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July 04, 2007

Why is Pressman Settlements Still Touting "Full Market Access" and "Staff With Over 16 years of Experience"?

Pressman Settlements Corporation is STILL making the above claims first highlighted in Structured Settlements 4Real's May 2, 2007 post Unim"pre ss"ed with Buffalo Bull".

Nose-picker

This isn't a case of wanton, er... "picking" on Pressman. Based on research conducted by this author and detailed in the prior post, Pressman's claims appear to support my opinion that it is engaging in false advertising. Is it OK to "fake it until you make it" when soliciting regulated financial products?  I don't think so!

What is it with Buffalo, New York?  The city of Buffalo appears to have one of the highest per capita concentrations of structured settlement firms . Two of those firms have been highlighted here for advertising issues. We've previously highlighted the specious structured attorney fee interest rate claims ("equivocated guaranteed rate of approximately 15%) of Buffalo compatriot and her former employer Forge Consulting. Now we've got Pressman who, ironically (according to Buffalo Business First), was its Director of Marketing and Operations in 2003. What I'd like to know is how long can Pressman make such claims, knowing that it does not have direct "full market access" and no longer has the back office" "with over 16 years of experience" "in the (structured settlements) industry"?

Perhaps there needs to be a thinning out of one or two members of  the Buffalo herd.

On the technical side Elizabeth Pressman crafts her own noose  Noose by first correctly stating that "there is simply no room for guesswork when so much is at stake". Pressman then gets an incomplete for stating that  "even cases that involve tax exposure – environmental pollution liability, and property loss claims – can benefit from a structured settlement approach. The term "stuctured settlement" is defined under the Internal Revenue Code. Unless an element of damages in a case involves a personal physical injury** or physical sickness**, or workers compensation**, there is no "structured settlement" per se. Such cases can be resolved by way of a non qualified assignment, which some refer to as a "non qualified structured settlement" or "tax deferred structured settlement".

** intrinsic components of the tax exclusion on damages per IRC 104(a)(1) and 104(a)(2)

July 12, 2007 footnote: SS4R has learned that Pressman Settlements has just engaged the  none exclusive services of the industry's back office, Joan Schaefer, who does have over 16 years of experience and works with many plaintiff and defense structured settlement brokers. SS4R has also learned how Elizabeth Pressman gets into her clients' boudoir! Apparently her female clients are "enrobed" by Pressman. That leaves us all still wondering about the "full market access" thingy.


Posted at 12:36 PM in News About Structured Settlements, Settlement Advertising Wall of Shame, Settlement Planning Ethics, Structured Settlement Brokers, Structured Settlement Credentials, Structured Settlements |

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Guide to Structured Settlements 2020

  • What is a Structured Settlement? How do I get a Structured Settlement?
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  • 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.
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    Ways You Can Structure Your Settlement Payments. With a structured settlement you can have more than one type of payment in a single contract. Different types of structured settlement payments can be customized and combined to meet your needs on a stand-alone basis, or in conjunction with other financial products. Diversify your structured settlement, if you wish, by funding with more than one annuity issuer, with treasury funded structured settlements or even an index linked structured settlement.
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    Structured attorney fees is a financial strategy that offers a unique way to defer taxes for lawyers and law firms. Lawyers CAN structure their legal fees even if the plaintiff doesn't structure their settlement. There are multiple ways to structure your attorney fees, such as the an index linked structured settlement where payments are adjusted based on upside changes in the S&P 500 with no downside and a cap of 5%. Trial Lawyers may also use a special deferred pay/deferred compensation arrangement, if market based returns returns are desired with no cap. Plan NOW for year end! Put structured attorney fee expert John Darer® on your settlement planning team.
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  • 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 it here.

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    with a stable readership that seeks credible structured settlement information and/or opinion about topical issues related to settlement planning, targeted to lawyers, injured persons and their family members, guardians, survivors, judges, magistrates, special masters, mediators, administrators, trust companies, insurance company executives and adjusters, financial advisers settlement professionals, financial professionals, insurance regulators, government leaders, federal and state law enforcement, buyers and sellers of structured settlement payment rights, the news media and other interested parties. 4structures.com LLC established the structured settlement blog in 2005 to fill a need for critical commentary in an under-served.marketplace. The John Darer® authored blog has been among the most prolific, providing fresh structured settlement, settlement planning and litigation recovery management content and commentary regularly. John Darer®, CLU ChFC MSSC CeFT® RSP CLTC, President of Stamford, CT based 4structures.com, LLC, is an experienced New York City area structured settlement expert, structured settlement broker, Certified Financial Transitionist, and Registered Settlement Planner. WHAT YOU GET here is the straight stuff with a touch of irreverence and humor. We hope you enjoy and find the content to be helpful.. Subscribe to the structured settlement blog feed, or a specific category feed through your blog reader, or through the Feedburner icon on this page. Followers of JDDarer™ on Twitter may also receive select content. Thank you for reading!

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