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July 08, 2008

3rd Party Attacks Robert Ostrov's Absurdity on High Structured Settlement Factoring Discount Rates

by Structured Settlement Watchdog

Referring to yesterday's discussion of Structured Asset Funding's in-house counsel Robert Ostrov's explanation of structured settlement factoring, a competitor offers the following response:

"The comparison of discount rates to credit card rates is a bit absurd and seems to be a way for Mr. Ostrov to justify why his or other structured settlement factoring companies charge such high rates. Any company in the industry has the ability to provide rates under 10% (emphasis added). Here is another list of reasons this comparison is absurd:

  • Credit card interest rates are determined by an individual’s personal credit score (and other factors)
  • Discount rates in factoring transactions are determined by a companies (sic) financial rating (most life companies retaining a A to AAA rating)" Andrew Cravenho, Settlement Quotes, LLC

Cravenho also states that high average effective discount rates are the result of "the unwillingness to shop around by most annuitants and the low ball and readjust pricing models that most companies use to price transactions equates to higher effective discount rates".

For Cravenho's complete response click here

For consumers who have no alternative but to go down this road of factoring their structured settlements, the higher the effective discount rate the less money for the consumer.
 

Posted at 11:28 AM in Cash Now Pushers | The "Cash Now Fix", Structured Asset Funding/123 Lump Sum, Structured Settlement Factoring, Structured Settlement Factoring News, Structured Settlement Transfers, Structured Settlement Watchdog®, Structured Settlements in Fort Lauderdale FL |

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Guide to Structured Settlements 2023

  • What is a Structured Settlement? What You Need to Know
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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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    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
    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, index linked structured settlement payments and market based structured .
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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 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.
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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.

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