Structured Settlement Guides
Everything you need to understand your payments, the selling process, court approval, and your state's rules before you make a decision.
Structured Settlements
12 Questions to Ask Any Settlement Buyer
12 questions to ask any structured settlement buyer before you sign, plus how to judge the answers on rate, fees, funding, timeline, and alternatives.
Read the guide →A Short History of Structured Settlements
From 1970s injury cases to the 1982 tax act, the 1990s factoring boom, state protection acts, and IRC 5891. How structured settlements became what they are.
Read the guide →Alternatives to Selling a Structured Settlement
Before selling settlement payments, consider the alternatives: budgeting on schedule, creditor negotiation, hardship programs, other assets, partial sales.
Read the guide →Can You Sell Workers Comp Settlement Payments?
Selling workers comp settlement payments: when annuity-funded settlements qualify, how state law treats them, and what the court process involves.
Read the guide →Do You Need a Lawyer to Sell a Structured Settlement?
You are usually not required to hire your own lawyer to sell structured settlement payments, but advice can pay for itself. Learn when it makes sense.
Read the guide →How Long Does It Take to Sell a Structured Settlement?
Most structured settlement sales take 45 to 90 days from quote to funding. See where the time goes, what slows deals down, and how to keep yours on track.
Read the guide →How to Get Your Annuity Benefits Letter
A benefits letter verifies your structured settlement payments before a sale. Learn who issues it, what it shows, and how to request yours step by step.
Read the guide →IRC 5891 and the 40% Excise Tax Explained
IRC Section 5891 imposes a 40% excise tax on structured settlement transfers done without court approval. Here is how the law works and who actually pays.
Read the guide →JG Wentworth Fees: What Selling Really Costs
How JG Wentworth pricing actually works: the discount rate behind every offer, what public sources report about rates, and how to read a quote before signing.
Read the guide →JG Wentworth vs Peachtree: One Owner, Two Brands
JG Wentworth and Peachtree Financial have shared an ownership umbrella since their 2011 merger. What that means for comparing offers, and how to run a real comparison.
Read the guide →Life-Contingent Payments Explained
Life-contingent structured settlement payments explained: how they differ from guaranteed payments, why sales take longer, and how buyers price them.
Read the guide →Partial Structured Settlement Sale
Partial Structured Settlement Sale. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structur...
Read the guide →Qualified Assignments Explained
A qualified assignment under IRC 130 is how your structured settlement payments actually get funded. Learn who owes you money and why it matters if you sell.
Read the guide →Selling Structured Settlement Payments
Selling Structured Settlement Payments. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Stru...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Buyer Guide
Structured Settlement Buyer Guide. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structure...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Calculator
Structured Settlement Calculator. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structured...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Court Approval Process
Structured Settlement Court Approval Process. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell M...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Discount Rates Explained
The discount rate decides how much cash you get for structured settlement payments. See how the math works, typical ranges, and why quotes differ so much.
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Factoring
Structured Settlement Factoring. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structured ...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement for Minors
Structured Settlement for Minors. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structured...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Laws by State
Structured Settlement Laws by State. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structu...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Loans Explained
There is no true loan against a structured settlement. See what companies advertising settlement loans actually offer, and how the real options compare.
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Scams and Red Flags
Common structured settlement scams and the red flags to watch for: pressure tactics, hidden advance costs, unclear net amounts, and unlicensed operators.
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Tax Implications
Structured Settlement Tax Implications. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Stru...
Read the guide →Structured Settlement vs Lump Sum
Structured Settlement vs Lump Sum. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structure...
Read the guide →Structured Settlements and Bankruptcy
What happens to a structured settlement in bankruptcy? Exemptions vary by state. Learn Chapter 7 and 13 basics and the questions to ask an attorney first.
Read the guide →Structured Settlements and Creditor Protection
Personal injury settlement payments are shielded from most creditors in many states, but protection varies. Garnishment rules, exemptions, and collector limits.
Read the guide →Structured Settlements and Divorce
Is a structured settlement marital property? It depends on your state and your facts. Learn how divorce can affect your payments and any plan to sell them.
Read the guide →Structured Settlements and Government Benefits: SSI, SSDI, and Medicaid
Selling settlement payments can suspend SSI and Medicaid but usually not SSDI or Medicare. Learn resource limits, trust options, and what to ask before selling.
Read the guide →The "Best Interest" Standard Explained
Every structured settlement sale must be in your best interest. See the factors judges weigh, from financial need to dependents, and how sellers prepare.
Read the guide →The Structured Settlement Secondary Market
Who buys structured settlement payments, how deals are priced, and how court oversight shapes the secondary market. A plain-English map for sellers.
Read the guide →Transfer Denied: What to Do Next
A judge denied your structured settlement transfer. Learn what a denial really means, why courts say no, and how to refile with a stronger petition.
Read the guide →What Is a Structured Settlement
What Is a Structured Settlement. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structured ...
Read the guide →When NOT to Sell Your Structured Settlement
Selling settlement payments is sometimes the wrong move. The honest cases against selling: essential income, distant payments, single offers, and pressure.
Read the guide →Why Courts Deny Structured Settlement Transfers
Why judges deny structured settlement transfers: steep discount rates, dependent needs, prior sales, unclear terms, plus what to do after a denial.
Read the guide →Wrongful Death Settlement Payments
Wrongful death settlement payments: how they are structured, how they are taxed, who owns the payment rights, and what selling for a lump sum involves.
Read the guide →Your Court Hearing: What to Expect
What to expect at your structured settlement court hearing: the questions judges ask, how long it takes, what to bring, and how to prepare calmly.
Read the guide →Annuities
1035 Exchange vs Selling Your Annuity
A 1035 exchange swaps one annuity for another tax free. Selling converts payments to cash at a discount. See how each works and when each makes sense.
Read the guide →Annuity Beneficiary Payout Options
Every annuity beneficiary payout option explained: lump sum, five-year rule, life expectancy stretch, spousal continuation, and qualified account rules.
Read the guide →Annuity Due vs Ordinary Annuity
Annuity due vs ordinary annuity explained: payment timing, present and future value math, real examples, and why it matters when valuing your payments.
Read the guide →Annuity or Lump Sum: Which Is Right for You?
Weigh annuity payments against a lump sum: income security, taxes, inflation, flexibility, and what it actually costs to convert payments into cash today.
Read the guide →Annuity Payout Options Explained
Life only, period certain, joint and survivor, lump sum: compare every annuity payout option, the tax impact of each, and what happens if plans change.
Read the guide →Annuity Surrender Charges Explained
How annuity surrender charges work: typical schedules, free withdrawal amounts, waivers, market value adjustments, and ways to reduce the cost.
Read the guide →Annuity Withdrawal Penalties Explained
Surrender charges, the IRS 10 percent additional tax, and ordinary income tax: what taking money out of an annuity really costs and how to reduce the damage.
Read the guide →Are Annuities FDIC Insured?
Annuities are not FDIC insured. Learn what actually protects annuity owners: insurer claims-paying ability, state regulation, and guaranty associations.
Read the guide →Can You Cash Out an Annuity?
Yes, most annuities can be cashed out. Learn every option, what surrender fees and taxes cost, and how court approval works for structured settlements.
Read the guide →Deferred vs Immediate Annuities
Deferred and immediate annuities differ in when income starts, how fees work, and how you exit. Plain-English comparison with taxes, tradeoffs, and FAQs.
Read the guide →How Annuities Are Taxed
Qualified vs non-qualified annuities, LIFO withdrawals, exclusion ratios, the 10 percent additional tax, and why structured settlement payments differ.
Read the guide →How Annuity Death Benefits Work
Annuity death benefits explained: standard and enhanced benefits, payout phase survivor options, taxes, owner vs annuitant rules, and insurer protections.
Read the guide →How Guaranty Associations Protect Annuities
State guaranty associations back annuity benefits if an insurer fails. Learn how the safety net works, who is covered, and why limits vary by state.
Read the guide →Inherited an Annuity? Your Options Explained
Inherited an annuity? Learn your payout options, how taxes work, spousal rules, and what to do with inherited structured settlement payments.
Read the guide →Qualified vs Non-Qualified Annuities
Qualified vs non-qualified annuities compared: funding, taxes, RMDs, withdrawal rules, and where structured settlement annuities fit in.
Read the guide →Selling an Inherited Annuity
Inherited an annuity? Learn your beneficiary payout options, how the money is taxed, when a sale needs court approval, and what a lump sum offer looks like.
Read the guide →Structured Settlement Annuity
Structured Settlement Annuity. Expert guide covering costs, process, insurance, and state requirements. Free assessment from Sell My Structured Se...
Read the guide →Surrendering vs Selling Your Annuity
Surrendering returns your annuity to the insurer; selling transfers payments to a buyer at a discount. Compare costs, taxes, and timing before you choose.
Read the guide →The Annuity Free-Look Period
Every state gives new annuity buyers a free-look window to cancel for a refund. How long it lasts, how to cancel correctly, and what to do if yours passed.
Read the guide →Variable vs Fixed Annuities
Fixed annuities promise a stated return; variable annuities ride the market. Compare how each works, what they cost, their risks, and which can be sold.
Read the guide →What Are Secondary Market Annuities?
Secondary market annuities are existing payment streams sold at a discount. Learn where they come from, how pricing works, and what sellers should know.
Read the guide →Lottery
How Lottery Winnings Are Taxed
Lottery winnings are ordinary income. Learn how the 24% federal withholding works, why big winners owe more, and how state taxes and payment sales are taxed.
Read the guide →Inheriting Lottery Payments
Inherited a lottery annuity? How remaining payments pass to heirs, the income and estate tax rules, options for faster access, and first steps to take.
Read the guide →Lottery Lump Sum vs Annuity: The Real Math
Lump sum or 30-year annuity? See how the cash option is calculated, how taxes change the math, and how to compare the two lottery payouts honestly.
Read the guide →Lottery Trusts and Winner Anonymity
Can lottery winners stay anonymous? How disclosure rules vary by state, how claiming through a trust works, and what to do before you sign the ticket.
Read the guide →Mega Millions Payout Options Explained
How Mega Millions pays its jackpot: the 30-payment graduated annuity vs the cash option, taxes, election deadlines, and selling payments later.
Read the guide →Powerball Payout Options Explained
Powerball jackpots pay as a 30-payment annuity growing 5% a year or a smaller cash option. See how each works, what taxes take, and your options later.
Read the guide →Selling Lottery Payments: The Court-Approved Process
How selling lottery annuity payments works: state assignment law, quotes and discount rates, the court petition, and the typical 60-90 day timeline.
Read the guide →State Taxes on Lottery Winnings: An Overview
State tax on lottery winnings ranges from zero to significant. See which states charge nothing, the California exception, and how source rules work.
Read the guide →What Happens to a Lottery Annuity When the Winner Dies
A lottery annuity does not end at death. See how remaining payments reach the estate, when lump sums are possible, estate tax issues, and planning steps.
Read the guide →