Litigation

Factoring Is "In The Money" at Society of Settlement Planners?

Posted on June 24, 2010
The Society of Settlement Planners has apparently gone 3 years without a budget and now it has emerged that it is placing the organization's finances in the hands of a factoring industry representative, who it STILL has not admitted publicly...

Prevent Lottery Winners From Ending Up Losers: Give Them More Options

Posted on June 22, 2010
Do limited options for lottery winners increase the likelihood of dissipation? The choice is simply cash or annuity and many just take the cash. Some end up with nothing even though they started their post winning life more than many...

Secondary Structured Settlement Market Smokes 5 Year CDs, Bonds!

Posted on June 22, 2010
FOOD FOR THOUGHT 5 year CD 2.81% Source: Bankrate.com Taxable 5 Year T Bond 2.01% Source: Bloomberg.com Taxable 5 Year Muni 1.79% Source: Bloomberg.com Tax Free Income 5 Year TIPS 0.27% Source: Bloomberg.com Taxable 5 year secondary market structured settlement...

Spencer v Hartford Settlement: For Some Reality Can Only Be Seen When The Mirror Is Clean

Posted on June 22, 2010
Some of those in the structured settlement and settlement planning industry who have aspirations to use the Spencer v Hartford case in their marketing schemes ought to look themselves in the mirror. A specific class carved out of the class...

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Prudential Financial outlook improves says A.M. Best

Posted on June 22, 2010
In a confirmation that life insurance companies issuing structured settlement annuities have weathered the storm, A.M. Best Co. revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the financial strength rating of A+ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of...

Compare Household Savings Rates Around The World

Posted on June 21, 2010
The financial security of households around the world could be reflected in their savings rate. Here's the list compiled in a June 10, 2010 report in Business Week. China ? 38% India ? 34.7% Turkey ? 19.5% Switzerland ? 14.3%...

MetLife Praised by Barrons

Posted on June 21, 2010
Barrons is bullish on MetLife in a June 19, 2010 feature article about the insurance company stating that they " might have written the right policy to ensure future growth". The Pluses The acquisition of ALICO from AIG is expected...

Transparency and The SSP: Chickens or Gobblers Contest Continues

Posted on June 21, 2010
Now 47 days and counting that The Society of Settlement Planners hides that it has a factoring representative on its Board of Directors. Are they now ashamed? To illustrate the comic absudity of it all we started a Cluckers versus...

Law Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer on Structured Settlements

Posted on June 20, 2010
Apparently they do structured settlements a bit differently on The Strip (above). That's why in this instance the structured settlement watchdog cannot let "what happens in Vegas" stay in Vegas. You see Farhan R. Naqvi, a Law Vegas Personal Injury...

What Does Certain and Life Annuity Mean? Annuity 101

Posted on June 17, 2010
With baby boomers and retirees seeking stable guaranteed income these days it's more likely than not that they will at some point consider annuities. Some annuity terms and phrases like "certain and life"can be confusing and I want to help...

Rated Age and WCMSA: CMS Clarifies May 14, 2010 Guidance on Rated Ages

Posted on June 16, 2010
CMS issued a clarification of its May 14, 2010 memorandum concerning Rated Age language to be included in Workers Compensation Medicare Set Aside Proposals (WCMSA). : A revised rated age certification is now required which states ?Our organization certifies that...

Secondary Structured Settlement Market Get 6.34% payments from AAA rated carrier!

Posted on June 15, 2010
COMPARE: United States 10 Year Treasury Yield 3.258% Source: Yahoo Finance 12 Year Single Deferred Lump Sum payment from secondary structured settlement market purchase of structured settlement payment right to a New York Life structured settlement 6...

Weiss Ratings: Strongest Structured Annuity Issuers

Posted on June 15, 2010
On June 10, 2010 Weiss Ratings updated its list of the strongest and weakest life insurance companies and annuity issuers. The following current and former structured annuity issuers made the list of the strongest annuity issuers. The Weiss rating for...

Structured Asset Funding: Trade Secret Case To Reveal Workings of "Cash Now Pusher"?

Posted on June 14, 2010
The structured settlement watchdog has had his turrets on Structured Asset Funding for a while now. The company is known for absurd and atrocious advertising which suggests that structured settlement annuitants sell their payments for expensive sports cars like Ferraris...

Settlement Capital "targets" Latin market segment

Posted on June 14, 2010
Many feel that the Latin market is the fastest growing consumer market segment and factoring company Settlement Capital Corporation appears to be no exception in drawing on "affiliate marketer" named Mambo Joe for inspiration. On the other hand those considering...

Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston Affirmed at "A" by A.M. Best

Posted on June 14, 2010
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston has been affirmed at an A (Excellent) Rating by A.M. Best along with the rest of the Liberty Mutual Group of insurance companies. The affirmation was announced in an A.M.Best press release dated June...

Structured Asset Funding: Trade Secret Case - 1-2-3 Lump "Bummer"?

Posted on June 14, 2010
Following is a link to the Answer in the Structured Asset Funding Trade Secret case. Download SAF Lawsuit Answer. In the Answer, Defendant Marlon Oddo's answer and affirmative defenses make some serious allegations about the ethics of Structured Asset Funding...

Report Discusses Ways To Fix the Social Security Deficit

Posted on June 13, 2010
The United States' Social Security trust fund reserves are only expected to fully cover projected payments for the next 27 years and only 75% thereafter. 12 Ways to Fix Social Security is a May 18, 2010 article published in US...

Tax on Structured Settlement Payments at Death?

Posted on June 13, 2010
"Is there an income tax on inheritance of structured settlement payments?" came the Bing structured settlement question of the day. The answer is "It depends". While traditionally the word "structured settlement" applies to periodic payments for damages used to resolve...

Financial Literacy Moments of 2010-09 The Structured Settlement Process

Posted on June 12, 2010
The Michigan Lawyers Weekly article referred to in the immediately prior post is full of eyebrow raising holes. Here is how the author of that article, a plaintiff only structured settlement consultant, falls short of the mark when attempting to...

Financial Literacy Moments of 2010-08 Internal Revenue Code § 104(a)(2) and Tax Treatment of Plaintiff Recovery for Physical Injury

Posted on June 12, 2010
Why does financial literacy in the settlement profession continue to be a problem? The article in Michigan Lawyers Weekly asks "Did you ever wonder how the plaintiffs of such cases (lawsuits) are treated by the IRS? The author of the...

Financial Literacy Moments of 2010-10 Qualified Settlement Funds (468B Trust)

Posted on June 12, 2010
"Mi-not" getting the point, or what? Another affiliate of Settlement Professionals Inc. is cutting the financial literacy corner-this time with woefully deficient articulation of what is a major tool for the settlement planner, Qualified Settlement Funds (a/k/a 468B Trust): A...

Registry of Settlement Planners Board Too Top Heavy With Settlement Professionals Inc.?

Posted on June 11, 2010
Is it appropriate to have a board of directors composed 62.5% from one company? That is exactly what the story is with the Registry of Settlement Planners Board (RSP Board) , five of whose eight members are affiliated with a...

Society of Settlement Planners Board Member Questioned

Posted on June 10, 2010
Today we ask some frank questions of Society of Settlement Planners Board of Directors members Rhonda Bentzen that are in the public interest. Subj: SSP Board of Directors Date: 06/10/2010 11:22:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time From: structures To: rbentzen@comcast...

How Secondary Market Structured Annuities Fit Into Financial Plan With Lump Sums Coming Due

Posted on June 10, 2010
While I look forward to what Mark Wahlstrom has to say in his 5 part series on LBN about what to do in this low interest rate environment, I'd like use some secondary market deals that were available this week...

Scott Rothstein "Investor Watchdog" Paladin Registry Passing Off Inaccurate Information About Structured Settlements

Posted on June 09, 2010
Paladin Registry Gets Swatted For It's Failure to Research the Facts BEFORE printing From an email sent to Paladin Registry co-founder Jack Waymire June 6, 2010: "To Whom It May Concern: It has come to our attention that list yourself...

Lift A Cup of "Joe" To The Big Fig Newton of Our Imagination

Posted on June 09, 2010
It has been over 35 days since the Society of Settlement Planners brought a member of the factoring industry onto its Board of Directors without making a public announcement. The SSP's Factoring Fig Newton of our imagination. Rhonda Bentzen, a...

John Darer Discusses Justin Kurtz Case and Freedom of Speech on LBN

Posted on June 09, 2010
A Michigan company, T&J Towing is suing a college student, Justin Kurtz, 21, over a Facebook page the Western Michigan University student created to protest the company towing his car. They claim damages of $750,000. According to ABC News, Kurtz...

Weiss Ratings of Structured Settlement Annuity Companies

Posted on June 09, 2010
With all the brouhaha about rating agencies being paid to rate it should be noted that Weiss Research DOES NOT charge a fee to the companies being rated, to be rated. Latest Ratings: A- John Hancock Life Insurance Company of...

Scott Rothstein Sentenced To 50 Years in Slammer for $1.2B Pre Settlement Funding Ponzi Scheme

Posted on June 09, 2010
The shark infested waters in South Florida now have one less shyster as a Federal Judge sentenced former lawyer Scott Rothstein to 50 years in jail today. Mislabeled both as a mini-Madoff and a purveyor of structured settlements, it seems...

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