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November 12, 2005

Structured Settlements 4Real® Blog | Cutting Through Structured Settlement Clutter

by John Darer® CLU ChFC MSSC RSP CLTC

Welcome to the Structured Settlement Blog!

The purpose of the Structured Settlements 4Real® blog is to present news and real, relevant information about structured settlements and settlement planning issues affecting parties in claims or litigation.  I will delve into everything there is to know about structured settlements, the good, the bad and the ugly.  In this post we are concerned with the party to whom such planning and financial instruments are designed to protect, the plaintiffs and their families.

This author, along with others, holds the view that the vast amount of clutter on the web is detrimental to plaintiffs, who are, in many respects, the ultimate consumers. This clutter arises from grossly misleading, confusing, and even outright deceptive messages displayed by Internet search engines. As an increasing number of individuals rely on the Internet for information, there is a growing concern that consumers may seek assistance from the wrong sources and make decisions based on inaccurate information, potentially leading to significant negative consequences in their lives.

Our target audience comprises plaintiffs, defendants, insurance company representatives, structured settlement brokers, consultants, and experts—defined as "those creating structured settlements" rather than those who "purchase" them. Additionally, we aim to engage judges, state and federal lawmakers, traditional media representatives, and influencers. Alongside posts authored by us, we aspire to feature articles contributed by guest authors and bloggers to enhance the value of this resource for readers.

Posted at 09:57 AM in Boca Raton Florida Structured Settlements, Boston Structured Settlements, Bridgeport Structured Settlements, Bronx New York Structured Settlements, Brooklyn New York Structured Settlements, Buffalo New York Structured Settlements, Chicago Illinois Structured Settlements, Factoring Company Bad Business Practices, Missouri Structured Settlements, NC Structured Settlements, New Haven CT Structured Settlements, New Jersey Structured Settlements, New Orleans Louisiana Structured Settlements, New York City Structured Settlements, New York Personal Injury, New York Settlement Planning, New York Structured Settlements, Newburgh Structured Settlements, News About Structured Settlements, NH structured settlements, NJ Structured Settlements, North Carolina Structured Settlements, Orange County Structured Settlements, Plaintiff Settlement Planning, Plaintiff Structured Settlements, Providence Rhode Island Structured Settlements, Settlements in Queens County New York, South Carolina Structured Settlements, St. Louis Structured Settlements, Stamford Structured Settlements, Staten Island Structured Settlements, Structured Settlement Industry News, Structured Settlement Information, Structured Settlement Watchdog®, Structured Settlements, Structured Settlements 4Real® Blog, Suffolk County Structured Settlements, Syracuse Structured Settlements, Tampa Structured Settlements, Texas Structured Settlements, Tulsa Structured Settlements, TX structured settlements, VA Structured Settlements, Virginia Structured Settlements, Washington Structured Settlements, West Virginia Structured Settlements, Westchester Structured Settlements, White Plains Structured Settlements, Wisconsin Structured Settlements, WV Structured Settlements |

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Mark Wahlstrom

John,

Welcome to the world of blogging and for adding another voice to the structured settlement community online. Look forward to reading your stuff.

Posted by: Mark Wahlstrom | November 12, 2005 at 10:53 AM

The comments to this entry are closed.

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Guide to Structured Settlements 2025

  • What is a Structured Settlement? What You Need to Know
    Structured settlements and what you need to know about them including a helpful introductory video featuring A.M. Best Client Recommended Structured Settlement Expert and Registered Settlement Planner John Darer of 4structures.com LLC
  • How Do Structured Settlements Work? How Structured Settlements Work
    How structured settlements work, including 4structures.com LLC's super helpful structured settlement flow chart/diagram showing how structured settlements fit in on the spectrum of settlement planning solutions.
  • Rated Ages and Structured Settlement Cost
    Rated Ages for Structured Settlement Annuities present advantages to all parties. Shift the mortality risk to a life insurance company which specializes in assessing mortality risk to price its life insurance and annuity products. Rated ages boost your structured settlement annuity benefit per premium dollar, or your yield on lifetime payments. Rated ages help to reduce the cost of funding a Medicare Set Aside arrangement where a Structured MSA, is being used [WCMSA, LMSA or NFMSA].
  • Top Structured Settlement Annuity Companies 2025
    Which life insurance companies issue structured settlement annuities in 2025? A list of current structured annuity issuers, the location of their home offices and their financial ratings from A.M. Best, Moodys, Fitch, Standard & Poors and/or other Tier1 NAIC ratings, with links to their websites and other useful information. Last updated June 6, 2025
  • Treasury Funded Structured Settlements
    Treasury Funded Structured Settlements are a settlement option for the most conservative using the OTHER permissible qualified funding asset under IRC 130(d), United States Treasury Bonds in addition to, or instead of, structured settlement annuities. Treasury Funded Structured Settlements can also be used to fund installment sales, also known as structured sales and other non qualified structured settlements.
  • Compare Structured Settlement IRR to Other Settlement Alternatives
    Use the Taxable Equivalent Yield chart to help compare the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of a structured settlement to other alternative or complementary investments. Need help with the chart? Call 4structures.com® LLC at 888-325-8640
  • Structured Settlement Payments | Types of Structured Settlements 2025
    In 2025, you can structure your settlement payments in various ways. A structured settlement allows for multiple payment types within one agreement. You can tailor and merge different structured settlement payments to suit your individual needs, either alone or alongside other financial instruments. If desired, diversify your structured settlement by utilizing multiple annuity issuers, treasury-funded structured settlements, index-linked structured settlement payments, and market-based structured options.
  • Structured Attorney Fees for Tax Deferral for Attorney Contingency Fees
    Structured attorney fees offer a financial strategy that provides a unique method for deferring taxes for attorneys and their firms. Attorneys can structure or defer their legal fees independently of whether the plaintiff structures their settlement. There are various ways to structure attorney fees, including capped or uncapped index-linked structured settlement annuities with payments adjusted according to the S&P 500 or another index's positive changes. Trial lawyers might also opt for a special deferred payment/compensation arrangement if they seek market-based returns without a cap. As the year-end approaches, consider adding structured attorney fee specialist John Darer® to your settlement planning team for 2025.
  • Structured Settlement Annuity Company Customer Service Phone Numbers
    Receiving structured settlement payments from your own structured settlement or inherited structured settlement? You'll like this huge time saver. Click the title for a link to a comprehensive list of customer service telephone numbers that includes both current AND former structured settlement annuity issuers and reinsurers. If you have simple bank or beneficiary changes, or if the insurance company that issued the structured annuity has merged, sold or spun off its block of structured annuity business (e.g. Aviva, Allstate, Transamerica, AEGON, GE Capital, Liberty, CNA, Confederation Life), oran annuity issuer has changed its name and you're trying to track them down. Here you go! The list is regularly updated. Last updated June 19, 2025
  • Structured Settlement Quote Lock-Ins | What You Need To Know
    What does a Structured Settlement Lock-In Mean? How do plaintiffs, defendants and insurers benefit from a structured settlement quote lock in when finalizing a settlement? How does the defendant/insurer/court benefit from using a structured settlement lock-in? Where to be careful when using structured settlement lock ins.
  • What Are Structured Settlement Annuities?
    Structured settlement annuities are annuities that can provide one or more customized annuity payment streams in a single contract. Read about structured settlement annuities here.
  • History of Structured Settlements
    Tracing the roots of structured settlements history from 1918, when Congress exempted damages for personal injury or sickness from income tax, to the establishment of structured settlements as a core personal injury settlement planning tool to the present day.
  • What Are Market Based Structured Settlements?
    Market based structured settlements are an alternative or supplementary structured settlement solution for the plaintiff, attorney or law firm that: 1. Can afford to take some market risk 2. Have discretionary settlement dollars. Claimants and attorneys alike may find that market-based structured settlements provide the opportunity to receive tax-free income, or tax-deferred income, while enjoying growth potential.
  • iStructure |Uncapped Fixed Index Structured Settlement Annuity
    iStructure is an innovative game changing fixed index structured settlement annuity for plaintiffs or attorneys. with an intermediate to long term horizon
  • Structured Settlements and Longevity Risk| What Are the Odds?
    Do your financial resources give you enough road, or will the road run out before you do? A structured settlement annuity helps mitigate the risk of outliving your savings, no matter how long you live. A structured settlement can include one or more customized payment streams and types.
  • Intellectual Property Structured Settlements
    While intellectual property wasn’t a common focus for structured settlements, the growth of IP litigation led to some firms, including 4structures.com, LLC, adapting structured settlements in this context. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act shifted some Intellectual Property assets (e,g, patents) from capital gains treatment to ordinary income treatment, while increasing tax rates on lump-sum sales from 20% to 37%, increasing the appeal of structured settlement options for tax planning. Click through for more details!

Qualified Settlement Funds

  • What is a Qualified Settlement Fund?
    Qualified Settlement Funds | What You Need to Know
  • Firmwide Qualified Settlement Funds Debunked
    Firmwide qualified settlement funds have been heavily promoted to trial lawyers, but have been debunked in a detailed analysis in a July 2022 legal opinion a tax partner at the law firm of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP. Trial lawyers and firms who have established Firmwide QSFs or coinsidering establishing a Firmwide QSF should read the analysis as part of their evaluation.

Contact Structured Settlement Expert John Darer®

About The Structured Settlement Blog

  • Subscribe to John Darer's Blog | Here's How!
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  • STRUCTURED SETTLEMENTS 4REAL® Blog Is a Popular Source of Structured Settlement News, Information and Commentary, John Darer Reviews, Settlement Planning News and Financial Solutions for over 19 years,
    With a dedicated readership seeking reliable information on structured settlements, John Darer offers reviews, commentary, and opinions on topical issues related to settlement planning. This content is tailored to lawyers, injured individuals and their families, wrongful death survivors, guardians, judges, magistrates, special masters, mediators, administrators, trust companies, insurance executives and adjusters, financial advisers, settlement professionals, insurance regulators, government leaders, law enforcement, buyers and sellers of structured settlement payment rights, the media, and other stakeholders. 4structures.com LLC established this blog in 2005. John Darer®, CLU, ChFC, MSSC, CeFT®, RSP, CLTC, serves as President of 4structures.com, based in Stamford, CT 06902. An experienced structured settlement expert, broker, Certified Financial Transitionist, and Registered Settlement Planner, John Darer holds insurance licenses in 45 states. With 41 years of financial services experience and 31 years specializing in structured settlements and settlement planning, he is a trusted authority in the field. As an investigative journalist and professional commentator, John Darer strongly believes that scrutinizing business practices is both beneficial and newsworthy. He advocates for injury victims, their families, and legal advisers to engage in settlement planning discussions with properly trained, informed, and licensed professionals. His work provides valuable insights and serves as a deterrent for unethical practices, benefitting practitioners, firms, and those under scrutiny. This blog delivers straightforward content with a touch of humor and irreverence, aiming to educate and entertain its audience. Subscribe to the structured settlement blog feed, or a specific category feed through your blog reader, or through the Subscribe button at the top left of this page. Followers of JDDarer™ on X (formerly Twitter) may also receive select content. If you would like to speak with John Darer he can be reached at (888)325-8640 Thank you for reading! Last updated February 18, 2025

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Connecticut Structured Settlements

  • Connecticut Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Experts 2025
    4structures.com LLC is based in Stamford CT and works with clients located all over CT, Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, New Haven, Hartford, West Hartford, West Haven, Torrington, Danbury, Easton, Weston, Wilton, Windsor Locks, , Norwalk, Middletown, New London, Ridgefield, Westport, Oxford, Stratford, Old Greenwich, Stafford, Storrs, Groton, Harwinton, Milford, West Haven, Glenville, Long Ridge, Stonington, East Hartford, Guilford, Litchfield County, Fairfield County, New Haven County, Waterbury, Shelton as well as 44 other states and the District of Columbia.
  • Help With Structured Settlements
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  • Rep. Joe Courtney D-CT - "Structured Settlements & Holly's Story-Video
    Connecticut Representative and former plaintiff lawyer Joe Courtney discusses structured settlements and shares positive experiences with his former clients in a May 2009 video.

Structured Settlements 4Real Reader Comments

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  • "Impressive Blog" -Counsel to Am Law 200 ranked International Law Firm July 22, 2020
  • "Thank you so much for giving us your time and leading us in the right path , Thank you, you are a God send , God bless you in all your works" -K April 11, 2017
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  • "I wanted to send you this email to say Happy New Year to you and your family. May God continue to bless you. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet you on the phone. I truly thank you for introducing me and my son, (redacted) to (lawyer). It is people like you that God put in the path of my son situation. Thanks a million times! {original on file] 1-2-2015
  • "John Darer has been nothing but honest,helpful,informative with options, & his "time" was NEVER an issue!"-Andrew S 8/18/2012
  • " I wish there were more like you" JG 9-15-2014
  • In my opinion, John Darer is an excellent consumer advocate in the insurance industry. When I had no one else to turn to after running up against the stone walls of these giant insurance company, John Darer used hours of his own time to investigate my situation. Not only is this an invaluable service to me the consumer but it is also of great value to the insurance industry by providing them consumer feed-back. This allows the insurance companies to correct their faults and move toward greater transparency which improves the overall public image of the insurance industry as a whole" JW 9/4/2014
  • John, Keep fighting the fight. -NASP member 12-4-2013
  • John...Thank you for your professional advice-Brandon 11-13-2013
  • "...Thanks to Mr. Darer's blog and personal pointers I was able to obtain a fair price for the sale of client structured settlement. Therefore, if one has no choice, but to sell their settlement educate yourself first before selling start by reading John's blog" Mr P. 11/17/2012
  • "I always appreciate when he (John Darer) keeps us informed on regs and rules. No one does it better"- structured settlement industry colleague and reader RY 7/26/2012
  • "Amen - and continued thanks for your vigilance, John"- RL 8/18/2011
  • "Thanks for writing these great blogs on your site John! As an individual investor I have learned so much about the secondary market (for annuities, structured settlements, lottery payments, etc.) from your blogs and video series!!!" (6/5/2011)
  • I have found the intelligent and forthright information on your site a godsend. So much so I have tried in a small way to pass on my findings to others. Please keep up the good work and enhance your well deserved reputation as the authority on this subject- Mike 4/29/2011
  • John - I can't thank you enough for bringing this to my attention. In my wildest dreams... PJ-May 12, 2011
  • John, I love reading your blog! Not only have I found very useful information there, but the comedy is much appreciated! Thanks for talking about "the big pink elephant in the living room" that everyone else ignores! Thank you again for your help via phone and blog! I really needed to hear what you had to say today! BM 11/23/2010
  • John—this (video published 11/2010) is a well done piece. I like the way you always stick to the facts-AM
  • What a wonderful blog you have! I have completely enjoyed reading some of your posts (4/16/2010)
  • Thank you so very much for discussing my concerns about Symetra, my annuity company. I am amazed that PI attorneys as well as a settlement broker in San Diego, could not answer the simplest questions I had regarding the Safeco/Symetra issue. Your blog/web site is most interesting and informative, and I am grateful you have take on the "watchdog" role! Thank you so much again (3/25/10)
  • "Keep up the good work exposing abuses in our industry - our future depends on clients being properly advised."-CD
  • Just checked out your blog and loved it. Keep up the good and balanced work-DL
  • "...we have never met but I thoroughly enjoy your web site and blog - excellent material…-PB
  • "I enjoy your website and its content. Informative and well written"-JC
  • I heard a radio ad for the Peachtree Settlement Fund as I was driving into work this morning. (San Francisco Bay area.) I decided to check it out on the Internet and came upon your blog. Thank you very much. I do not have a “structured” settlement,
  • "All the others that I had emailed & have seen on the net were "cash now types" & have no concern of me & just are looking for my $$$. When I came across your site & blog I realized that u are an upstanding guy & are not like others. That's why I emailed"
  • This was Great. Right On Point-TS
  • "Other Than John Darer No One Seems To Be Doing Anything"-J
  • Thanks for your help and also for the good work you do on behalf of our industry-L
  • "Thank you for being the inspiration that you are and for being a strong advocate for integrity in our business"-KL
  • "I Commend You On Your Effort To Make a Difference!" -R
  • "He is a fabulous writer who has a great passion for the structured settlement industry. I commend him on the passion he invokes when he writes on his blog listed above. That type of commitment and passion is hard to find and is rare in this world" -AC

Structured Settlement Best Practices Corner

  • New York Insurance Advertising law requires the full name of the Insurer to be listed along with the city and state of the principal office. Stating that you represent these fine companies using Insurance company logos without the preceding information are also illegal
  • When it comes to settlement documents it is the ultimate responsibility of the lawyers or claims adjusters who receive input concerning the structured settlement aspects of the documents to actually read the entire document, exercise independent thought and advise their clients properly
  • Be aware that financial advisors use of testimonials is prohibited or restricted
  • Most states require that Testimonials represent the CURRENT opinion of the person who made the testimonial. Be prepared to back it up.
  • Number of States That Prohibit Payment of QSF expenses by licensed agents and brokers
    5 Survey not yet complete.

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  • Learn more about structured settlements by reading structured settlement expert John Darer's blog
    Researching Structured Settlements? It may be helpful to check (1) in Archived Blog Posts (above left); (2) use the Google search box (below); (1) visit the 4structures® website at https://www.4structures.com, (4) visit 4structures® Structured Settlement Experts YouTube Channel by clicking https://www.youtube.com/user/4structures1, or (5) call settlement expert John Darer® at 888-325-8640, toll-free in the USA, 646-849-1588 in New York City, or 203-325-8640 in CT, or from outside the USA.
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  • The John Darer® authored Structured Settlements 4Real® blog is the most prolific structured settlement blog, providing information, commentary and opinion since 2005 with over 5,420 blog posts, and counting!

Why Take a Structured Settlement?

  • A structured settlement provides financial security for personal injury victims, wrongful death survivors, and their families by establishing a stable foundation. Each structured settlement features a negotiated, customized stream of payments that can offer long-term, tax-free income for several years or even a lifetime. Unlike other income annuities, a structured settlement annuity can include multiple payment streams, payable in varying amounts at different times and over different periods, to address diverse needs within a single contract. Last updated July 5,2025

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