How structured settlement buyout offers work
"It's my money and I need it now!"
That cable-TV declaration, which has spawned dozens of YouTube parodies,
invites owners of financial instruments called "structured settlements"
to cash in their guaranteed streams of future income for upfront lump
sums.
But cash "now!" means settling for fewer dollars today than the total
stream of payments would add up to. When is that trade the right
decision?
What structured settlements are
Structured settlements are a stream of payments that a consumer can win after an accident, workers compensation claim or legal judgment. Whoever has to pay out a structured settlement will buy an annuity contract from an insurance company. Settlement payments are guaranteed over the life of the contract. They're certain, predictable.
Structured settlements are a stream of payments that a consumer can win after an accident, workers compensation claim or legal judgment. Whoever has to pay out a structured settlement will buy an annuity contract from an insurance company. Settlement payments are guaranteed over the life of the contract. They're certain, predictable.
But circumstances can change. Perhaps you want to buy a house, start a
business, get married -- whatever life serves up that makes your pockets
feel empty.
Sell your settlement? Yes
Ken Murray, CEO of J.G. Wentworth, the firm behind many of those TV commercials, argues that selling structured settlement payments can be a better alternative to taking out a loan, because it doesn't require any credit checks and you're not left with debt. "Selling structured settlement payments is the safest financial transaction a consumer can enter into," he says.
Ken Murray, CEO of J.G. Wentworth, the firm behind many of those TV commercials, argues that selling structured settlement payments can be a better alternative to taking out a loan, because it doesn't require any credit checks and you're not left with debt. "Selling structured settlement payments is the safest financial transaction a consumer can enter into," he says.
Murray points out that most states have laws that govern how a
settlement can be sold, and they require a judge to look over the deal
to review its fairness.
But he cautions that it's "not a good idea if the consumer does not have
a legitimate need" for a lump sum, or if the payments are required for
living expenses.
Sell your settlement? Maybe
Selling a structured settlement should be "a 'go slow' decision rather than reactive or impulsive," advises Henry L. Strong, president of JMW Settlements Inc., a national settlement planning firm. A beneficiary should "recognize the true value of what they have and make all their decisions based on good information," he adds.
Selling a structured settlement should be "a 'go slow' decision rather than reactive or impulsive," advises Henry L. Strong, president of JMW Settlements Inc., a national settlement planning firm. A beneficiary should "recognize the true value of what they have and make all their decisions based on good information," he adds.
David Kaufman, CEO of Voyant Advisors LLC, whose firm provides modeling
and investment management tools to financial planners, suggests anyone
thinking of trading future income for a lump sum should ask two key
questions: "Can I be financially disciplined? Does it make sense in
terms of my financial strategy and long-term goals?"
He suggests modeling out different scenarios, with a financial planner
or on your own, to "get a sense of the true value of the settlement ...
make it part of your plan and go for it."
Sell your settlement? No
Margot Saunders, counsel at the National Consumer Law Center, is definitive: "My advice is not to sell." She emphasizes that consumers who need cash "should get a standard loan from a bank at standard interest rates, and pay it back with the proceeds" from the settlement. She says structured settlements are established with their recipients' future financial interests in mind. To sell one "is undermining all those goals at a very high cost."
Margot Saunders, counsel at the National Consumer Law Center, is definitive: "My advice is not to sell." She emphasizes that consumers who need cash "should get a standard loan from a bank at standard interest rates, and pay it back with the proceeds" from the settlement. She says structured settlements are established with their recipients' future financial interests in mind. To sell one "is undermining all those goals at a very high cost."
Time value of money
Lump-sum settlement firms such as Wentworth offer less than the sum of the stream of payments. For consumers, the question they need to examine is: How much less?
Lump-sum settlement firms such as Wentworth offer less than the sum of the stream of payments. For consumers, the question they need to examine is: How much less?
When evaluating whether a lump sum is fair, the math can be complex, but
the underlying concept is simple: You would rather have a dollar today
than a dollar in the future. So you'll take a discount on money now,
compared to money later. The trick is in the details.
- Would you rather have $1,000 today or $1,001 a year from now? Most folks would take the $1,000 now. It's not worth it to wait a year for just $1.
- Would you rather have $1,000 today or $2,000 tomorrow? Whoa! Now that's different. Most folks would wait -- it's worth it to wait a day for $1,000.
You have just learned a key financial concept -- there is a time value of money.
A mortgage in reverse
Think about the lump sum buyout as if it were a mortgage in reverse. Those who have mortgages know that you borrow a sum upfront, and then pay it off with a stream of payments over many years. The sum of those payments is far greater than the amount originally borrowed. For example, someone who borrows $100,000 on a 30-year mortgage at 5 percent will pay a total of $193,256 -- nearly double the borrowed amount.
Think about the lump sum buyout as if it were a mortgage in reverse. Those who have mortgages know that you borrow a sum upfront, and then pay it off with a stream of payments over many years. The sum of those payments is far greater than the amount originally borrowed. For example, someone who borrows $100,000 on a 30-year mortgage at 5 percent will pay a total of $193,256 -- nearly double the borrowed amount.
With a buyout of a structured settlement, it works in reverse. You
receive an upfront sum and surrender the stream of payments. And instead
of paying at a certain interest rate, you surrender those payments at
what is called a discount rate.
The buyer of your stream of payments will want that discount rate to be
as high as possible. You want it to be as low as possible.
The company offering a lump sum for your structured settlement has
overhead expenses (those TV ads aren't free) and a profit margin to
maintain, so the firm will offer as low a sum as it can. Discount rates
have ranged anywhere from 8 percent to nearly 22 percent in recent
years, according to a review of several websites and examples of buyout
offers.
| HOW MUCH IS YOUR STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT WORTH? |
||
|---|---|---|
| When you surrender a structured settlement, you surrender a stream of payments for a single, upfront sum. Whether it's a good deal for you or not depends on the discount rate. The lower the rate, the better it is for you. | ||
| Sum of payments for a 10-year, $1,000-per-month annuity | Discount rate | Upfront settlement |
| $120,000 | 5% | $94,600 |
| $120,000 | 10% | $76,200 |
| $120,000 | 15% | $62,590 |
| $120,000 | 20% | $52,500 |
| Source: Structuredsettlement-quote.com calculator | ||
For example, giving up a lifetime total of $120,000 in future income by
selling a $1,000 a month, 10-year annuity might bring you between
$48,308.02 and $82,421.48. It pays to shop around.
The process
The whole process could take 45 to 60 days, even if everything goes smoothly, so this is not really "now!" money. For sure, it will require a court hearing. Expect to make the case why the settlement no longer meets your financial needs. The broker involved will have to explain the discount factor. If the judge determines that the sale is not in your best interests, the transfer can be stopped. But the definition of "best interest" is vague, so that rarely happens.
The whole process could take 45 to 60 days, even if everything goes smoothly, so this is not really "now!" money. For sure, it will require a court hearing. Expect to make the case why the settlement no longer meets your financial needs. The broker involved will have to explain the discount factor. If the judge determines that the sale is not in your best interests, the transfer can be stopped. But the definition of "best interest" is vague, so that rarely happens.
A little upfront investment can save you a lot of headaches and regrets. Here are some things to watch for:
1. Shop around. Get competing quotes
from several firms. If you've sold part of your settlement in the past
and are in the market again, get competitive bids again. Know how many
days you have to cancel with no penalty.
2. Get all the information and disclosures upfront.
Disclosure requirements vary by state, but you should ask about
commitments on timing, fees (the broker should pay the fees) and a
guarantee on the payout dollar amount.
3. Know who you're dealing with. Check with the Better
Business Bureau. Make sure the company you are dealing with has been in
business for a few years and can do business across the United States.
How financially sound are they? If you sell only a portion of your
settlement, does the company "service" the payout, taking all the
annuity proceeds then paying out your share? That could limit your
flexibility on the rest of your settlement.
4. Consult an attorney and a financial planner.
Be aware of restrictions that may exist on selling your settlement.
Know the tax consequences. Know what the impact of selling will be on
your future financial situation. Have a plan and stick to it.
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