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If An Annuity Could Talk | Cuckoo For Cocoa Puffs, "Gaga" Over Annuity

by John Darer CLU ChFC CSSC RSP

Granted an annuity is safe and boring and gets its share of disrespect in the press, but if an annuity could talk might it hum something like this, to the tune of the chorus from Paparazzi by Lady Gaga?

Promise You'll Be Fine

Your Structure Won't Stop

 Until You're "Out Of Time"

 

I've Got Your Future

I'll Keep Paying You, Until You Love Me

"Annu- Annuity"

 

Baby You'll Be Safe

Periodic Payments "Shake and Bake"

 

I've Got Your Future

I'll Keep Paying You, Until You Love Me

"Annu- Annuity"

It's not so far fetched really. When you think about it, a structured settlement annuity has more ways you can design structured settlement payments than cuts of meat in a Lady Gaga dress. It's "the ultimate in predictable income".

Sing it "Gags"!

 

Hey (Andrew) Lahde Lahde Lahde Hey Lahde Lahde Low

by Structured Settlement Watchdog®

Hedge Fund Manager Andrew Lahde, who quit after making spectacular gains of 870% last year betting on the downside of sub prime wrote this letter to clients now making the rounds in the media.

"Today I write not to gloat. Given the pain that nearly everyone is experiencing, that would be entirely inappropriate. Nor am I writing to make further predictions, as most of my forecasts in previous letters have unfolded or are in the process of unfolding. Instead, I am writing to say goodbye.

Recently, on the front page of Section C of the Wall Street Journal , a hedge fund manager who was also closing up shop (a $300 million fund), was quoted as saying, " What have learned about the hedge fund business is that I hate it." I could not agree more with that statement. I was in this game for the money. The low hanging fruit, i.e. idiots whose parents paid for prep school, Yale, and then the Harvard MBA  was there for the taking. These people who were (often) truly not worthy of the education they received (or supposedly received) rose to the top of companies such as AIG, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers and all levels of our government. All of this behavior supporting the Aristocracy only ended up making it easier for me to find people stupid enough to take the other side of my trades. God bless America"

It's no secret that hedge funds are behind a number of "cash now pushers"; some of the latter having exhibited similar traits of going after "low hanging fruit" of unsophisticated tort victims and tempting them to part with long term financial security in exchange for depreciating assets such as cars, boats and plasma TVs.

Hey Lahde Lahde Lahde
Hey Lahde Lahde Low
Hey Lahde Lahde Lahde
Hey Lahde Lahde Low

Andrew Lahde Had a Hedge Fund
Hey Lahde Lahde Low
Sucked The Wealth From Those With Trust Funds
Hey Lahde Lahde Low

Hey Lahde Lahde Lahde
Hey Lahde Lahde Low
Hey Lahde Lahde Lahde
Hey Lahde Lahde Low

Stuffed His Face on Low Hanging Fruit
Hey Lahde Lahde Low
Now he wants to legalize "root"
Hey Lahde Lahde Low

Hey Lahde Lahde Lahde
Hey Lahde Lahde Low
Hey Lahde Lahde Lahde
Hey Lahde Lahde Low

 

 

NASPy Head's Company Advertising Campaign Obsessed With JG Wentworth Pricing Strategy

Novation Capital, whose President Robin Marc Shapiro is also President of the National Association of Settlement Purchasers (NASP), appears to be obsessed with JG Wentworth. It is running an advertising campaign which is all about beating JG Wentworth and mentions them 5 times including the URL of the web page.

Novation asks "Looking for an alternative to JG Wentworth? There is another choice besides JG Wentworth. Novation Capital says to get your quote from JG Wentworth. Then, check them out. In many cases, they claim they can beat JG Wentworth's offer by thousands of dollars. They also claim that no one has a higher rate of success in obtaining court approvals. They close with "Remember -- we compete with JG Wentworth. Now you have a real choice".

Comments

IF and only IF, you find your self with no other alternative source of cash but to tap your structured settlement

1. It seems that virtually ANYONE in the factoring industry can beat JG Wentworth
2. If you have been drawn in by the JG Wentworth "tractor beam" it pays to shop around.
3. NEVER ACCEPT JG WENTWORTH'S INITIAL OFFER

Novation Capital still falsely claims it can deliver a free "structured settlement quote". When will they ever learn?

Song Comment

Where has all my money gone?

I keep asking

Where has all my money gone?

Deep discount-ing

Where has all my money gone?

Lump Dumb cash now every one

When Will they ever learn?

When will they ever learn?

To the tune of "Where Have All The Flowers Gone"-Pete Seeger

FORGE Consulting... "How can You Run When You Know?'"

In a developing story, I learned today that FORGE Consulting, LLC has been soliciting Ohio trial lawyers with the claim that it is the only plaintiff exclusive company in Ohio.

The statement attributed to FORGE Consulting, LLC is untrue and, if used by FORGE Consulting, LLC to obtain business in Ohio at the expense of injured victims and their lawyers, or other plaintiff exclusive structured settlement brokers or settlement planners, it could have serious consequences for FORGE Consulting, LLC.

It is quite simple, the first reason that the statement is untrue is because FORGE Consulting, LLC simply is NOT a plaintiff exclusive company, UNLESS its principals have committed perjury. The President of FORGE Consulting, John T. Bair of Buffalo, New York signed a declaration, under penalty of perjury, in August 2006 that in each of the past 3 years he provided substantial services to or on behalf of defendants and their counsel. The declaration was made in writing to the United States Department of Justice to get on the USDOJ approved list of annuity brokers. A copy was obtained by this author under the Freedom of Information Act and posted to this blog. Furthermore, copies the 2005 declarations of both John T. Bair and fellow principals, Henry Hungerford Spooner Phillips, IV and Charles T. Schell were also obtained and posted. The originals are in the hands of the USDOJ.

The second reason the statement is untrue is simply that there are other plaintiff exclusive firms and brokers licensed in Ohio. Moreover there are plaintiff exclusive firms and brokers that are domiciled in Ohio. FORGE Consulting is not domiciled, nor does it have an office in Ohio.

Structured Settlements 4Real previously reported similar outrageous claims made by FORGE Consulting in :

• written brochure handed out to trial lawyers at 2006 Annual Meeting of ATLA Seattle, WA
• written brochure handed out to trial lawyers at 2007 Winter Meetings AAJ Miami, FL
• 2/21/2007 letter from FORGE Consulting, LLC principal Howard Saperston to Rhode Island Trial Lawyers
• FORGE Consulting print advertising to New York State Trial Lawyers

QUESTION: What do Trial lawyers know about this? Are they turning a blind eye to this outrage because FORGE Consulting is (purportedly) a massive contributor to national and state trial lawyer associations and the Democratic National Committee? Is the message that its OK to mislead if the political donations are right?

QUESTION: Has FORGE Consulting, LLC made any claims that it is the only plaintiff exclusive company offering structured settlements or settlement planning addressed to lawyers or plaintiffs in your state?

Other reading that may be helpful

• FTC: Advertising and Marketing on The Internet: Rules of The Road  This is the Federal Trade Commission's interpretation of article 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act
• FTC: FAQ for Small Businesses
• Doubts Continue that Forge Consulting is Plaintiff Exclusive as Advertised  March 9, 2007
• Sad Sap Hits up "Little Rhody" Trial Lawyers March 9, 2007

B.S. in Ohio  (a song to the tune of Crosby Stills Nash Young " Four Dead in Ohio", adapted lyrics, in my opinion )

• Ex-Soldiers and Pilots Coming
• We're fantastic on our own
• This Summer Can Hear Their Drummin'
• Forge Said in Ohio
• Got to get down to it
• Stop Forge From Snowing Us Now
• They should've been gone long ago
• What if you knew it?
• And Did Nothing About
• How can you run when you know? When YOU Know!

• Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na
• Na Na Na Na Na Na Na NAH

• Say They're "The Only Ones" (sing "Wah-uns")
• B.S. in Ohio
• They aren't "The Only Ones"(sing "Wah-uns")
• Got Proof for Ohio
• B.S in Ohio
• Sad Sap in Little Rhody.
• B.S. Like Ohio
• Forge Said in Ohio
• B.S. in Ohio (repeat to fade)

JG Wentworth Devious? OR Lack of Self Esteem?

JG Wentworth (J.G. Wentworth) is trying to clean up its image with a new website. Unfortunately they still exhibit charactertics of a zit faced teenager.

Here is the title header from the code from (JG Wentworth) J.G. Wentworth's "new" website at www.jgwentworth.com:

<head><title>
JG Wentworth Structured Settlements, JG Wentworth Annuity Advanced Funding - JG Wentworth Funding

Upon information and belief Bryn Mawr based JG Wentworth (J.G. Wentworth) DOES NOT hold an insurance license. In my opinion, if one takes the legal definition of structured settlement found in the Internal Revenue Code, at IRC 5891, the use of the above descripton JG Wentworth Structured Settlements in the jgwentworth.com title header is untrue and misleading. By its design,  the title header hinders consumers who are seeking structured settlements by diverting them to a company that does not handle structured settlement transactions.

Despite the opportunity to do so, despite rapier like prodding by my and others numerous blog posts, despite positive "sticks and stones" examples set by others in the factoring industry (such as Settlement Capital*, Prosperity Partners, Bentzen Funding Solutions), JG Wentworth (J.G. Wentworth) seems to the have a lack of self esteem when it comes to looking themselves in the mirror and saying who they really are. Make no mistake consumers, regulators and judges, JG Wentworth is a FACTORING company. If it's shame, isn't it intriguing that the supposed biggest is so obviously ashamed of who they are.

JG Wentworth (J.G. Wentworth) engages in structured settlement FACTORING transactions NOT structured settlement transactions.

Perhaps a song can provide some inspiration! To the tune of the Helen Reddy classic "I Am Woman"

I am FACTOR, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend (that I am a structured settlement company)
'cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
I'm not gonna be that way again

CHORUS
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of (other's) pain
Yes, they've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am FACTOR

FACTORING FACTORING FACTORING.('to the tune of your favorite sports team's fans)

It's time you hopped on the good foot.

 

 

JG Wentwolves Courting Red Riding Hood

Hey there Little Red Riding Hood
You sure are looking good
You're everything that a big bad wolf could want.
Owoooooooo! I mean baaaaaa! Baaa? 

The closing lyrics of Sam the Sham and Pharoahs 1966 classic gold hit "Little Red Riding Hood" provide a delicious opening for my report of JG Wentworth's latest attempt to snare structured settlement annuitants "a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi".

J.G. Wentworth now claims that it "specializes in servicing the structured settlements from personal injury annuities".  Sure they'll "service your annuity" and then "tell you what big eyes you have" and "maybe you’ll see things my (their) way before we get to grandma’s place" (i.e. get you to sell your structured settlement payments rights for a deep discount.

The only real servicing is a change of beneficiary or bank account. You might need some financial advice which you can get by contacting a structured settlement broker, expert consultant, settlement planner or adviser holding a valid license in you state. It might be worth speaking to the original structured settlement broker (keep his/her card!)

Beware of wolf!

Baa Baa Black Sheep, Are You Really Wolves?

by Structured Settlement Watchdog

The Society of Settlement Planners concluded its annual meeting in Washington DC on Friday. Adding delicious irony was the appearance (from what I hear) of representatives of Prosperity Partners, Inc. (a/k/a PPI Cash) at what was intended to be a professional business meeting in Tommy HIlfiger shirts adorned with black sheep. Whether these are disciples of Pappy Boyington, the commanding officer of the famed Marine Air Corps  "Black Sheep" squadron, which fought above the Northern Solomons and Rabaul, from August, 1943 through January, 1944 and memorialized in a 1970s TV series starring Robert Conrad only they really know. I guess ant** costumes were out of the question!

I've previously used the analogy of the factoring involvement in this trade association as being much like the wolves being in with the lambs without the shepherd tending the flock. In this case the lyrics of a new nursery rhyme led by new SSP maestro Chuck Derenne, accompanied by deep discounter, patron member and creator of "Peachtree Idol", Deborah Benaim, might go something like "Baa Baa Black Sheep Are You Really Wolves?  "Cash for structure?", "Yes That's Bull"!.

** A Prosperity Partners employee is responsible for giving birth to the "authoritative drivel" entitled "Structured Settlements Are Like Ants"