How To Sell Structured Settlement Agreements

By Allie Sanchez

If you win a compensation case and opt for a structured settlement agreement then the money that you agree to accept or are awarded will be paid out in a series of individual payments rather than as a lump sum. This kind of solution allows you to agree how the payments will be made in terms of timescale and frequency.

For many people this solution works better for them than having to deal with a lump sum payment up front. It gives them, for example, a regular staggered income and they don't need to worry about investing a lump sum to get an income for themselves to look after their futures.

However, circumstances can change and some people in receipt of structured settlements later decide that a lump sum payment would suit them better. You may, for example, want to free up some cash to buy a big ticket item such as a new house or you may want some money to invest in setting up a new business.

Some people also worry that they will not get the full financial benefit from a structured settlement especially as they grow older. They may, for example, feel that they will not outlive their original payment schedule and may not have ring-fenced the settlement to give any benefits after they die. Or, they may simply be seeing their regular payments decrease every time in terms of the inflationary value of the money that they have to spend.

One solution here is to look at selling your structured settlement in return for a cash sum. There are a variety of ways of selling these kinds of settlements. You can, for example, use a structured settlements broker or agent who can put you in touch with a variety of companies/individual that would be interested in buying your agreement. Or, you can approach a lender, individual or financial institution yourself with a view to them buying it from you direct.

Before you look at this a definite option, however, you do need to check that you can actually legally sell on your settlement in the first place. There are some restrictions that are applied to this process which could preclude you from selling your agreement to a third party.

You'll see the best returns from selling on your settlement here if you look for a few quotes to see what you can get for your agreement. The rates for buying these kinds of settlements will vary from buyer to buyer and you need to make sure that you get the best possible deal that you can.

Using a broker here to try and find you a deal may increase the amounts that you are offered. If you do use a broker then make sure to choose a reputable professional with the right experience in this field.

Finally, whether you sell your settlement yourself or go through an agent do remember that you won't necessarily get offers that equal the money that you will ultimately get from your settlement as a whole. Future payments that you can expect here will be affected by inflation which means that the person buying the settlement will not buy on today's price but will keep an eye on the actual future value. - 20759

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