Should You Sell Your Structured Settlement?
The courts have just awarded you a settlement in the amount of $1.3 million dollars for injuries you sustained while using the Widget Corporation's product. However, the terms of the settlement require that Widget pay you a small amount right now, with the remaining funds to be dispersed over the next 20 years. This "structured settlement" works fine for some people, but you have medical bills that need to be paid now. What can you do about it? Answer: you can sell your structured settlement and receive additional cash now.
So, exactly what is a "structured settlement?" The Center for Justice and Democracy describes it as follows: Also called "periodic payments," structured settlement laws either mandate, allow defendants to request, or allow courts to require that some or all payments awarded by a judge or jury be made to the injured consumer over a long period of time. In other words, the injured consumer is prohibited from receiving payments in a lump sum. These provisions increase the hardships of the most seriously injured consumers who are hit soon after an injury with large medical costs and must make adjustments in transportation and housing. Often, the law allows insurance companies to pocket the money upon the plaintiff's death.
There are companies whose primary source of business is to purchase your structured settlement and give you a lump sum payment instead. Of course, you must pay a significant fee to gain access to money now instead of waiting. Still, it is an option for some people especially if they need the money now.
Lawsuit settlements are not the only structured settlements that you may receive. In addition, you could receive a settlement for:
1. Royalties.
2. Inheritances.
3. Lottery Winnings.
4. Annuities.
5. Mortgages.
6. Leases.
7. Life Insurance Policies.
8. Business Notes.
When deciding whether to sell your structured settlement or not, you need to consider that your proceeds -- if taken over time -- have a tendency to be eroded by inflation. $1.3 million today could be worth half that in 20 years! In addition, you may not live long enough to receive all of the proceeds, although in most cases the remaining unclaimed funds would go to your estate as an inheritance.
So, should you cash your structured settlement in? Good question! Sit down with a calculator and determine what fees you are willing to pay and what expenses need to be addressed immediately. If you have immediate pressing needs, then contact a settlement company today for more information.
Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of business, human interest, advocacy, and family issues. Please visit http://www.thearticlewriter.com for more information.
MORE RESOURCES:
 Washington Times | US Consumer Credit Increases $14.3 Billion in June (Update2) Bloomberg - Consumer credit rose by $14.3 billion, the most since November, to $2.59 trillion, the Federal Reserve said today in Washington. In May, credit rose by $8.1 ... US June consumer credit rises by $14.3 bln, 6.7 pct annual growth rate Consumers jack up borrowing in June Ahead of the Bell: Consumer Credit |
 China Daily | US Government charges 11 in massive credit card fraud case Heise Online, Germany - The US government has charged 11 people with stealing tens of millions of credit and debit card details as part of an operation that targeted numerous ... Video: Feds Charge 11 in Massive Retail Hacking Case 11 charged over US credit card theft Biggest Ever Credit Card Scam In US |
Credit Suisse Sued Over Auction-Rate Securities (Update3) Bloomberg - 7 (Bloomberg) -- Credit Suisse Group, Switzerland's second-biggest bank, was sued by Swiss semiconductor company STMicroelectronics NV for allegedly placing ... STMicro sues Credit Suisse over auction-rate debt |
 CNET News | Credit cards: US authorities charge 11 in global identity theft racket guardian.co.uk, UK - American authorities have uncovered a global computer hacking and credit card fraud ring spanning the US, eastern Europe and Asia, officials said. ... Gang charged for theft of 41 million credit card numbers 11 charged in connection with credit card fraud 41 Million credit and debit card numbers stolen |
 Washington Post | Here comes the credit crackdown Independent, UK - One year into the credit crisis, regulators are hard at work on new laws they hope will prevent history repeating itself. Leading investment banks fear a ... Industry group to address credit risk Panel Calls for New Risk Standards Banking Group Proposes Wide Range of Reforms |
 Telegraph.co.uk | Barclays' Profits Hit by Credit Crunch BusinessWeek - by Kerry Capell The credit crunch continues to take its toll on British banks. On Aug. 7, Barclays (BCS) revealed its first-half pretax profits fell by ... Barclays: credit and credibility Income at Barclays declines less than analysts expected Barclays Profit Falls 34% on Securities Writedowns (Update2) |
Consumer credit jumps at fastest rate in 7 months MarketWatch - Consumer credit, excluding mortgage debt, expanded at a 6.7% annual rate in June after rising at a 3.8% pace in May. It was the biggest increase since the ... Credit-card Companies Making It Harder To Say 'charge It' CreditCards.com: Weekly Credit Card Rate Report Reform credit card industry |
 Earthtimes (press release) | Consumer credit rose $14.33 bln in June Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US consumer credit expanded at the fastest rate in seven months in June as Americans turned to credit cards and consumer loans to ... Consumer credit rose $14.33 billion in June |
BC-based Lake View Credit Union Selects Open Solutions' Core Platform MarketWatch - Lake View Credit Union has assets of more than $200CDN million and serves 15500 members through three branches. This year, the credit union celebrated its ... |
Bridge Finance Group Provides a $4.0 Million Revolving Line of ... MarketWatch - CHICAGO, Aug 07, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Bridge Finance Group announced the completion of a revolving line of credit to Access Distribution, ... |
Credit - Google News
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