“Get Cash for Your Structured Settlement Payments NOW!” “See What Your Structured Settlement Payments Can Do!” “Get the Cash You Need Now!”

Ever see ads like these and wonder what they’re all about? If you’ve heard of structured settlements, you may know that they are a way for injured parties to receive compensation for their injuries over time—in periodic payments—rather than in an immediate lump sum. Typically funded through the purchase of annuities, these settlements promote financial stability for injured people by preventing the money from dissipating too quickly. They also are a useful way to preserve a minor’s settlement funds until after the minor reaches adulthood. The federal government encourages the use of structured settlements by allowing qualified payments to be excluded from the recipients’ taxable income.