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Insurance Professionals

Structures an Increasingly Attractive Option

Structured settlements have become an increasingly attractive option to an injured person during these times of economic uncertainty and roller coaster rides on Wall Street. All payments and earnings are tax free. There is near limitless opportunity to design a future payment stream that will meet specific lifetime needs. And federal laws require that the settlement be funded by life insurance annuities, one of the few investments left in America that are virtually guaranteed.

But more important really is peace of mind: once a structure is locked in, the injured person and his or her dependents never have to worry again about the settlement money and the challenges of financial management, the ups and downs of the economy, or unscrupulous outside designs.

Bridge the Settlement Gap

Structured settlements can help bridge differences during a negotiation by moving the focus from a lump-sum dollar amount today to meeting the financial needs and aspirations of the injured person tomorrow. On the financial merits alone, an offer via a structured settlement can produce a much greater total payout thanks to the time value of money, the tax-free status, and the lack of management fees.

Structures are also attractive because they:

  • Integrate payments with other income and insurance sources, thus maximizing overall return;
  • Ease retirement fears by providing a payment guarantee that looks pretty good compared to the uncertainty of many pension plans;
  • Protect against creditors and divorce claims, depending on applicable state exemption statues; and,
  • Avoid probate, as structure payments bypass probate court if there is a beneficiary.

Bottom line: a structure can often create a more attractive settlement offer than straight cash and be a win-win for all involved.

Working With You

Your Ringler consultant is a financial specialist who can help design a payment stream for the injured person that works within various settlement parameters. Learn more about how we work with insurance professionals on a structured settlement. And any time you would like to discuss the specifics of your case, look up the Ringler consultant located nearest you.