qualified assignment agreement and any order or other approval of any court or responsible administrative authority or other government authority that authorized or approved such structured settlement;

(r) “transfer” means any sale, assignment, pledge, hypothecation or other alienation or encumbrance of structured settlement payment rights made by a payee for consideration; provided that the term “transfer” does not include the creation or perfection of a security interest in structured settlement payment rights under a blanket security agreement entered into with an insured depository institution, in the absence of any action to redirect the structured settlement payments to such insured depository institution, or an agent or successor in interest thereof, or otherwise to enforce such blanket security interest against the structured settlement payment rights;

(s) “transfer agreement” means the agreement providing for a transfer of structured settlement payment rights.

(t) “transfer expenses” means all expenses of a transfer that are required under the transfer agreement to be paid by the payee or deducted from the gross advance amount, including, without limitation, court filing fees, attorneys fees, escrow fees, lien recordation fees, judgment and lien search fees, finders’ fees, commissions, and other payments to a broker or other intermediary; “transfer expenses” do not include preexisting obligations of the payee payable for the payee’s account from the proceeds of a transfer;

(u) “transferee” means a party acquiring or proposing to acquire structured settlement payment rights through a transfer;

SECTION 3. REQUIRED DISCLOSURES TO PAYEE. Not less than three (3) days prior to the date on which a payee signs a transfer agreement, the transferee shall provide to the payee a separate disclosure statement, in bold type no smaller than 14 points, setting forth —

(a) the amounts and due dates of the structured settlement payments to be transferred;

(b) the aggregate amount of such payments;

(c) the discounted present value of the payments to be transferred, which shall be identified as the "calculation of current value of the transferred structured settlement payments under federal standards for valuing annuities", and the amount of the Applicable Federal Rate used in calculating such discounted present value;

(d) the gross advance amount;

(e) an itemized listing of all applicable transfer expenses, other than attorneys’ fees and related disbursements payable in connection with the transferee’s application for approval of the transfer, and the transferee’s best estimate of the amount of any such fees and disbursements;

(f) the net advance amount;

(g) the amount of any penalties or liquidated damages payable by the payee in the event of any breach of the transfer agreement by the payee; and

(h) a statement that the payee has the right to cancel the transfer agreement, without penalty or further obligation, not later than the third business day after the date the agreement is signed by the payee.

SECTION 4. APPROVAL OF TRANSFERS OF STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT PAYMENT RIGHTS.

(a) No direct or indirect transfer of structured settlement payment rights shall be effective and no structured settlement obligor or annuity issuer shall be required to make any payment directly or indirectly to any transferee of structured settlement payment rights unless the transfer has been approved in advance in a final court order or order of a responsible administrative authority based on express findings by such court or responsible administrative authority that —

(i) the transfer is in the best interest of the payee, taking into account the welfare and support of the payee's dependents;

(ii) the payee has been advised in writing by the transferee to seek independent professional advice regarding the transfer and has either received such advice or knowingly waived such advice in writing; and

(iii) the transfer does not contravene any applicable statute or the order of any court or other government authority;

SECTION 5. EFFECTS OF TRANSFER OF STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT PAYMENT RIGHTS. Following a transfer of structured settlement payment rights under this Act:

(a) The structured settlement obligor and the annuity issuer shall, as to all parties except the transferee, be discharged and released from any and all liability for the transferred payments;

(b) The transferee shall be liable to the structured settlement obligor and the annuity issuer:

(i) if the transfer contravenes the terms of the structured settlement, for any taxes incurred by such parties as a consequence of the transfer; and

(ii) for any other liabilities or costs, including reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees, arising from compliance by such parties with the order of the court or responsible administrative authority or arising as a consequence of the transferee's failure to comply with this Act;

(c) Neither the annuity issuer nor the structured settlement obligor may be required to divide any periodic payment between the payee and any transferee or assignee or between two (or more) transferees or assignees; and

(d) Any further transfer of structured settlement payment rights by the payee may be made only after compliance with all of the requirements of this Act.

SECTION 6. PROCEDURE FOR APPROVAL OF TRANSFERS.

(a) An application under this Act for approval of a transfer of structured settlement payment rights shall be made by the transferee and may be brought in the [county] in which the payee resides, in the [county] in which the structured settlement obligor or the annuity issuer maintains its principal place of business, or in any court or before any responsible administrative authority which approved the structured settlement agreement.

(b) Not less than twenty (20) days prior to the scheduled hearing on any application for approval of a transfer of structured settlement payment rights under Section 4 of this Act, the transferee shall file with the court or responsible administrative authority and serve on all interested parties a notice of the proposed transfer and the application for its authorization, including with such notice:

(i) a copy of the transferee’s application;

(ii) a copy of the transfer agreement;

(iii) a copy of the disclosure statement required under Section 3 of this Act;

(iv) a listing of each of the payee's dependents, together with each dependent's age;

(v) notification that any interested party is entitled to support, oppose or otherwise respond to the transferee’s application, either in person or by counsel, by submitting written comments to the court or responsible administrative authority or by participating in the hearing; and

(vi) notification of the time and place of the hearing and notification of the manner in which and the time by which written responses to the application must be filed (which shall be not less than [fifteen (15)] days after service of the transferee’s notice) in order to be considered by the court or responsible administrative authority.

SECTION 7. GENERAL PROVISIONS; CONSTRUCTION.

(a) The provisions of this Act may not be waived by any payee.

(b) Any transfer agreement entered into on or after the effective date of this Act by a payee who resides in this state shall provide that disputes under such transfer agreement, including any claim that the payee has breached the agreement, shall be determined in and under the laws of this State. No such transfer agreement shall authorize the transferee or any other party to confess judgment or consent to entry of judgment against the payee.

(c) No transfer of structured settlement payment rights shall extend to any payments that are life‑contingent unless, prior to the date on which the payee signs the transfer agreement, the transferee has established and has agreed to maintain procedures reasonably satisfactory to the annuity issuer and the structured settlement obligor for (i) periodically confirming the payee’s survival, and (ii) giving the annuity issuer and the structured settlement obligor prompt written notice in the event of the payee’s death.

(d) No payee who proposes to make a transfer of structured settlement payment rights shall incur any penalty, forfeit any application fee or other payment, or otherwise incur any liability to the proposed transferee or any assignee based on any failure of such transfer to satisfy the conditions of this Act.

(e) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to authorize any transfer of structured settlement payment rights in contravention of any law or to imply that any transfer under a transfer agreement entered into prior to the effective date of this Act is valid or invalid.

(f) Compliance with the requirements set forth in Section 3 of this Act and fulfillment of the conditions set forth in Section 4 of this Act shall be solely the responsibility of the transferee in any transfer of structured settlement payment rights, and neither the structured settlement obligor nor the annuity issuer shall bear any responsibility for, or any liability arising from, non-compliance with such requirements or failure to fulfill such conditions.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act shall apply to any transfer of structured settlement payment rights under a transfer agreement entered into on or after the [thirtieth (30th)] day after the date of enactment of this Act; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall imply that any transfer under a transfer agreement reached prior to such date is either effective or ineffective.

Purchase Structured Settlement.

There are several structured settlement companies and corporates that purchase structured settlements and offer a lump sum in exchange. The simple reason for a company to purchase a structured settlement is that it represents a good investment deal. Structured settlement payments from lottery winnings, royalty payments, and insurance annuities are income-tax free and are secured by federal and state regulations.

Companies that purchase structured settlements are thus assured of a steady stream of income over a period of time which allows them to execute their growth plans in an assured manner. Alternatively the money can be invested by these companies where the principal continues to grow.

Corporates purchase structured settlements at a profit. This means that the amount which the seller receives is a discounted amount arrived at by factoring in the profit margins and bank interest rates. Also, by purchasing a structured settlement companies are able to obtain loans more easily. This is because of the secured nature of these settlements. The loan money can be used to pay off a large chunk of the lump sum. Thus, the company ends up paying very little out of its own pockets.

Structured settlements represent secured finances that help improve the market standing of a company which has a healthy effect on their businesses. They represent a safe business option for their partners because of their financial soundness. The more business they generate and prosper the less need these companies have for middle-men in their dealings with sellers of structured settlements. This allows them to offer the best rates to sellers by eliminating broker’s commissions.

The work involved in executing a structured settlement sale basically consists of marketing activity and working with the seller for acquiring court approval. Companies do not require diverting too many resources to this activity but the returns of the efforts are manifold. At any point in time, there are individuals who need cash for immediate use. By establishing a network through agents and by maintaining an online presence, structured settlement buyers can tap into a lucrative source of guaranteed and income that will last them for a long time.

Buyer Of Annuity Structured Settlement.

Finding a qualified buyer of structured settlement annuity is much easier these days thanks to the Internet. With just the click of a mouse you have access to the top note buyers in the country, and you can sell your annuity in a matter of days. It's just a question of finding the right buyer.

Many people find at the beginning or over time that the monthly payments they receive as part of a structured settlement no longer work for them. They might need an immediate source of cash, might be looking to retire or just might not want to assume the risk anymore. Whatever the case may be, there are professionals who are willing to purchase these settlements and assume the risk for you.

It's important to remember that you do not have to sell your entire note. Rather, you can tell the buyer of structured annuity settlement that you only want to sell a portion of it. This is called a partial and it is a common way of structuring the deal. Here's an example of how this works:

Let's say you have a $100,000 settlement paying over 5 years. You need $40k now for a new investment. Well you can sell $40k worth of payments (however many months that works out to be) and retain the rest of the monthly income. Once those payments are made, you resume right where you left off and start receiving your monthlies again.

There are other ways to sell as well, and a knowledgeable buyer of structured settlement annuity will be able to explain all of them to you. After hearing all of the options you can decide which works best for your particular financial situation.

How much will you get for your structured settlement?

That depends on a number of factors, including but not limited to the remaining balance, months/years left, inflationary concerns, timeliness of payments and the financial stability/reliability of the payor. The buyer of structured annuity settlement will take all of these into consideration to come up with their valuation. Remember, it has to make financial sense for them as well as they are taking on the risk of holding this annuity, possibly for many years to come.

If you're considering selling your note, make sure you find a qualified buyer of structured settlement annuity with many years of experience in the industry. This way you are sure to get top dollar for your settlement.

Structured Settlement Company.

A structured settlement company can be a great asset to those who are looking to cash in on their settlement and gain one lump sum in return. However the problem for most people is that they don’t know where to turn to find such a company that can help them with a structured settlement.

If that’s you then you’re in for a treat. Why? Because help is only a few keystrokes and a mouse click away!

Seriously, with the power of the internet you can find a structured settlement company in no time at all. You only need to go to a search engine and type in what you are looking for. (I recommend Google for the most relevant results)

When you type in ‘ structured settlement company ‘ in the search, I am quite sure you’ll see a ton of websites. Some of the most relevant will probably be at the top, but there also be a few hidden gems way down in the search results.

This is just one of the ways to do it, but you might miss out on a good company. While this can be effective, it can also be time consuming. And if you are pressed for time then you’ll want to have someone do the research for you for free.

Well I can hear you saying, “How can I do that?”

I’m glad you asked. :-)

When you go to do your search instead of searching for a structured settlement company, try to search for a website that has a network of companies that do structured settlements. This is the easier way to go. Just by doing this you’ll have all of the resources you need in one place and you can negotiate a settlement that much quicker.

Sell Structured Settlement.

More and more people are choosing to sell structured settlement payment rather than receive their monthly annuities. Why? Because money today is always worth more than money tomorrow, and some people like the certainty that comes with getting a lump sum of cash in hand.

What is a structured settlement? Essentially it is an agreement reached between an injury claimant and a defendant whereby the injured party is paid a certain amount of money every month for a certain period of time. It is referred to as an annuity, and this money is not subject to federal or state tax. It is usually advantageous to both parties, as the victim receives money every month to cover payments such as medical bills, rehabilitation, in-home care, etc. and the payor is able to settle the case and spread payments over a period of months or years to soften the blow.

However, for many people selling structured settlement notes makes sense. They might be at retirement age, need to make a big purchase or stumble upon an amazing investment opportunity. As such, a lump sum would be much more useful to them rather than small payments coming in every month. Even though the lump sum would be less than the total settlement amount, investing that money in even at a moderate rate of return could yield many times the initial amount.

That's why selling structured settlements is appealing. Also, you don't have to sell the entire note, you could sell a portion of it, called a partial, and retain the rest of the payments for yourself. That way you get a lump sum of cash for whatever you need it for and the residual income of the remaining annuity. There are other ways to arrange it as well and a qualified note buyer can spell out all of your options.

What will you get when you sell structured settlement payment?

Well that depends on a variety of factors that the note buyer takes into account when assessing your annuity. Some of these include the outstanding balance, inflation concerns, time span and financial strength of the payor. Remember, it has to make sense financially for the notebuyer as well. He or she is assuming your risk when you sell structured settlement payment to them...the payor can always default, inflation could decrease its worth, market conditions can take a turn for the worse. You never know what can happen.

As such, a lump sum today, even though it is less than the total amount of the structured settlement, is a guaranteed payment which essentially removes all of your risk exposure...that peace of mind you really can't put a price on!

So if you would rather have money in hand than a promissory note, you might want to sell structured settlement payment today and take advantage of a large lump sum of cash. Just make sure you find a qualified, reputable note buyer who can offer you the most when you're selling structured settlement annuities.

Structured Settlement Personal Injury.

Just because you received a structured settlement for your lawsuit, it doesn't mean you have to wait for years to get the money. There are many settlement purchasing companies that will give you instant cash for your structured settlement. These companies can pay cash for the entire structured settlement or purchase your remaining periodic settlement payments. You can spend this lump-sum payment on anything-a house, college tuition, business investments or debts.

If you receive an award from your injury case, an attorney or financial advisor will likely recommend setting up periodic installment payments instead of giving you a lump sum of cash up front for your structured settlement. Then, an independent third party will purchase an annuity that will provide you with tax-free periodic payments.

Companies that offer cash for structured settlements have a variety of programs that can allow you to access any portion of your annuity. For example, you may want to sell as little as four year's worth of payments or receive a lump-sum payment while still enjoying some portion of your monthly payment. Or you can sell your settlement for a large payment that is five or six years in the future. You can also customize an arrangement to get cash for a structured settlement based on your unique needs.

Here's an example of how obtaining cash for a structured settlement works: Let's say you were in an accident five years ago. The accident caused you to be hospitalized for several months and undergo nearly a year's worth of physical therapy. So you hired an attorney and sued the responsible individual-or, rather, the person's insurance company. Ultimately, your attorney advises you that you'll be awarded a substantial sum of money.

After several months or years of negotiation, you receive a sizable settlement. However, the cash you get upfront is only enough to cover the medical expenses. The rest of your compensation is scheduled to be paid out in regular installments through an annuity over the next 15 to 30 years. Rather than being restricted to monthly or annual payments, you contact a settlement purchaser to secure immediate cash for your structured settlement. You're then able to use the cash to enhance your current cash flow-rather than waiting on periodic future payments.

Structured Settlement Lump Sum.

There are several structured settlement companies and corporates that purchase structured settlements and offer a lump sum in exchange. The simple reason for a company to purchase a structured settlement is that it represents a good investment deal. Structured settlement payments from lottery winnings, royalty payments, and insurance annuities are income-tax free and are secured by federal and state regulations.

Companies that purchase structured settlements are thus assured of a steady stream of income over a period of time which allows them to execute their growth plans in an assured manner. Alternatively the money can be invested by these companies where the principal continues to grow.

Corporates purchase structured settlements at a profit. This means that the amount which the seller receives is a discounted amount arrived at by factoring in the profit margins and bank interest rates. Also, by purchasing a structured settlement companies are able to obtain loans more easily. This is because of the secured nature of these settlements. The loan money can be used to pay off a large chunk of the lump sum. Thus, the company ends up paying very little out of its own pockets.

Structured settlements represent secured finances that help improve the market standing of a company which has a healthy effect on their businesses. They represent a safe business option for their partners because of their financial soundness. The more business they generate and prosper the less need these companies have for middle-men in their dealings with sellers of structured settlements. This allows them to offer the best rates to sellers by eliminating broker’s commissions.

The work involved in executing a structured settlement sale basically consists of marketing activity and working with the seller for acquiring court approval. Companies do not require diverting too many resources to this activity but the returns of the efforts are manifold. At any point in time, there are individuals who need cash for immediate use. By establishing a network through agents and by maintaining an online presence, structured settlement buyers can tap into a lucrative source of guaranteed and income that will last them for a long time.

Buyer Of Structured Settlement.

Finding a qualified buyer of structured settlement annuity is much easier these days thanks to the Internet. With just the click of a mouse you have access to the top note buyers in the country, and you can sell your annuity in a matter of days. It's just a question of finding the right buyer.

Many people find at the beginning or over time that the monthly payments they receive as part of a structured settlement no longer work for them. They might need an immediate source of cash, might be looking to retire or just might not want to assume the risk anymore. Whatever the case may be, there are professionals who are willing to purchase these settlements and assume the risk for you.

It's important to remember that you do not have to sell your entire note. Rather, you can tell the buyer of structured annuity settlement that you only want to sell a portion of it. This is called a partial and it is a common way of structuring the deal. Here's an example of how this works:

Let's say you have a $100,000 settlement paying over 5 years. You need $40k now for a new investment. Well you can sell $40k worth of payments (however many months that works out to be) and retain the rest of the monthly income. Once those payments are made, you resume right where you left off and start receiving your monthlies again.

There are other ways to sell as well, and a knowledgeable buyer of structured settlement annuity will be able to explain all of them to you. After hearing all of the options you can decide which works best for your particular financial situation.

How much will you get for your structured settlement?

That depends on a number of factors, including but not limited to the remaining balance, months/years left, inflationary concerns, timeliness of payments and the financial stability/reliability of the payor. The buyer of structured annuity settlement will take all of these into consideration to come up with their valuation. Remember, it has to make financial sense for them as well as they are taking on the risk of holding this annuity, possibly for many years to come.

If you're considering selling your note, make sure you find a qualified buyer of structured settlement annuity with many years of experience in the industry. This way you are sure to get top dollar for your settlement.

Cash For Structured Settlement.



You can quickly and easily get cash for structured settlement payment from a qualified note buyer. It is much less of a hassle than getting a loan from a bank or other lending institution and also removes the risk of carrying a long term annuity.

Structured settlements are arranged for injury victims as a resolution to a court case. It is a financial arrangement, set up as an annuity, whereby the victim receives a set amount of money each and every month for a set amount of years to cover damages, loss, expenses, etc. It usually works out favorably for both parties, as the victim is receiving steady compensation and the defendant can make smaller monthly payments rather than have to go out of pocket up front.

However, many victims would rather receive cash for structured settlement payments rather than wait for a smaller check each month. They might find themselves in need of immediate money for a new investment, a large purchase or even retirement. Maybe they don't want to carry the risk that somewhere down the road the payer defaults for one reason or another.

Whatever the case may be, cash for structured settlement payment is a viable option for those needing a pool of money in the short term. And there are many reputable, qualified note buyers out there who can pay you top dollar for your annuity.

It's important to remember that you don't have to sell your entire annuity. Rather you can sell just a portion and retain the rest of the monthly income. For example, let's say you have a $100,000 structured settlement, paying over the course of 10 years. You might need $25,000 right now for investment purposes. Well you can sell $25,000 worth of payments (however many months of payments it works out to) and once those are over, you resume receiving your monthly checks for the balance.

So in essence you are getting cash for structured settlement payments AND keeping the rest of your annuity as it was. There are also various other options you can take advantage of, and an experienced note buyer will go over all of these with you.

If you are considering selling your structured settlement, make sure you consider all of your options and choose the one that works best for your financial situation. Receiving cash for structured settlement payment is a wise choice for immediate income, decreased risk exposure and peace of mind!

Structured Settlement Payments.

Structured settlements refer to compensation payments via periodic allowance scheme. Usually, such annuity payments established to reimburse the settlement recipients losses of income or working ability in long term.

Such settlement system is first introduced in Canada in the 1970s. The idea was so brilliant and it quickly grabbed its position in United States and turned popular in Europe countries eventually.

Advantages with structured settlement

Structured settlement in general comes with a few advantages that conventional lump sum cash settlements do not give. A few major plus points include the elimination of dissipation risks involve with lump sum cash settlement and tax exemption on the settlement income.

Picture an 18 years old with a huge pile of money from lump sum settlement, the risks of overspend or being conned is very high. Now imagine the same person gets a fix smaller periodic amount from structured settlement, the risk of being targeted by con man is minimum. So is the chance of wasting the money recklessly.

In United States, favorable tax treatment rules have been extended to the cash received under annuity payment agreement in order to encourage the use of structured settlement system. For instant, money income from structured settlement payment are not included in gross income when filing tax, this means that the payment from structured settlement is non-taxable.

Making a structured settlement claims

The completion of a structured settlement requires contracted agreement from two major parties: the settlement insurer and the settlement claimant. The insurer can be an insurance company, a qualified settlement fund trustee, or even an individual defendant (in rare case).

In the beginning of a claiming process, the insurer have to promises to pay future periodic payments to the claimant with all or a portion of the negotiated personal injury damages in exchange for a release via a contractual agreement.

If the offer is agreed by the claimant, he or she will release the claim in exchange for the promise by the insurer via signing off the contractual agreement. The settlement can consists of one or more future benefit payments to claimant in addition to immediate cash items (for attorney fees, liens).

To finalized, the insurer will need to make an assignment of its obligation to pay future periodic payments to a third-party. The assignee assumes this obligation. The plaintiff agrees to the assignment in the release and agrees to look to the assignee as the obligor for the promised future periodic payments.

The assignee receives funds from the Defendant/Insurer or QSF Trustee and uses these funds to purchase an annuity contract in an amount sufficient to fund the periodic payment obligation it has assumed. The assignee owns the annuity contract and may either make payments directly to the Plaintiff/Claimant or may direct that the annuity issuer make the payments.

Alternatives for structured settlement

In case you received a structured settlement and wish to have the lump sum cash settlement instead, you can. Nowadays there are plenty of insurance companies or financial institutions that are willing to purchase a structured settlement. This means that structured settlement recipients can sell their settlement in exchange of a lump sum of instant cash.

Insurance Structured Settlement.

Cash life insurance settlement refers to a cash settlement for relinquishing the life insurance policy of a person for several reasons, like medical treatment, incapacity to afford premiums, poor performance of the policy, and so on. Generally Cash Life Insurance Settlement companies purchase life insurance policies from individuals, trusts and companies and award a fixed percentage of the policy amount to the policy seller. Then the Company will become the owner and beneficiary of the policy and when the policy owner dies or when the policy matures, the Company collects the full amount of the policy. Therefore obviously, the difference between the amount that the Company has paid to the policy owner and the amount it has received from the Insurance Company will be the income to the Company on that particular insurance settlement transaction. Cash Life Insurance settlement companies offer higher amounts on the insurance settlements than the insurance companies.

Owing to several reasons, insurance policy owners may go for cash life settlements. If the policy owner is in great need of money for emergency situations or for meeting expensive medical treatment, he/she may choose cash life settlements. Similarly if the policy owner thinks that the policy is no longer serving his needs, if he wants to invest that amount in some other better policy or if he wants to supplement the policy amount along with his other retirement benefits, then he can opt for cash life settlements. On the other hand, some policyholders wish to have inheritance cash advances in which the heirs of the policyholder receive a portion of the policy amount now itself instead of waiting until the holder dies.

Generally cash life insurance settlements are availed by only those people who carry life insurance policy worth of minimum one hundred thousand dollars in U.S.A. Moreover senior cash life settlements are availed by those people whose age is above sixty-five years and whose policy amount exceeds one hundred thousand dollars. There are some cash life settlement brokers who will bid on the policy. However it is up to the policy owner to accept or reject the offer made by the broker. Before selecting the cash life settlement company, the policyholder should be very careful and should do thorough prior research about the genuineness of the company.

Structured Annuity Settlement

The process of arriving at a structured settlement is through negotiations concerning the value of the annuity and payment schedule. The process involves primarily a claimant and the life insurance company; if the structured settlement annuity is related to litigation, it will involve the defendant as well.

As per the process, the defendant agrees as per a contractual agreement to pay the claimant sums of money on a periodic basis and in exchange the claimant drops his litigation. The defendant directs a third party/assignee to execute the annuities on its behalf and provides it with funds necessary to do so. An annuity contract is purchased by the assignee and is used for fulfilling the periodic payment obligations.

Individuals who are in the process of obtaining a structured settlement annuity can avail the services of a broker who can help them with the best deal available with respect to their circumstances.

Structured settlements are popular because of the benefits that they offer. These include a tax-free payment stream over a period of time and a guarantee of payment. Other investment alternatives such as stocks and real estate may offer better returns but do not provide the guarantee and security offered by structured settlements. These settlements are regulated by state and federal laws that need to be observed. These laws may require compulsory legal opinion in a structured settlement transaction.

Structured settlement firms manage the paperwork of a structured settlement annuity. The documents include the Settlement Agreement and Release, court orders, assignment agreement, and the annuity contract. The defendant should ensure that he fulfills all conditions for the annuity to remain tax-free for the duration of the settlement. In order to protect the tax-free status of a structured settlement annuity, it is also important to ensure that once the structured settlement annuity has been agreed upon by the concerned parties, it should not be altered. The payments from a structured settlement can also be made to an estate, in such a case, they are free from income tax but estate tax is levied. The closing of a structured settlement can take three to six months. An individual starts receiving payments thirty to forty-five days after getting the court order.

What Is Structured Settlement.



A structured settlement is a financial or insurance arrangement, including periodic payments, that a claimant accepts to resolve a personal injury tort claim or to compromise a statutory periodic payment obligation. Structured settlements were first utilized in Canada and the United States during the 1970s as an alternative to lump sum settlements. Structured settlements are now part of the statutory tort law of several common law countries including: Australia, Canada, England and the United States. Although some uniformity exists, each of these countries has its own definitions, rules and standards for structured settlement. Structured settlements may include income tax and spendthrift requirements as well as benefits. Structured settlement payments are sometimes called “periodic payments”. A structured settlement incorporated into a trial judgment is called a “periodic payment judgment”.