Settlement Annuity

A Structured Settlement is a guaranteed stream of future payments. They are referred to in the tax code as periodic payments. Originally they could only be used in physical injury cases where all the money received for damages would be excluded from the recipient taxable income. However it is now possible for certain non physical injury cases to be structured even though the money for damages is considered as taxable income. With almost every structured settlement there is an underlying asset that funds the payment obligation. This asset is usually an annuity. This is why companies that offer cash for annuities aggressively market to people with structures.

A person with a structure can be tempted by these cash for annuities advertisements if they would feel better off with a cash lump sum rather than the guaranteed payments they are due to receive in the future. Often times this is a mistake, because people who accept a sell structured settlement offer are sometimes giving up their only reliable source of income. However, sometimes it is not a bad decision because the settlement one has might consist of irregular payments that were not designed to meet the persons needs.

If you have a structured annuity and want to engage in a Cash for Annuities transaction with a company that offers cash for annuities then you should be aware that the transaction has to be approved by a court. There is a section in the tax code that enforces this by imposing a huge tax on the transaction if it is not approved by a court. Some companies might try to represent how quickly they can get someone a lump sum of money but it is all contingent on when a court date can be scheduled and if the court approves it.

When someone is the victim of a personal injury at the alleged fault of another person then a lawsuit can be filed to resolve any dispute over who is liable for the financial damages of the victim. Financial damages include but are not limited to medical bills and loss from time at work. Pain and suffering are also considered damages but are usually preceded by financial damages before they are given any consideration for monetary value.

The companies that advertise these sell Structured Settlement deals will often discount the payments at a high rate. This is why it is very important for the personal injury victim to shop. They should not only discuss who much money can be offered but also how quickly the deal can be completed. Some companies will combine deals together which could cause someone to wait necessarily while other deals are being prepared. Since time is money for the payee what originally sounded like a better deal from one company might turn out to be not so good if the payee is required to wait longer than what was expected. Thus a payee should only sell their payments as a last resort to take care of an unexpected emergency and should carefully negotiate all the terms and conditions with respect to the cash lump sum being offered and the time that should be expected to complete the deal.

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