What is a structured settlement? A structured settlement is a settlement of money; a financial award that is made to a claimant in what is generally a personal injury or wrongful death case. Oftentimes, while many imagine or assume that someone who is awarded money is given it all at once, claimants in this situation are given a structured settlement. This simply means that instead of all of the money going to them immediately, it is deposited into an annuity. The money is then distributed through equal payments that are sent on a scheduled basis from the annuity.

The structured settlement is often put into place when there is a large sum of money in question. This helps those financially responsible as they can make payments into the annuity; and it allows the recipient of the money to budget it more effectively. But just because a claimant receives a structured settlement doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to sell annuity payments if they choose to do so.

The choice to sell annuity payments, however, should not be confused with selling a structured settlement. In fact, the recipient of a structured settlement does not own the annuity; they own the payments being made from the annuity. And if they need to sell payments to a buyer of structured settlement annuity it is within their right to do so (although sometimes court approval is required) without having to sell all of the annuity payments.

A recipient may choose to sell annuity payments if they are in need of a lump sum of money for a particular purpose. They will then work with a buyer of structured settlement annuity payments; a purchasing company that will buy the number of future payments being sold in exchange for the entirety of cash given to the seller today.

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Foreclosures these days have, unfortunately, become more of the norm than ever before. Record breaking numbers of homeowners are having to forfeit their homes to the bank; they are simply unable to continue to make mortgage payments and courts are hosting foreclosure after foreclosure in a surreal and frightening testament to the economy.

Experts are unsure – and are afraid to guess – when the housing crisis (and the economic crisis as a whole) will begin to improve. But we have to know, as a nation, that every pendulum that swings one way must eventually come back the other way. In other words, it may seem like there is not much on the horizon in terms of hope but things will eventually change and improve; it’s only a matter of time. The question remains, however, if any of us have that time to wait, especially when it comes to keeping our homes.

Those who receive structured settlement payments as a result of money awarded to them through a court case are accustomed to receiving an equal amount of money on a particular schedule. No one is going to scoff at any extra money coming into their household right now; in fact many recipients have undoubtedly come to very much rely on that extra money, especially at the present time.

But when it comes to saving their home, homeowners often need a lump sum of money; an amount that will get them caught up and satisfy the bank, allowing them to hang on until times get better. People are making tough decisions right now, taking pension loans and borrowing in unconventional ways (the traditional lending market being relatively stagnant at present). And one such decision is that to sell annuity payments to a buyer of structured settlement annuity.

A buyer of structured settlement annuity will give sellers money for the number of upcoming payments they wish to sell. The buyer then becomes the rightful owner of those payments and the seller is given the sum total of all of those payments, allowing them to have the cash they need to save their home.

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In the last post we talked about not only on the state of the economy, but the state of the nation’s morale in terms of finances. It’s difficult to turn on the television or open a paper without reading yet another story of a family in crisis; millions of Americans have been affected in some way by the economy whether through a loss of a job or even the loss of their home. It’s hard enough to keep cash flow positive at the moment as salaries remain stagnant and prices continue to escalate; and with most of us operating without a safety net we are only one or two paychecks away from financial disaster.

As we discussed, however, for those who are receiving structured settlement payments on a regular basis, their safety net rests in the ability to sell annuity payments. Structured settlements, detailed by the court system when a claimant is awarded money in a personal injury settlement, pays out on a scheduled basis from money that is kept in an annuity. These payments are ongoing until the total of the cash award is satisfied.

When a recipient chooses to sell annuity payments they trade future payments for present cash. A buyer of structured settlement annuity payments will take ownership of the number of future payments sold and the seller will receive their money today. So, for instance, if a seller decides that three payments worth of money will help their current cash flow they will sell three future payments. The buyer of structured settlement annuity payments gives the seller the agreed upon price so that they have cash in hand. The buyer then receives those three future payments. This allows those who sell annuity payments to keep their cash flow active without having to sell the entirety of their structured settlement.

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I got an email the other day that said something to the effect of “due to the economy and the rising cost of electricity the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.” It’s something that almost all of us can relate to at the moment and certainly a sentiment that can bring us a laugh or a smile during the course of the day. But it is also relevant and relatable because it is so true. So many of us are simply hanging on by a thread right now and it certainly feels as though the light at the end of the tunnel is nowhere to be found. A safety net is always nice but so few of us feel as though we have that to fall back on at the moment. But for those who have been receiving structured settlement payments there is, in fact, a safety net that allows us to keep an active cash flow even in the face of stalled salaries or a layoff and it comes when you choose to sell annuity payments.

The step to sell annuity payments is just another that so many people are taking at the present time in the hopes of keeping their head above water and managing their expenses even when things take a turn towards the unexpected. Structured settlements come as a result of a personal injury case that has been settled and money has been awarded to a claimant in the case. The money, once deposited into an annuity, is sent in installed payments rather than given out all at once. This is a common practice in the legal system and one that often protects the interests of both the recipient and the financially responsible party who has the ability to make payments into the annuity as well.

When a recipient chooses to sell annuity payments, however, they are collecting money today for future payments they would have received; and they do this by selling to a buyer of structured settlement annuity payments as we’ll discuss in the next post.

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In the last post I told of the job offer I had received to teach at a prestigious university – something that I had always envisioned doing (although certainly not at this caliber of school). The job seemed to fall in my lap and I took that as a sign that I needed to accept it even though it would require me selling my home and moving to another state. While I was excited and welcomed the opportunity – as well as the challenge – I was concerned about how I would manage it all financially in terms of the actual move and carrying my mortgage and other expenses on my house until I was able to sell it (assuming that it would take some time considering the current real estate market).

My attorney friend brought up the option to sell annuity payments, something that I was currently receiving every month as a part of a personal injury settlement I had gotten some time back. The money awarded to me in the settlement went straight into an annuity and I got payments from it every month which were wonderful in terms of my cash flow. But my friend told me that I could also use that settlement to accrue a lump sum of money that would help me cover my moving expenses and carry my house until a buyer came along.

He helped me find a reputable buyer of structured settlement annuity and we worked out the terms of the sale; I identified up front how many future payments I would need to sell in order to come up the amount of money that I needed. Essentially I sold those future payments to the buyer who would then receive them and I got the money up front and all at once for those payments. I didn’t sell my entire structured settlement – only the number of payments that I needed to sell; and now I have the money I need to make a move to a new life.

Popularity: 17% [?]

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We have all had those moments in our life when we come to a fork in the road; when we are presented with a choice and it is so very clear that this very decision will absolutely change the course of our life. Of course, every moment of every day we make decisions that change our path but there are those big choices that seem to carry with them the very weight of the world. We rack our brains and our hearts to determine the best course of action and then we jump accordingly hoping that we choose correctly, although it’s difficult to ever know for sure.

My philosophy in life is to do anything of which I am scared. The more fear I feel at the prospect of doing something the more likely I am to do it; the fear tells me that it will be a journey that will be worth it in the end – at the other side will be a reward I can only imagine. And so when I found myself offered a teaching position with a major university – when I had never taught a class in my life and when I lived four states away from the college – I was terrified; which, of course, meant I had to take the job. I had been in the business world my whole career and this was an opportunity to impart my experience and my knowledge to students, something that I had considered but had never pursued aggressively. Here was that job – in my lap and ready for me to take.

There was only one problem and it was the same problem people were having everywhere – money. I had a house I needed to sell and was likely not to sell anytime soon considering the market and I was sorely lacking in liquid assets to help me make such a move. My attorney, who is also a friend, then counseled that I perhaps consider the choice to sell annuity payments in order to bankroll my move and continue to pay on my home until I could sell it. And so it came to pass that I found a buyer of structured settlement annuity. More to come…

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In the last post I talked about our recent battle with our health insurance and how we had come to learn that some of our prescription drugs would no longer be covered. Not wanting to take the alternative medications that the insurance company would pay for we decided to pay out of pocket for those prescription drugs; something that very quickly put us in a tough financial position as we were already deep in debt and my salary had been stagnant for some time.

At this time my wife and I decided to sell annuity payments; essentially selling a particular number of future payments that would be made to us from an annuity that had been delivering us monthly payments for several years. These payments are a part of a structured settlement; money that was awarded to us in a personal injury case and was being paid out in equal monthly installments through the annuity.

However, working with a buyer of structured settlement annuity payments we identified the number of upcoming payments we would have to sell to get together enough money at once to pay off our credit cards and other debt; thus freeing our cash flow so we could meet our medical needs.

We chose to sell annuity payments that equaled only the amount that we needed; we did not sell our entire settlement. Within a month we had the money for those sold payments and we paid off our debt in one lump sum. Meanwhile, the buyer of structured settlement annuity now owns the upcoming payments that they purchased so payment will be reverted to them until the amount they advanced us is satisfied. After that we will begin to receive our payments again which will only help to bolster our cash flow and make sure we can cover our medical expenses.

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I don’t know about you but my health insurance sure has changed over the last couple of years. Our contributions through my employer have gone up, our co-pays have gone up, and some of the medications that I was taking are no longer covered; the insurance company wanted me to try cheaper brands. It was a nonstop battle with them to get them to cover some of the medications that my family needed; they agreed to some but not to others and suddenly we are facing hundreds of dollars out of pocket a month in prescription drug costs that are sinking us week by week. My salary has remained the same for the past two years as my company – like others – has buckled down and reduced spending but this also means that, while I am thankful to have a job, my pay has just not kept pace with the cost of living.

A couple of months ago my wife and I sat down to do our budget and realized that we were not going to be able to keep paying all that we needed to pay – including prescription costs – without falling significantly behind. With credit card debt piled high the monthly payments were through the roof on that end as well. We decided the only way that we could live comfortably, maintain a positive cash flow, and pay for our medications was to eliminate our debt once and for all. And so we decided to sell annuity payments.

Several years ago we were in a car accident that resulted in a personal injury lawsuit; there were several vehicles in which people were hurt – the result of one car driven by a drunk driver. Those of us injured were awarded a cash settlement but the money went into an annuity and for the last several years we have been receiving monthly payments from that annuity; until we decided to sell annuity payments to pay off debt. More in the next post…

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Money is a touchy subject; something that has a profound effect on all of us in different ways. Most of us have a particular attitude about money shaped by our past experiences and the attitudes of our parents that we tend to mirror. Often we hold too tight to the money in our pockets and make decisions that are fear based rather than rooted in reality; and our inability to see the bigger picture can often mean that we miss the boat in terms of what will be most beneficial to our finances.

It’s nice to get a check on a regular basis – something over and above our salary; which is what those who have been given a structured settlement receive. When someone is awarded money when a personal injury case is settled, they may be given all of that money at once – a check cut for the entire amount. Or they may be given a structured settlement which means that all of that money is deposited into an annuity and the person who is awarded the money is paid through equal payments that come on a scheduled basis.

This money may be a great thing for the most part; but it may also not make sense in certain situations. For instance, if the recipient is carrying a large amount of debt or has particular financial responsibilities that need to be addressed, a payment of a particular amount may not be enough to cover financial needs; and in this case, the recipient may choose to sell annuity payments.

It may seem overwhelming and even frightening to sell future payments in exchange for upfront cash. But the truth is, when you work with a reputable buyer of structured settlement annuity, you are able to minimize the concern and work towards what is best for your financial position.

A buyer of structured settlement will help their clients sell annuity payments so that the transaction is painless, convenient and works best for their needs.

Popularity: 14% [?]

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I don’t know many of us who have not had run-ins with creditors at one time or another. We get behind on a bill or two, the result of one of the half-million things that could throw any of us off track financially, and suddenly we are scrambling to get caught up and deflecting call after call to remind us of something that we most assuredly already know.

When things really snowball in this department is when we can easily find ourselves in a tough spot; facing possible collections, continued phone calls, and the stress of simply not having enough to do anything about it. If only there was a way out.

When it comes to finding financial options for those who are currently receiving structured settlement payments, there is in fact a way out – with the decision to sell annuity payments. And the entity that makes that option possible – that offers a doorway out of this tough spot – is the buyer of structured settlement annuity payments.

A buyer of structured settlement annuity payments is a purchasing company that will essentially advance a seller their future payments so that they may accumulate the cash they need in the present day. Structured settlement payments are made on a scheduled basis from an annuity that has been established after someone is awarded money in a personal injury case. A structured settlement is an alternative to the claimant being given all of their money at once; they are instead sent payments from a specially funded annuity.

The recipient of a structured settlement may choose to sell annuity payments – as many as they need to sell. The buyer of structured settlement annuity payments will give the seller cash for their sold payments, giving them the resources to pay bills and get out of the financial corner in which they find themselves.

Popularity: 13% [?]

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