If you have decided to sell your structured settlement payments for cash, you naturally want to find the largest lump sum possible. You should also consider the reputation of potential buyers, as selling a structured settlement is probably one of the largest financial transactions you will ever make. Most structured settlement buyers have at least some online presence, so you can find a wealth of information on the internet to help you sort through the options.

You should investigate the reputation of the structured settlement company before making any commitments. Find out how long they have been in business, and if they are a member of the Better Business Bureau. When you have questions do they answer them to your satisfaction, or are they unresponsive or evasive? Any company that doesn’t provide good customer service while trying to win your business is likely to disappoint you later as well.

The obvious thing to look at when choosing a buyer for your structured settlement payments is the amount of cash the company will pay you. Unreasonably low offers should be viewed with suspicion. On the other hand, beware of any offers that seem too good to be true. A common scam is for a dishonest buyer to offer a hefty lump sum payment, only to delay the sale process. Meanwhile, they revise their offer downward, waiting for the anxious seller to give in and sell their annuity payments at a discount.

After you have done your homework and obtained online quotes from several structured settlement buyers, take note of the amount of time each buyer estimates it will take to complete the transaction. Be wary of any company that promises you money in a matter of days or even a few weeks. Federal law requires the buyer to get court approval before selling structured settlement payments. This is done primarily to protect the seller. The court having jurisdiction must determine if the proposed transaction is lawful, and that the seller has a legitimate need to sell the payments, and that not selling would cause a financial hardship. The entire process should take from two to three months to complete, and any company advertising a shorter time frame is not being completely honest.

Through the process of elimination you should now have a short list of potential structured settlement buyers. Browse their websites, and read the frequently asked questions to get an idea of what to expect during the selling process, and to further refine your list. Find out how long each company has been in existence. If they have been in business for a number of years they are more likely to be a legitimate buyer of structured settlements.

By now you have compared a number of potential structured settlement buyers, received free quotes, and have limited the choices to two or three companies. Which company provided you the most professional customer service? Were you contacted by a representative of the company? If so, were you given helpful information, or did you feel pressured to do business with them? Did the representative show knowledge of buying annuity payments, and give satisfactory answers to any questions or concerns you may have had? A structured settlement buyer should seek to educate its potential customers, allowing them to make an informed decision.

Finally, if you will not need to sell your entire settlement, did the buyer explain that you may choose to sell only a portion of your annuity payments? A company with integrity will inform you of all your options, allowing you to make an informed decision when selling your structured settlement payments.

Selling a structured settlement is a major financial decision and as such, shouldn’t be taken lightly. Ideally you would want to hold onto your structured settlement and continue receiving payments as-is since that will give you the most money in the long run. Selling all or part of your structured settlement might cost you some of the the earning you would have received down the road, but if you need to raise some fast cash, this can be a viable option.

But before you sell your structured settlement, you should be aware of some of the pitfalls people run into. These are very common mistakes people make when selling a structured settlement but by reading this article and understanding them, you’ll be less likely to make the same mistakes.

Mistake #1: Not Knowing Your Financial Needs FIRST

The first mistake most people make is simply not knowing exactly what their financial needs are, why they’re selling their structured settlement and how much money they actually need. Often times when we get in a cash crunch it’s easy to let emotions and stress run our decisions, but it’s extremely important to take inventory of exactly what your financial situation is and why you need to sell your structured settlement.

It may turn out that you can get by just fine by selling only part of the settlement rather than the whole thing. This will not only leave you with a steady stream of income over the life of the settlement (although less than before) but you’ll end up with more money, in total, at the end of the term of the settlement.

Too often people simply sell the entire settlement and end up taking a significant loss and possibly having more money than they really needed or can effectively manage. That money might be better used by keeping it inside the structured settlement. So be sure to know exactly what your needs are prior to looking for a structured settlement buyer.

Mistake #2: Choosing The Lender Based On How Much They Offer

Sure, on the surface it makes sense that you would want to go with the lender than offers you the most money. That’s obviously the best option in most financial transactions. However, look at the analogy of selling a house. You have multiple buyers all bidding on your place. Some probably seem more qualified than others. But what happens if you accept a bid from a buyer who simply wanted to offer whatever it took to get the property off the market. They may have no idea if they qualify, have no idea how they’re going to get the money, and everyone ends up wasting time. Then they might start asking for concessions, lowering their price, asking if you can throw in the furniture or whatever. You end up being stuck with a buyer how just isn’t serious and this can be a huge problem if you really need to sell fast.

Well the same applies when selling a structured settlement. You need your money fast! You don’t have time to play the run around with a buyer who’s just going to get you under contract with the lure of a high bid, only to turn the tables on you once you’re stuck working with them. Unfortunately, this happens pretty often since lenders realize you’re probably under the gun to get some cash in your pockets quickly. The best thing you can do to avoid this is to get several quotes from multiple lenders before making your final decision. It might take a little more time on the front end, but it will make for a much smoother process once you decide which lender to work with.

Mistake #3: Taking the Lender at Their Word When They Promise a Quick Closing

This is another one of those things that can be easily avoided with proper planning. That way, you’re not dependent on a quick closing or enticed by the lenders promises to do so. The fact of the matter is that state law, rather than the lender’s prowess, determines how long it will take to close on your transaction. In general, plan on at least a month for your closing to take place. At the extreme end, it can take four months or more, depending on the state in which you and your lender are located.

With the countless web sites, advertisements, legal jargon and complex issues surrounding structured settlements, it is easy to become overwhelmed and frustrated when you are simply searching for answers and straightforward information. Whether you’ve received a structured settlement already, or if you are just trying to better understand them, you’ve come to the right place for sifting through the messy details.

What is a Structured Settlement?

A structured settlement is a series of guaranteed payments (annuities) made over a certain period of time and is usually the result of an injury settlement or another situation in which you are awarded access to a substantial amount of money. It is the alternative to accepting an upfront lump sum.

Structured settlements are individualized plans meant to help you cover present and future expenses. Working closely with an experienced attorney can help you to determine an effective structured settlement to give you the security of a fixed income over a set period of time.

Example – how it might work: Melissa is injured in a serious car accident and is now unable to work for the next year. As a single parent, she has two young children to care for, not to mention her mounting medical expenses. She knows that she has to pay $25,000 in medical bills at the present time, and she knows that she will need surgery in a few months that will cost an additional $20,000. Her structured settlement can be set up to give her a lump sum to pay the present medical expenses right now, and be structured to give her an additional lump sum at the time of her surgery. It can also give her additional monthly payments equal to her salary for the year that she is unable to work, including an additional monthly payment to hire someone to help her care for her children while she is recovering from her injuries and medical procedures. Once Melissa goes back to work, monthly payments might cease or be reduced.

Types of Structured Settlements

Designated Period / Period Certain Annuities: Annuities with a designated period of time for the payments to be paid out. They can be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually, etc. Upon your death, all remaining payments are made to you beneficiary.

Life Annuity: Periodic payments for a guaranteed number of years (based on your life expectancy) or for life, whichever is up first. Again, the beneficiary receives any remaining payments should you die before the full amount is paid.

Temporary Life Annuity: Pay you for a designated number of years if you are still living, so your annuity ends when you die. There’s no provision for a beneficiary to collect remaining payments.

Life Contingent Lump Sum: You’ll receive a lump sum, provided you are alive on the due date. If you die before this date, your beneficiary is not entitled to the amount.

Lump sum: You can set it up to receive the lump sum on a particular date, say, fifteen years from now. Your beneficiary will receive the lump sum on the future date if you have died before then.

The Details

Though structured settlements contain a great degree of flexibility during the decision-making process (how much money do I need now, how much money will I need in the future, what are my present needs?), once you agree to the terms and sign the agreement, you can NOT alter the provisions. It is highly recommended that you have an attorney and trusted broker help you to determine the best payment methods for your situation. You might want to ask the broker to come up with several different scenarios and payment schedules so you can get a comprehensive look at your options.

So, even if your situation changes down the road, your payments will not. That’s why it is extremely important to be thorough and careful when creating your payment schedule.

Inadequate Payments

Unfortunately, life has a way of throwing off our well-thought-out and well-intentioned plans. Even if you’ve done all your homework, shopped around for the best broker, interviewed many attorneys and carefully planned an effective payment schedule, you may still incur a large unexpected expense.

Should this kind of situation arise, and you are strapped for cash, you would love to be able to make some adjustments to your settlement plan. Of course, this is prohibited. But you do have another option. You might consider selling a portion or all of your remaining structured settlement payments to an interested third party.

Deciding to Sell

Before you decide to sell, think about what you want/need the money for. An immediate medical expense, buying a home or the decision to go back to school are usually considered good reasons. Examine your needs and the needs of your family as well. Perhaps you want a new home. Do you have children approaching college age? If so, you’ll not only incur significant tuition expenses, you’ll also have less of a need for a larger home.

Selling your payments will result in a loss from the full amount. Consider whether or not it is important for you to sacrifice the security and future total amount before you make a decision. You will have to understand the implications, benefits and pitfalls so you can feel comfortable making an informed decision.

Will I Get the Full Amount That I Would Receive Over a Period of Time?

No. The amount you would receive over a period of time is calculated by adding interest to the principal amount. Instead, you may receive the present-day value of the amount. This present-day value may have to be further discounted to cover the costs to do the deal. The rest will be sent to you in one lump sum. You might want to shop around to find out where you can get the best deal.

Court Order

To ensure that you will not be taken advantage of in this delicate process, the government introduced a new federal law in 2002 that requires you to seek court approval when you sell your structured settlement. This law works in conjunction with state laws to direct how the transaction will be completed.

Not only does this law protect you, the seller, it also helps the insurance companies who fear that they will face tax consequences as a result of the sale. The law states very clearly that annuity owners and providers do not and will not owe taxes as a result of this transaction. This breaks down the barrier that you might normally face from a reluctant insurance company.

Selling Options

You do not have to sell the entire remaining amount, or any particular amount, if you so wish. Here are your selling options:

Full amount: The purchaser calculates the present-day value of the payments and offers a lump sum

Part of the payments: Only a specific number of the future payments are sold at their present-day value

Percentages: You may sell a percentage of each payment and keep the remaining balance for yourself

Pitfalls of Selling

Shady brokers. Selling your payments will require you to contact a broker who can help take care of the proceedings. This means that you might run into some game-playing and/or manipulation tactics if you happen to be dealing with a shady broker. They may promise you a high quote, only to come back and say that they can’t do the deal as is unless they get more money from you. Other brokers may claim to be “qualified” when they have only completed a week-long course. Make sure you’re dealing with a broker who has a couple of years experience in structured settlements and is a member of the Better Business Bureau.

You end up losing money. As mentioned earlier, you will not receive the total amount you’d receive over time if you opt for selling your payments. Therefore you lose some money and the security of future payments.

It takes time. Though the federal law requiring court oversight in these proceedings helps protect you, it also delays you from receiving the money as soon as you might have hoped. If you need the money right away, this could frustrate you and hinder your plans for prompt payment. Normally once you decide to sell your payments the process can take as little as 4 weeks and as long as 12 weeks to obtain the court order and for you to receive your lump sum.

Benefits of Selling

The main benefit of selling your structured settlement payments is, obviously, that you will receive a lump sum of cash for which you can utilize in any way you choose. This gives you increased flexibility in using your money, and can provide peace of mind if you have an immediate expense that couldn’t be paid any other way.