Reasons To Sell A Structured Settlement Payment And How It's Done

By Henry Jeon

Considerations involving the need to sell a structured settlement payment are many and varied. These payments are usually the result of a settlement has been reached in a personal injury or tort lawsuit and will include such features as a payment of settlement money over a defined period of time. These sorts of settlements have grown in popularity over the last several decades.

Commonly, a structured settlement is used instead of a lump-sum payment which -- before the'70s -- was the preferred method of paying upon settlement of a lawsuit involving personal injury or some other tort. In most structured settlements, pre-determined amounts of money are paid off over a certain length of time and in installments. Many beneficiaries of such settlements live quite nicely off them.

When it comes to the selling of structured settlement payments, people who do so usually attempt to sell a certain part of their settlement in order to meet certain emergency or near-term needs. Fortunately, there are many financial services companies that are expert in helping people sell a portion of their settlement in order to obtain needed money.

Think of the sale of such a payment to be like having a bird in the hand rather than waiting to try to capture two birds in the bush. Ready cash can be obtained up front rather than having to sit back and wait for money that is going to be paid out on an annual or some other sort of basis. Additionally, federal law generally doesn't require the payment of any tax on such a sale.

This last feature (no tax) can make putting together a deal to sell such a payment quite attractive, and many such transactions range in price from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars. Prices depend on the amount of the structured settlement and how much of the settlement the recipient of that settlement would like to sell up front. There are a number of steps that must be taken first of all, though.

When considering selling such a payment, the first thing to do is to check out the financial institutions or funding sources offering to buy such payments. Make sure that any funding source that is entering into negotiations for the sale of the payment is 100% reputable, is insured and also carries a bond guaranteeing that it can meet its financial obligations. These are minimum requirements.

Keep in mind, also, that the sale of a structured settlement is usually at a discounted rate that is negotiated between the holder of the settlement and the institution buying the settlement. Discount rates vary by negotiation, so be prepared for a little bit of give and take. In some states, the holder of the structured payment must meet with a judge who must sign off on any deal reached.

There are certainly plenty of occasions when the need to sell structured settlement payment may arise. Some people require immediate cash or others are weary of waiting for an annuity payment. Regardless, check the financial institution or funding source out thoroughly before agreeing to any sale. And expect about 90 days lag time between sale closure and payment. - 31884

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