Structured settlements expert John Darer reviews the latest structured settlements news, information and provides expert opinion and commentary, including settlement planning issues/ ideas for settlement management, incisive Structured Settlement Watchdog® commentary that may be helpful to lawyers, plaintiffs, claims adjusters, judges, the news media, sellers, buyers of structured settlement payment rights and interested others, The style is spicy, informative, irreverent and effective. The most prolific structured settlements blog, Now in 18th Year! Check back daily for something new.
From an anonymous source in response to yesterday's post:
"John, The truth to this matter was that the annuitant had a list of questions for the attorney to answer. The attorney didn't answer any questions asked by the annuitant and just sent over some crap that took 3 minutes to complete. The annuitant is in the process of filing a complaint with the California Bar Association against this attorney. The annuitant is in her early 20's and is using the money to go back to school. She explained to the attorney that she is unable to get financial aid because of her age, family status, and other reasons. Background: In order to obtain financial aid an individual has to be over 24 or needs a parent to co-sign on the financial aid. This was explained along with several other important facts to the attorney when the IPA was requested. Not only did the attorney not pay any attention to what was written to him, he provided stock responses that would never solve her financial issues. He told her to go get a student loan which was impossible to do so. When the annuitant received the IPA from the attorney, she had questions about his remarks which went unanswered and when he did answer he provided sarcastic responses to her situation. BTW, at the time this article was written the both attorney's had already been paid".
Note: The attorney in question call who contacted me yesterday claimed he had not been paid.
A California attorney who dispenses independent financial advice to annuitants considering selling structured settlement payments to raise cash called me today. Apparently an annuitant didn't like the fact that his "independent financial advice" was not to sell ("was a bad deal"), so the annuitant sought other "independent financial advice" until they heard what they wanted to hear.
To top it off the factoring company attempted to stiff the attorney providing the "independent financial advice"
It's nice when a statute has teeth in it!
Reference
Here's the relevant section of the California Insurance Code.
(d) All court costs and filing fees shall be paid by the transferee.
(e) No later than the time of filing the petition for court approval, the transferee shall advise the payee of the payee's right to seek independent counsel and financial advice in connection with the transferee's petition for court approval of the transfer agreement, and shall further advise the payee that if the payee retains counsel, a licensed certified public accountant, or a licensed actuary in connection with a petition for an order approving the transfer agreement, that the transferee shall pay the fees of the payee's counsel, accountant, or actuary, regardless of whether the transfer agreement is approved, and regardless of whether the attorney, accountant, or actuary files any document or appears at the hearing on the application for transfer, in an aggregate amount not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500). The transferee's accountant, counsel, or actuary may not advise the payee.
(f) The court shall retain continuing jurisdiction to interpret and monitor the implementation of the transfer agreement as justice requires.
J.G. Wentworth's own statistics suggest that less than 5% of structured settlements have been factored yet some attorneys shun structured settlements because of their fear that their clients will factor their settlements. Is this fear rational or irrational? This post examines the fear, explores the root of the fear and suggests a solution.
I was at an ABA TIPS conference in Washington in November 2005 where I was speaking on a panel about structured settlements. At the speakers dinner I overheard a fear mongering stock broker repeatedly emphasizing to anyone that would listen that structured settlements can be sold and the attendant risk to their clients.
The structured settlement industry has done a generally poor job of capturing advertising "shelf space" particularly on the Internet. Only a handful of primary market players regularly place high in the search results. Many companies have not found a way to effectively compete with the hedge fund and foreign money that is (one way or another) pumped into the advertising budgets of the likes of JG Wentworth, Peachtree and others.
As one time visitor to the Galapagos Islands I gained a natural appreciation for the Darwinian theory of evolution or survival of the species, so I'm not whining about silver spoons, deeper pockets or ineffectual efforts of some competitors. What I am saying is that the advertising approach of some factoring companies may be harmful to the sale of structured settlements and ultimately the opportunities for such companies. If JG Wentworth is truly the "thought leader" that their "snookems" Pat HIndert characterizes them, then why have they done so little about their over saturated advertising? So what if it's memorable. If you pull your pants down in public it might also be memorable but distasteful. Same goes for Peachtree Settlement Funding,123 Lump Sum, Woodbridge and others.
Fraudulent advertising with the "cash now" message does not help build prestige for the factoring industry For some attorneys it erodes confidence in the structured settlement product and creates an open opportunity for competing products. I know I know. You try to explain it away by giving them a "tuppence" now or say 90 days is "somewhat like now" depending on your perspective but who are we kidding?
The following comment now appears in the Morning Call article I critiqued in the previous post:
"Well unless you are in a situation where you have four children and the mom only working becasue (sic) Dad cannot - from two incomes to one, you don't know what you are talking about. And may I say WRKUPA1, I resent your comment. I have never been on food stamps, Welfare, SSI, or the Chip program. That's what the money went for to help in the raising of those four kids - so I would NOT be on any assistance programs. That's not how I was raised. My pride would not let me. And yes, we sold annuities and received much lower payment as this article states,but when you are in a position of need, it doesn't matter the loss we had to take. My children were provided for and that was the bottom line! And when you are in that position, no bank will give you a loan despite the future income promise. I tried. They want to see you can pay it back now. So hopefully this is some food for thought to all of you out there who judge. Walk in my shoes for 20 years"
We publish this to offer a different perspective. Sometimes there are valid reasons for people to sell their structured settlement payment rights. Under present law in most states, a Court determines whether or not such transfers are in the best interest of the payee and their dependents.
While we are not judging this woman, we believe that pride and unwillingness to shop alternative purchasers possibly cost her and her family a lot of money. For example she should have gone to a factoring exchange where a competitive bidding process would have taken place.
If you have a structured settlement, need cash AND have exhausted other alternatives to raise money so you have to sell some of your structured settlement payment rights, make sure you shop around. There are often much better deals to be had than Peachtree Settlement Funding.
In today's issue of Morning Call, Riley Yates underscores the perils of any structured settlement annuitant doing business with Peachtree Settlement Funding. In a piece entitled "Need Cash Quickly? You'll Settle For Less" several stories are presented which show annuitants selling their structured settlement payment rights to Peachtree "for pennies on the dollar", when far more competitive options are readily available.
Peachtree is not known for competitive rates and they opportunistically prey on consumers who are either too desperate, lazy or unsophisticated that they do not take the time to shop. If they did take the time to shop they would be able to get more for the short term solution they hope to receive in exchange the long term financial security they are giving up. Peachtree is infamous for once "jacking" a Florida woman with a discount rate in the 40% range. Why fall into this category?
A recent Peachtree Settlement Funding advertising features a guy who ages going to his mail box every month to get his stereotypical "tiny" annuity check. Since we're talking about "size", perhaps a deserved response to the Peachtree ad would be to feature a hot and steamy love scene which concludes with the woman mockingly exclaiming about THEIR "manhood" "THAT'S ALL?"
P.S. A nod to John Machir of Ringler Associates for the "find"
Settlement Capital's Matt Bracy aired the 2nd in a two part series "The Problem With Factoring" on the Legal Broadcast Network (LBN) and does an excellent job addressing the subject of servicing of structured settlement payments by factoring companies. This author, John Darer, aired a 2 part series on the subject of factoring company servicing of structured settlement payments in October 2009 on LBN.
Key points
Servicing is a chore for factoring companies caused ostensibly by the unwillingness of SOME structured annuity insurance companies to split payments when the annuitant is not selling all of their structured settlement payment rights. The end result is that as a result of some of the annuity issuers' unwillingness to split payments, annuitants heir clients WILL NOT BE RECEIVING THEIR PAYMENTS DIRECTLY FROM THE ANNUITY COMPANY ANYMORE. They will be dealing with the factoring company.
Many state structured settlement protection laws essentially state that the annuity issuer CANNOT be forced to split the payments.
Bracy validates my servicing question and states that while insolvency of the factoring company may result in the annuitant ultimately getting their payments, there "surely will be a delay and there may be costs involved" to the annuitant..The same conclusion that TX lawyer Bruce Akerly and I reached in October 2009.
Bracy states that some, but not all companies have back up servicers. His does.
Bracy states the good news is that there has yet to be an insolvency. The same perhaps could be said of structured settlement issuing companies prior to 1991. We all now know the effect of Executive Life. Sufficed to say that many of the insurance companies issuing the annuities have billions more assets than any of the factoring companies.
Sellers of structured settlement payment rights should be looking closely at the documents. Common sense. (1) Beware of attempts to bind you into a right of first refusal to the servicing factoring company (2) Check for any fees charged for the servicing (3) Check for back up servicing (or bonded 3rd party servicers (as suggested by Andrew Cravenho)
In a nod to John Darer's relentless attack on what is in his opinion the questionable business practice of Structured Asset Funding, LLC suggesting in its advertising, that fancy sports cars and boats are a reason to sell structured settlement payment rights, interviewer Scott Drake questions the ethics of such practice. Bracy emphasizes that each structured settlement factoring transaction requires court approval and he doesn't believe that anyone would have the guts to seeks Court approval using a boat or fancy sports car as part of the "best interest" prove up. Coincidentally Structured Asset Funding's website has been disabled at the time of this writing. Stay tuned!
View "The Problem With Factoring 2-Servicing"
View Structured Settlement Servicing Agreements-Good Or Bad Part 1 Oct. 2009
View Structured Settlement Servicing Agreements-Good Or Bad For Annuitant? Parts 2A and 2B (with Bankruptcy Expert Bruce Akerly) October 2009
John Darer's August 10,2009 email to NSSTA President Dan Durbin and President Elect Mike Kelly copied to the NSSTA Board of Directors and other industry notables. Download 8-10-2009 email to NSSTA President Durbin and President elect Kelly with copies to Board members and othersThe content is self explanatory. The NSSTA has not responded to this author or addressed this issue with its membership. WHY? NSSTA members include life insurance companies, among them those who do not split structured settlement payments.
Paul Brian's "Common Errors in English Usage: 2d- William James Co." has been decscribed as "the most cheerfully useful book since the Kama Sutra" by Scott Simon of NPR Radio. I'm not sure I'd go THAT far, but with financial literacy month about to begin why not highlight this incredibly useful resource?
In my opinion it would be particularly useful for some members of an industry whose marketing teams have regaled the legal world with such ditties as:
Plaintiff versus Plantiff
Structured versus Structered
Complementary versus Complimentary
"Quailed" versus qualified
and let's not forget...
Settlement Professionals Inc- Oregon's one page settlement planning "trifecta" of Judgement, Judgment and Judegements**
Here's the scoop from the book for Meligan and Co.as well as the rest of you lot:
"In Great Britain and many of its former colonies, “judgement” is still the correct spelling; but ever since Noah Webster decreed the first E superfluous, Americans have omitted it. Many of Webster’s crotchets have faded away (each year fewer people use the spelling “theater,” for instance); but even the producers of Terminator 2: Judgment Day chose the traditional American spelling. If you write “judgement” you should also write “colour.”
Help is at hand for $18. If you wish, here is a Link to the helpful online resource.
Paul Brians is an Emeritus Professor of English at Washington State University.
It is well known that Symetra solicits its own annuitants to sell their structured settlement payment rights through its Clearscape Funding Corporation subsidiary. This author has now learned that Symetra is now notifying annuitants by postcard.
This author learned this from a Symetra annuitant who expressed concerns about the privacy implications of this means of correspondence. Surely Symetra can afford to spend the extra few cents to send the solicitation in an envelope so that the mailman, the paper boy and the nosy neighbor don't know the annuitant's business.
I've said time and time again that here is no excuse for the inability of any settlement professional to articulate the BASICS. So Robert Risk and Structured Settlement Services are the target of this blast, AGAIN. Please note that I write this article out of sense of embarrassment for my industry not schadenfreude.
How badly does Risk misinform? Let us count the ways!
"Structured Settlement Services Misinformation-1"
Still confuses the financial concept of basis, and basics
"Structured Settlement Services Misinformation-2"
Answering the question "What is a structured settlement? ", Risk states "The term ‘structured settlement,’ according to new section 5891 of the Internal Revenue Code, means an arrangement....
Facts:
The definition found at IRC 5891 only applies to that code section as is expressly stated in the regulations.
IRC 5891 has solely to do with the imposition of an excise tax on the factoring discount embodied in structured settlement factoring transactions.
IRC 5891 was a creation of the Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act of 2001, effective January 2002. Should one consider something that is 8-9 years old as "new"?
In trying to overcome the disadvantages of an structured settlement Risk states:
"...Others, who have a tolerance for market risk, believe they can do better by taking a cash settlement and investing in potentially higher yielding equities. The recent IRS approval of the variable annuity as a qualified funding asset negates that argument.
Facts:
IRC 130 governs qualified assignments. Part of the requirements to achieve the tax result under IRC 130 for the assignee, states that payments must be "fixed and determinable". In IRS Private Letter Ruling 199942001, issued in 1999, the IRS considered whether a qualified assignment with a variable annuity payment component, that was calculated pursuant to a specific investment formula, met the "fixed and determinable" requirement of IRC 130(C)(2)(A). The conclusion of the IRS was that "fixed" meant that the assignee's obligation to pay was fixed by the settlement agreement and that "determinable" meant that there was an objective basis for calculating the amount and timing of the structured settlement payments.
In addition to the above there have been published articles on the subject such as David Cordell's "Structured Settlements Meet the Modern Portfolio Theory", which appeared in the Journal of Financial Planning in May 2003.
Comments
In a world as dynamic as the financial services industry one has to be well read.
Should one seriously question how "well read" an individual is that refers to events in 1999 and 2001 as "recent" ? Or should we say that blindly slapping up what Daddy wrote 10 years ago and not reading before posting it is downright irresponsible.
This author has observed that the "look and feel" of the Structured Settlement Services website has changed more than 3 times in the last 5 years.
In discussing who is allowed to make a qualified assignment, Risk implies that IRC 130 permits a qualified settlement fund to make a qualified assignment. It doesn't
Fact
The ability of a "QSF" to make a qualified assignment is set forth in Revenue Procedure 93-34
Comment
Risk's Daddy supports this author's comment in a 2003 newsletter "Two Former Tax Policy Chiefs Endorse Single Claimant QSF" (see post on Risk Law Firm website page 3)
In an article called general advantages of structure posted on articlesbase.com, Robert Risk's statement that (structured settlement) "payments do not affect Social Security and other entitlement programs, where cash settlements might offset benefits" is misleading.
"Dumb Move-1" *
Risk states that structured settlements are the "MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO PURCHASE A HOME OR TO START A BUSINESS. Payments are made with tax-free dollars, while maintaining a tax write-off ( Risk calls this "double-dipping Uncle Sam"). In an economic context, "double dipping" means "to be illegitimately compensated a second time for the same activity". Thus one naturally wonders where else Robert Risk recommends his clients "double dip"? At best, Risk's wordsmith skills need serious work.
This is not a one off problem! Our Robert Risk archive includes a number of previous stories about Risk website postings that are/were not technically correct.
In second part of a two part series which explores rated ages and the challenges of impaired risk underwriting for structured settlement annuities John Darer's special guests include Rosemary Brindamour, Chief Medical underwriter for John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and John Hancock Life Insurance Comapny of New York, and Robert Shavelle PhD of the Life Expectancy Project. The podcast was stimulated by the Ron Houben case in which the patient was initially diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state for many years but later was discovered to be in a locked in syndrome.
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 2023 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 whose business it it is to assess mortality risk to price its life insurance and annuities. 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].
Structured Settlement Annuity Companies 2023 Which life insurance companies issue structured settlement annuities going into 2023? 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.
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 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 .
Structured Attorney Fees for Tax Deferral for Contingency Fees 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.
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) or changed its name and you're trying to track them down, here you go! The list is regularly updated. Last updated September 14, 2023
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.
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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STRUCTURED SETTLEMENTS 4REAL® Blog Is a Popular Source of Structured Settlement News, John Darer Reviews and Information, Settlement Planning News, Tax Deferral and Deferred Income Planning Solutions,
with a stable readership that seeks credible structured settlement information, John Darer Reviews, commentary 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 this structured settlement blog in 2005. For over 17 years it has been a leading source for critical commentary. The John Darer authored blog has been among the most prolific, regularly providing reviews, fresh structured settlement, settlement planning, litigation recovery management content and commentary. 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.
In his capacity as a investigative journalist and commentator, and professionally, John Darer passionately believes that shining the light on a business practice is both healthy and newsworthy. It is in the best interest of injury victims, their families and their legal advisers, that the settlement planning discussion involve those that are properly trained in the topic, properly informed on the topic and, with respect to structured settlements, properly licensed and/or appointed). It has significant instructional and deterrent value to other practitioners and firms as well as those who may be caught in the cross hairs.
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Last updated April 20, 2023
New York City Structured Settlement Experts Bridge building settlement consultants who collaborate with clients using a humanistic process, providing creative and reliable advice and support for litigating parties and their lawyers with matters in Courts throughout the New York City metropolitan area
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New York General Obligations Law §5-1702 The New York Structured Settlement Protection Act imposes mandatory requirements on the defendant or the defendant's legal representative when a structured settlement is created (as part of the resolution of a case)
Structured Settlements v Structured Judgments Often confused by writers on the Internet, but there IS a difference between structured settlements and structured judgments under CPLR Articles 50A or 50B. Find out more...
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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
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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
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"Amen - and continued thanks for your vigilance, John"- RL 8/18/2011
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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)
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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
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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
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Comments and Trackback Policy
Comments to this blog are encouraged, welcome and add spice to the interactive nature of blogs. However, the unscrupulous practice by some to deliver comment spam, to connect all manner of unrelated products to structured settlements, detracts from user experience, is NOT tolerated by this author and thus necessitates the practice of comment screening.
Jay J. Sangerman, PLLC A New York and Florida based AV rated estate planning law practice with an emphasis in Supplemental Needs Trusts, which assists attorneys in efficient case settlement though the use of Supplemental Needs Trusts and Special Needs Trusts; and Elder Law
Day Pitney LLP - People - Keith Bradoc Gallant Brad's practice includes traditional trust and estate planning and administration, special needs and disabilities planning, planning for same-sex couples and their families, planning for incapacity, and all types of probate litigation.
Helpful Structured Settlement Information is Here!
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) vist 4structures® Structured Settemlent 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.
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The John Darer® authored Structured Settlements 4Real® blog is the most prolific structured settlement blogger with over 5,330 blog posts, and counting!
Why Take a Structured Settlement?
A structured settlement offers guaranteed financial security to personal injury victims, wrongful death survivors and their families. A structured settlement involves a customized stream of payments, provides long-term stable tax-free income, for a period of years or a lifetime. Unlike other income annuities. a structured settlement annuity can have multiple payment streams to address multiple needs in a single contract.
London Market Structured Settlements Experts Bridge building settlement consulting using a humanistic process, providing creative and reliable support for London Market Insurers, Lloyds Syndicates, Claims Professionals and Lawyers
New York Structured Settlement Experts Bridge building settlement consultants who collaborate with clients using a humanistic process, providing creative and reliable advice and support for litigating parties and their lawyers.
FactCheck.org nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters that Aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. They monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
NYC 9-11 Health The World Trade Center Health Registry is now the largest registry in U.S. history to track the health effects of a disaster. The federally funded program is information central for first responders and others with health issues from 9-11
Comments and Trackback Policy