Structured Settlement Resources
Structured Settlement Resources
* Structured Settlement Market Overview
o Wikipedia definitions
+ Structured settlement
+ Structured settlement factoring transaction
+ Special needs trust
# Google search - structured settlement
# Market analysis
* Structured Settlement concept map wiki - developed with Barbara Bowen.
* Primary Market
* Secondary Market
* Stakeholders
* Settlement Planner
* Structured settlement legal practice
# Product analysis
* Transaction Diagram
* Introduction to Annuities
* 468B Settlement funds
* Settlement Trusts
* Special Needs trusts
* Medicare Set-aside Arrangements
# Status reports
* Structured Settlements in 2006
* S2KM Mid-2007 Structured Settlement Report
* Structured Settlement Educational Programs - Fall 2007
* Future of Structured Settlements - including:
o History of Structured Settlements
o Stage 3 Transition
o Impact of Internet
o Web 2.0 for Lawyers - developed with Denham Grey and Barbara Bowen.
* Trade Associations and Conferences - with links to related S2KM blog posts and association sites.
o National Structured Settlement Trade Association (NSSTA)
o Society of Settlement Planners (SSP)
o National Association of Settlement Purchasers (NASP)
o American Association for Justice (AAJ)
o National Association of Medicare Set-aside Professionals (NAMSAP)
o National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
o Stetson Law School SNT seminar
o Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP)
o Special Needs Alliance (SNA)
o American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
* Structured Settlement Industry Issues
o Structured Settlement Public Policy
+ Joseph Dehner podcast interviews with Ned Arthur of Truffle Media:
# Structured Settlement Public Policy
# DOJ Structured Settlement Program
+ Robert Wood podcast interviews with Ned Arthur of Truffle Media:
# Single Claimant 466B Funds
# Structured Attorneys Fees
+ Structured Settlement Public Policy Wiki
+ NAELA Annuity Policy White Paper
o Government Benefits
+ Structured Settlements and Government Benefits
+ Deficit Reduction Act
+ Inconvenient Questions - S2KM's 3-part analysis of Sylvius von Saucken's 2007 article about the DRA and structured settlements
+ Special Needs trusts
+ Medicare Set-aside Arrangements
o Settlement Transfers (aka factoring)
+ Structured Settlement Transfers - Good or Bad?
+ Settlement Transfer Update
+ Settlement Transfers Release 39
+ How the Primary Market Views Factoring
+ Self-funded Settlement Transfers
+ Structured Settlements - S2KM's review of Robert Wood's article comparing factoring transactions with commutations.
+ NSSTA Bylaw Amendments
+ Pennsylvania Rule 229.2
o Executive Life of New York - see Drinker Biddle Structured Settlement Update
o Business Practices including compensation Issues
+ Compensation including
# Disclosure;
# Rebating; and
# Informed consent
+ Unauthorized practice of law
* Structured Settlement Industry Commentators
o Hardcopy textbooks
+ "Structured Settlements and Periodic Payments" - Daniel Hindert, Joseph Dehner and Patrick Hindert
+ "Taxation of Damage Awards and Settlement Payments" - Robert Wood
+ "Negotiating and Settling Tort Cases" - Matt Garretson and Guy Kornblum
+ "Structured Settlements" - Paul Lesti
o Blogs
+ Patrick Hindert
+ John Darer
+ Mark Wahlstrom
+ Settlement Capital
+ Rhonda Bentzen
o Podcasts
+ Ringler Radio
o Other structured settlement commentators
+ Richard Risk
+ Karen Meyers
+ Adam Scales
+ Craig Ulman
+ Joseph Tombs
+ Michael Miller
+ Roger Bernstein
Structured Settlement is a finance tool that is often utilized in the resolution of personal injury claims, and physical injury settlements.
It provides for tax-free, periodic payments to be made over a period of time -the terms (annuity amount and frequency/duration of payments, etc.) are usually determined based on the injured party's specific needs.
In almost all cases, brokers that specialize in structured settlements (a.k.a. structured settlement annuities) facilitate the entire settlement process. Currently, an estimated $6 billion dollars of structured settlements are being sold, purchased and administered annually.
When someone cashes out, transfers, or sells a Structured Settlement or a Structured Settlement Annuity, (s)he usually receives a lump sum payment.
Depending upon whether you are holding an asset that is an investment annuity or a structured settlement annuity, you may or may not be able to sell (assign, or transfer) your annuity to someone without incurring a tax liability.
Strictly speaking, these types of tax sheltered settlement annuities are not actually owned by the holders. They usually have a right to receive tax-free periodic payments against the same.
Structured Settlement Annuities are usually tax free, and often do not allow the settlement agreement holders to sell it off or transfer/assign such periodic payment agreements to someone else without a prior judicial approval.
In many cases, one has to pay a sizable amount of excise tax for selling a structured settlement annuity or transferring a settlement annuity for a lump sum amount.
It is important, therefore, to consult with a structured settlement specialist, a structured settlement annuity broker, a well qualified financial advisor, or an investment attorney specializing in applicable laws.
Considering the complexities involved, it is important to pay careful attention to the terms and provisions of your Structured settlement agreement.
Therefore, it would probably be in your best interest to consult with a well-qualified and experienced structured settlement professional for examining the specifics of your structured settlements annuity contract, and to help you determine your best options.
Full Disclosure: We do not represent any commercial entities (such as life insurance companies, annuity products brokers, discount brokers, or factoring companies, etc.) that may have something to gain from you. We are not paddling any products or services.
We are interested in providing our members/readers with completely unbiased and independent analysis of structures payments related issues. In doing so, we hope to earn your trust as a reputable informational resource that focuses only on victims' rights.