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Structured Settlements 4Real 
Information and commentary concerning structured settlements and settlement planning issues.
Post Frequency: 4.5/day Last Entry: November 21, 2009 at 10:55:18 Recent Entries: 1432
By John Darer
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The Structured Settlements Company Trademark Application...Latest
Posted on November 21, 2009The audacious efforts of EPS Settlements Group to trademark the term "The Structured Settlements Company" have been chronicled in this forum over the past 9 months. As reported recently EPS failed to obtain an allowance from the United States Patent....
Response To LA Times Story Underscores the JG Wentworth Reputation
Posted on November 20, 2009Today's LA Times carries the story of a rally protest rally against the University of California regents prepared to approve a 32% increase in student fees. One reader's comments demonstrate the "special" place in history cemented by the obnoxious J.G...
Symetra Life Insurance Company IS NOT a "Berkshire Hathaway entity"
Posted on November 20, 2009I thought I'd heard the ultimate structured settlement puffer fish story until now. Apparently some twit recently mischaracterized Symetra Life structured annuity as being provided by a "Berkshire Hathaway entity", One can only suppose that the purpose of such statement...
"Puff Daddy" Ringler Associates Gets "Yellow Card" From Structured Settlement Watchdog
Posted on November 20, 2009In discussing the role of the structured settlement broker, Ringler Associates states "Obviously, the structured settlement broker with access to the most life companies will be in a position to offer a very competitive annuity price". To underscore this point...
Forge Consulting "Financial Literacy Lesson" on Negotiating Structured Settlement Payments
Posted on November 19, 2009Today's lesson is courtesy of our "friends" at Forge Consulting to whom we sing... "Reading Writing and Arithmetic Are The Branches of The Learning Tree T-T-Teacher's gonna show you how to get an A" *** The Forge Consulting Website said...
Kendall Coffey and South Florida Press Deserve "Sak" Dance
Posted on November 19, 2009Our source tells us that a statement from Miami lawyer and real estate developer Alan Sakowitz is forthcoming which purportedly states that he met with Scott Rothstein three times during the months of August and September 2009 and that at...
Rothstein Fraud Update: Structured Settlement Mislabeler Kendall Coffey Should Put A "Sak" In It !
Posted on November 19, 2009STATEMENT BY MIAMI ATTORNEY AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER ALAN SAKOWITZ CONCERNING THE ALLEGED SCOTT ROTHSTEIN FRAUD "During August and September 2009, I met with Scott Rothstein three times at his office to discuss whether his investments were suitable for my...
Is Patrick Hindert's Academic Credibility Self Destructing?
Posted on November 19, 2009Patrick Hindert is a co-author of the text Structured Settlements and Periodic Payment Judgments along with Joseph J. Dehner and Daniel W. Hindert. This author submits that the credibility level of former President of NSSTA and former Executive Director of...
Structured Settlement Website Rankings November 2009 ( including USA only stats)
Posted on November 18, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Global Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 11/18/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 10/19/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall...
John Darer's Scott Rothstein Fraud Commentary on LBN
Posted on November 18, 2009Watch the latest segment of John Darer's Scott Rothstein Fraud Commentary. The following was recorded on November 16, 2009 For more information contact John Darer at 203-325-8640 or via email to jdarer@4structures.com
New York City Area Structured Settlements...Who Writes Structured Settlement Annuities in New York City?
Posted on November 18, 2009Which structured annuity companies write structured settlement annuities in Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan, Nassau, Suffolk, Fairfield County (CT), Westchester and Rockland Counties? The following companies are the primary writers of structured settlement annuities for the New York...
"Structured Settlement Bankruptcies" Hindert's Bumbling Misinformation on Par With Rothstein Press
Posted on November 17, 2009Bumbling Patrick Hindert apparently needs better reading glasses and/or a hearing aid. The Executive Director of Forge Consulting subsidiary, The Settlement Services Group inexplicably refers to the potential bankruptcies of annuity service companies as "structured settlement bankruptcies" in a summary...
Impact of An Annuity Servicer's Bankruptcy on The Annuitant and Structured Settlement Purchaser
Posted on November 17, 2009As cited in Bruce Akerly's paper "The Impact of An Annuity Servicer's Bankruptcy On The Rights Of The Annuitant and The Structured Settlement Purchaser" (Download Nasp-conf-seminar-paper-on servicing-bankruptcy-Bruce Akerly), he addresses and expands on the issues raised in the following blog...
Martindale Hubbell Rated Scott Rothstein AV
Posted on November 16, 2009Buddy Nevins' BrowardBeat.com carries an interesting story about Martindale Hubbell's Peer Review ratings (One Tampa law firm calls Martindale-Hubbell, "the leading evaluator of lawyers in the U.S. and Canada"). He says "For years I?ve seen judicial candidates brag about their...
NYU Law's Jeremy Babener Peddles Dissipation Research to Cash Now Pushers
Posted on November 16, 2009Patrick Hindert, Executive Director of TSSG, a Forge Consulting company, has long been seen promoting the factoring industry, but this takes the cake. The big news is that Jeremy Babener, 3rd Year Law Student, in Ms. Batchelder's class, at New...
Pass The Clicker
Posted on November 16, 2009Those who are thinking about the merits of "spreading their message" with Pay per click advertising programs such as Google Adsense may want to check out the text of an email I received earlier today from "Builders Of Distinction (dot)...
James Logan Should Be Suspended From NSSTA Board of Directors
Posted on November 14, 2009?It's an honor anytime your peers select you to serve a leadership position in their organization,? said NSSTA director James Logan in La Jolla 2008 James Logan of James E, Logan Associates, Ltd. Farmington Hills, MI (center), along with fellow...
Rothstein Fraud: AmLaw Daily Needs A Kick in The Baxter For Shoddy Reporting
Posted on November 14, 2009Brian Baxter of American lawyer Daily is just mailing it in on the Scott Rothstein Fraud. In an article published Friday the 13th Baxter states "The unfolding fraud scandal involving high-rolling South Florida lawyer Scott Rothstein raises questions about the...
Scott Rothstein Structured Settlement Investment Fraud
Posted on November 13, 2009The following press release was issued today by the FBI and IRS: "The Miami Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Miami Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are seeking information from individuals who have...
New York Daily News and Reuters Missing Fundamentals in Reports of Scott Rothstein $1B "Structured Settlement" Scam
Posted on November 13, 2009A New York Daily News article about the Scott Rothstein "structured settlement" Ponzi scheme demonstrates the continued laziness of reporters who fail to seek out qualified information sources about structured settlements, or even basic legal information...
Structured Settlement Expert Credibility Test
Posted on November 12, 2009More than one of my settlement industry colleagues proudly lists membership in the National Association of LIfe Underwriters (NALU) on his/her CV. The problem is that the name NALU has not been in existence for over a decade. The 109...
"Standard Pre-Settlement Conference Intelligence" almost 6 years old!
Posted on November 12, 2009Settlement Professionals' Jack Meligan , Inc. has written a blog post that carries an important message for plaintiff attorneys, that is unfortunately undermined by the use of standard"intelligence" on structured settlements that is pushing 6 years old...
Anonymous Web Commenters Beware! Identity Unmasked in Illinois case
Posted on November 10, 2009The ABA Journal' Martha Neil reported November 9th that Cook County Illinois judge Jeffrey Lawrence has decided that an anonymous commenter on a newspaper website will be unmasked, even though the mother of a teen about whom "Hipcheck16" allegedly made...
Moodys Statement on AIG and Repayment of Government Bailout Funds
Posted on November 10, 2009A year after flared nostrilled politicians went batty over the folks from 70 Pine Street and Fox news hound Bill Hemmer's embellishment about the St. Regis sale conference, things seem to be looking up. In a positive note affirming AIG's...
Structured Settlement Servicing From The Factoring Insider Perspective
Posted on November 10, 2009Andrew Cravenho of the Settlement Quotes, LLC factoring exchange, has spoken out on structured settlement servicing in his post dated November 9, 2009. This follows a post he issued in early 2008. Cravenho says: "The process of servicing payments for...
Peachtree Settlement Advertising Back To Its Misleading Best
Posted on November 10, 2009As if we didn't have enough of people calling things "structured settlements" that aren't, leave it to Peachtree Settlement Funding to rise to the occasion. Rising higher in notoriety than the credit ratings of its parent Peach Holdings, Peachtree is...
Structured Settlement Frauds James Gibson Yes Scott Rothstein No Vive La Difference!
Posted on November 09, 2009By far the most notorious structured settlement fraud involved convicted felon James R. Gibson. Gibson's criminal indictment stemmed from his activities as owner and president of SBU, Inc. and several affiliated companies. The companies were operated by Gibson in the...
Structured Settlement Consultants Who Flout NSSTA Guidelines for Promoting the CSSC-5
Posted on November 06, 2009The list of those who hold the Certified Structured Settlement Consultant designation but mischaracterize or misrepresent their credentials has been updated. Please click below to see the current list of Settlement Consultants Who Flout the NSSTA Guidelines for Promoting the...
Scott Rothstein Couldn't Carry Bernie Madoff's Lunch Box
Posted on November 05, 2009Various sources have characterized Scott Rothstein as Madoff II. The commonality is that They are both Jewish Their notoriety is related to financial fraud (alleged in the case of Rothstein) To say that both are an utter embarrassment to people...
Fez Accompli...Scott Rothstein's Alleged "Structured Settement" Ponzi Scheme
Posted on November 04, 2009"Most people figure if you're left alone, you'll go away" "They figure they should let a sleeping dog lie. I like to jab the dog in the eye. And if it bites me, I'll jab its eye out." quote attributed...
Announcement About Further Structured Settlement Industry Consolidation... Developing...
Posted on November 04, 2009Selling Whistleblower Settlement To Scott Rothstein Scheme Never Made Tax Sense
Posted on November 04, 2009Law.com's Jordan Mishory reports that one prospective investor was made an offer by Scott Rothstein "to pay about 75 percent of the whistleblowers' pre-suit settlement of $900,000 up front in exchange for full payment over time. The investor said the...
"Fast Cash is Bunch of BS" Says Waiting 123 Lump Sum Customer
Posted on November 04, 2009Reader Christina Storey writes "My husband is currently waiting funding from 123 Lump Sum. We started this process over a year ago. It finally went to court on Sept.2009. We got the approval and now almost 2 months later still...
Where "Fast Cash Now" Apparently Means The Speed of a Tortoise
Posted on November 03, 2009The "fan mail" is pouring in for Structured Asset Funding.... "I would highly recommend not doing business with this company. Three months after my money has been promised to me (after 9 months of court and notarized paperwork), I still...
Mind Your Hubs and Spokes with Social Networks and Online Professional Information
Posted on November 03, 2009Once you choose to start using social networks for business you have the responsibility to keep them updated. Incredibly people treat this phenomenon like the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie. They think they can just "set it and forget it". Unfortunately there...
Shame on "Proud Member of NSSTA" and Board Member Who Continues to "Dis" Organization
Posted on November 02, 2009James E. Logan may be an incredibly nice guy and a board member of the National Structured Settlement Trade Association but, in the opinion of this author, is setting a poor example for the rest of the industry by marketing...
Oregon Law Seems to Preclude Use of CSSC in Advertising by Settlement Consultants
Posted on November 02, 2009The new rule concerning new standards to protect consumers from misleading and fraudulent marketing practices took affect on November 1, 2009. Section 836-080-0160 of Trade Practice rules from the Insurance Division of the State of Oregon Department of Consumer and...
CSSC Certificate Leaves Credential Puffers No Excuse For Misrepresentation
Posted on November 02, 2009"The National Structured Settlement Trade Association in cooperation with The University of Notre Dame has conferred upon (state your name) the designation of Certified Structured Settlement Consultant in recognition of the successful completion of the course of study required for...
Structured Settlement Securitizations Hype and Questionnable FInancial Literacy about the Extent of Settlement Factoring
Posted on November 02, 2009Financial reporters who fail to research their subject sure make easy pickins! To wit, the well deserved critique and ultimate "IxNay" of DealFlow Media Structured Settlements Report. Enter Markets Media, LLC. This is what Markets Media's Steve Marlin says: Since...
The "Moping Dorks" of Structured Settlement Industry Need History Lesson
Posted on October 30, 2009The following appeared from the ubiquitous anonymous commenter in response to the Settlement Channel announcement about Hartford Life withdrawing from the structured settlement market effective November 6, 2009: "What a sad statement...that an A rating crippled a company in our...
Hartford Life to announce it is Pulling Out of Structured Settlement Annuity Market
Posted on October 28, 2009In a further sign of settlement industry consolidation Hartford Life Insurance Company will announce that it withdrawing from the structured settlement market. Until 3rd quarter 2008, Hartford Life was one of the leading and most competitive structured settlement annuity markets...
Structured Settlement Servicing Agreements-Good or Bad for Annuitant-Videos
Posted on October 28, 2009My two part video commentary on Structured settlement servicing agreements by factoring companies which appears on Legal Broadcast Network channels Speaking of Justice and Speaking of Settlements. Part 2 includes my interview of Dallas bankruptcy attorney, Bruce Akerly on the...
Credential Puffery in the Structured Settlement Industry...An Expose
Posted on October 28, 2009After viewing this video click below to see which settlement professionals are NOT playing by the published NSSTA guidelines CSSCs who flout NSSTA guidelines for promoting the CSSC as of October 25, 2009
Structured-Settlement-Consultant.Com Is Nonsense
Posted on October 26, 2009A new website has popped up claiming to be "your no-nonsense online guide to structured settlements". It turns out that this is hardly the case. The site, registered to Jim O'Neal (left) ,called structured-settlement-consultant.com, is simply a mish mash of...
Top Five Concerns of Affluent Households 2009
Posted on October 25, 2009A Spectrem Group poll in July 2009 revealed the top five concerns for mass affluent households in 2009: A prolonged economic downturn (82%); Maintaining their current financial position (74%); Having enough money set aside for retirement (71%); Inflation (68%) ;...
Cash Now vs Cash Advance For Your Structured Settlements
Posted on October 25, 2009The false advertising of "cash now for structured settlements", by factoring companies has been prevalent for many years. That's how they suck people in. Structured settlement protection acts that are in place to help assure that the consumer is not....
Settlement Consultants Who Flout NSSTA Guidelines for Promoting the CSSC-Week 4
Posted on October 25, 2009The pillory of errant Certified Structured Settlement Consultants continues with a list of previously unmentioned members of the industry that decouple the CSSC from NSSTA and/or cite their professional credential to the "Lebanese institution", Notre Dame University...
Gaming Search Engines...Can You Improve Your Web Ranking With Real Sounding But Fake Stories Linking To Your Website?
Posted on October 24, 2009A website called Florida website marketing.com claims it can turn your website into a money maker. What they do is nothing new. You, the business owner, pay this company, or any one just like it a certain sum of money...
CSSC ... Something Else To "Carp" About
Posted on October 24, 2009NSSTA Board member James E. Logan of Detroit and other settlement industry credential puffers MAY not yet fully appreciate the subtleties of the confusion they create by not appropriately associating the professional certification with the National Structured Settlement Trade Association,...
How Not To Kill Your Client's Structured Settlement By Fumbling At The Goal Line
Posted on October 23, 2009Epitaph for a would-be structured settlement: Documentation that says in pertinent part " For the consideration of Five Hundred Thousand ($500,000.00) the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, plaintiff hereby releases, remises... " Plaintiff has been advised by...
US Bank Failures...A "Ton" of Banking Woe for 2009
Posted on October 23, 2009It had to happen eventually. The closing of a Florida bank on Friday by the FDIC brought this year's number of bank failures to 100 . There have been a total of 124 failures since the beginning of 2008. Even...
EPS Abandons Attempt to Trademark "The Structured Settlements Company"
Posted on October 22, 2009Two decades after one of its predecessor companies failed to trademark "The Structured Settlements Company" as its own, a fresh attempt by EPS Settlements Group met with a similar fate. Download The Structured Settlements Company Trademark Electronic Search...
Vig Payments Needed For "The Blessing" of Structured Settlement Servicing Company?
Posted on October 22, 2009The plot continues to thicken at the expense of those who enter into structured settlement agreements, who later have an immediate need for cash and have exhausted other options. It is looking more and more from our research that the...
Clarification From LawCash Concerning Esquire Settlement Services
Posted on October 21, 2009My friend Harvey Hirschfeld, President of LawCash, has graciously issued the following statement to clarify the relationship with Esquire Settlement Services which was covered in yesterday's post. "Dear John I hope you are well. I wanted to address the contentions...
CSSC Advertising Problem "Why Didn't NSSTA Notify Us?" They Ask
Posted on October 20, 2009"Right, people you have to tell me these things, okay? I've been frozen for thirty years, okay? Throw me a frickin' bone here! I'm the boss! Need the info". Dr. Evil circa 1997 As industry members begin to realize that...
Settlement Company's "Virtually Unmatched Financial Resources" With PAYDEX Score of 8!
Posted on October 20, 2009"With virtually unmatched financial and legal resources..." Forge Consulting, LLC website " PAYDEX Score 8" Dun & Bradstreet October 20, 2009 According to Dun & Bradstreet's glossary "the PAYDEX Score is D&B's unique dollar-weighted numerical indicator of how a firm...
Millennium Settlements' "Factoring Affiliation"?
Posted on October 20, 2009For years, there have been rumors- is there now substance? The following announcement was mass mailed October 19, 2009 to many of New York State's trial lawyers by Law Cash (a company that provides financing to plaintiffs and the bar...
" Cash Cow Dropped The Poo Again" Says Reader Sold Bill of Goods on "Cash Now"
Posted on October 19, 2009Reader Edward Ellis writes "Oops Cash Cow dropped the poo again. I was solicited to buy my structured settlement. These brokers called me sometimes 3 times a day and on the weekends to get a decision. Finally I chose them...
Structured Settlements 101 Author Belly Flops on Certified Structured Settlement Consultant
Posted on October 19, 2009An anonymous so-called expert states on October 15, 2009 "A certified structured settlement consultant needs to be one who can calculate your costs and your future expenses that is the result of the incident. They should also be reputable. Make...
Structured Settlement Website Rankings October 2009 ( including USA only stats)
Posted on October 18, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Global Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 10/19/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 09/20/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall...
Certified Structured Settlement Consultants Flout NSSTA Guidelines For Promoting the CSSC-Week 3
Posted on October 18, 2009The structured settlement watchdog continues commentary about shameless and mendacious credential puffery by structured settlement professionals and settlement consultants by exposing those in the industry who just don't get, or worse appear to not care, that "4 days in the...
Need For Greater Financial Literacy Underscored by National Enquirer Story
Posted on October 18, 2009The October 26, 2009 issue of National Enquirer (p33) carries the story "Lucky Woman has Big Plans for $5,000 prize!" Apparently "gutsy" Virginia Grunder, 62 of Schwenksville, PA won $5,000 in the Enquirer's cash giveaway. Here is a list of...
Structured Settlements 4Real cracks Avvo Legal Top 50
Posted on October 18, 2009As of October 18, 2009 Structured Settlements 4Real has broken the Top 50 of legal subject matter blogs tracked by Avvo.com
Patrick HIndert for NSSTA Education Chairman
Posted on October 17, 2009It is time that Patrick HIndert be bounced from the Legal committee of NSSTA so that he can devote his time to being the next Education chairman. Hindert has a certain view of the settlement world ( NSSTA "fails to...
Seagull Flies Into Las Vegas Dumps on "Annuity Agents" But Bingos on CSSC Program
Posted on October 17, 2009Here he comes, there he "goes"! Patrick HIndert did his typical "seagull job" in his review of the NSSTA Regional meeting in Las Vegas. Hindert has developed the propensity to call structured settlement consultants "annuity agents"ostensibly to mischaracterize the labeled...
Structured Attorney Fees on Steroids..Healthy Attorneys Only!
Posted on October 17, 2009Attorneys over age 55 with a good health profile have an option that can (1) provide an increase in structured attorney fee payments (2) provide a superior post mortem option for their families. Those attorneys who are considering lifetime payments...
Structured Attorney Fees and Constructive Receipt 101
Posted on October 17, 2009Lawyers who wish to structure their fees before the end of 2009 should be getting their ducks in a row BEFORE the case settles. For example, Does your retainer agreement address attorney fee structured settlements? Does your partnership document address...
"Cash Now" Imperial Structured Settlements...6 Months And counting!
Posted on October 13, 2009Shove over "It's Not My Problem" Rhonda Bentzen/Structured Asset Funding! You've got company in the late pay department! "Cash Now" pusher Imperial Structured Settlements. On October 13, 2009 I received a written communcation purportedly from Imperial Structured Settlements customer MDatlntc...
Some Structured Settlement "Playahs" Can't Keep Up With Internet Traffic of UNTENDED Factoring Gossip Website
Posted on October 11, 2009What do Ringler Associates, Forge Consulting, LLC and The James Street Group have in common? Rhonda Bentzen is kicking their butt! Yeah that's right, the odious factoring queen embedded in the structured settlement industry, who has written nothing else in...
Which PLAINTIFF EXCLUSIVE Structured Settlement Firm Has People Who CURRENTLY Do Defense Work?
Posted on September 30, 2009If there's one thing that is disingenuous in the structured settlement industry it's those "righteous" people whose moral compass allows them to CHOOSE to advertise with a straight face that they are "plaintiff exclusive", intending that to mean something, while...
Sins of Omission and Comission in the Settlement Industry
Posted on September 30, 2009This author is aware of a structured settlement firm whose members routinely use a small excerpt of a published document to compete with another firm. The complete published document puts the small excerpt into context but the offensive structured settlement...
Structured Settlements and The Big Mediation Mistake
Posted on September 29, 2009We've all been there, a long exhaustive day of mediation ends up with a settlement and the next thing you know everyone of tired mind is scrambling to cobble together a mediation agreement or perhaps the mediator has his/her own...
The Hartford Announces New CEO
Posted on September 29, 2009One hopes for the sake of its policyholders that Liam McGee brings the luck of the Irish to The Hartford. Ireland born McGee was tapped as the new CEO of 199 year old Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., which has...
"Statistically 90% of lump sum settlements are gone IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS" Say New York Settlement Consultants
Posted on September 29, 2009Eat your heart out Jeremy Babener! The Lien Resolution Group says on its web site** that "statistically 90% of lump sum settlements are gone in less than TWO YEARS". WOW, NO... NO... I Mean WOW! Forget The Rutter Group and...
Use of Qualified Settlement Fund Will Mitigate Factoring Problem...NYU Law Student
Posted on September 28, 2009The purpose of this post is to focus on the 8th wonder. NO, NOT THE"Old School classic " by The Sugarhill Gang I'm "wondering" about S2KM's incredible 8TH POST about their putative "Elvis Presley" of structured settlements, NY Law School...
NASP Code of Ethics National Association of Settlement Purchasers
Posted on September 28, 2009According to material contained in a Symetra Life Ins. Co. v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd., --- F.Supp. ---, 2009 WL 2252248, *3 (S.D. Tex. July 28, 2009), NASP actually has a code of ethics As stated therein, The NASP Code of...
"This is deceit, plain and simple" Say Legal Recruiters
Posted on September 28, 2009One of our watchdog projects for this year has been to clean up the credential puffery and resume omissions or truth stretching (on LInkedIn) that has gone on for far too long in the settlement industry. While reading the ABA...
Use of Qualified Settlement Fund Will Mitigate Factoring Problem...Says NYU Law Student
Posted on September 28, 2009The purpose of this post is to focus on the 8th wonder. NO, NOT THE"Old School classic " by The Sugarhill Gang I'm "wondering" about S2KM's incredible 8TH POST about their putative "Elvis Presley" of structured settlements, NY Law School...
New Bentzen "Snirtle" ...
Posted on September 26, 2009It truly is an amazing feat that B.S. can get more traffic on Internet than EPS Settlements Group and SFA! Yes that's right B.S. as in "Bentzen says", and Alexa! And Bentzen doesn't say much, the only things she's written...
"The Logan Report"
Posted on September 25, 2009Revered NSSTA Board Member Jim Logan continues to characterize an industry professional certification in a manner that* is misleading, and inconsistent with the guidelines set down and perhaps voted on by the Board on which he serves. How can this...
The Price of Admission! Or Is It a Lack of "The Willingness to Discern"?
Posted on September 25, 2009What goes on in those "smoke filled rooms"? From an email entitled "Plaintiffs only structured attorney fees" obtained today by this author that was sent by one lawyer (and via the list serve copied to a dedicated email address at...
Settlement Advisors FAQ is Incorrect
Posted on September 25, 2009Huver and Associates Structured Settlement FAQ #11 Q. Can some other entity besides the defendant purchase the tax-exempt settlement annuity? A. Yes, under certain circumstances. If conditions exist pursuant to IRC Section 468B, a Qualified Settlement Fund could step in...
John Hancock Announces Organizational Changes
Posted on September 24, 2009John Hancock has announced organizational changes pending regulatory approval Pending regulatory approval, John Hancock Life Insurance Company (?JHLICO?, which issues structured settlement annuities (and guarantees the payment of periodic payment obligations assigned to John Hancock Assignment) is to be merged...
Hartford P&C Structured Settlement Program Makes Positive Changes
Posted on September 24, 2009Positive changes have been made with respect to Hartford's structured settlement program. If a structured settlement annuity is being considered, the broker must provide to the claimant at least two different annuity company quotes for the claimant to make a...
S2KM Reviews Jeremy Babener QSF Paper-2 Start Eye roll...NOW!
Posted on September 24, 2009Just finished Patrick Hindert's homage to himself on S2KM's Beyond Structured Settlements blog. You'd think that if Jeremy Babener thought anything of his interview with Hindert, HE'D have posted it on his own blog. But I guess that antsy pantsy...
Cagney and Bracy
Posted on September 23, 2009Is Trish Laborde of Stone Street Capital angling to star with me in a modern day version of Dan Ackroyd and Jane Curtin?s popular Point-Counterpoint segment on Saturday Night Live? No, NOT "The Coneheads", I?m talking Weekend Update, as in...
Structured Settlement Website Rankings September 2009 (USA only stat now ranked too)
Posted on September 20, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Global Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 09/20/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 08/20/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall...
Can "Cheap Labor" Get The Job Done on Single Claimant 468B Qualified Settlement Fund?
Posted on September 20, 2009What a brilliant strategy! Is law student Jeremy Babener as a "cheap but erudite tool" of those who have hundreds of thousands of dollars vested in a project to convince Treasury to issue guidance as to IRC 468B concerning the...
Structured Settlement Market Likely to Consolidate Further in 2009
Posted on September 18, 2009The air is ripe for another currently writing structured settlement annuity company to withdraw from the market before the end of the year. Stay tuned for details. When he's finished blowing smoke up NYU law student Jeremy Babener's skirt about...
John Darer is Latest New Commentator For Legal Broadcast Network
Posted on September 18, 2009In its press release of September 18, 2009 The Legal Broadcast Network, a premier news, commentary and broadcast platform for lawyers, educators and journalists announced that John Darer, yours truly, has joined the network as a commentator. I will be...
Connecticut DOUBLES Agents' Licensing Cost But FAILS to Plug Regulatory Gap and Let's "Financial Crack" Dealers Into State to Solicit Residents At No Cost or Recourse
Posted on September 17, 2009The Connecticut Insurance Department has posted a new schedule of fees, effective next month, which doubles the cost of most insurance agents' licenses. Among the increases: producers license fees and renewals jumped from $40 to $80, and exam fees have...
CSSC Sponsor NSSTA Must Add CE Requirement Now!
Posted on September 16, 2009New rules proposed by the State of Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services designed to protect consumers might lead to some additional "white space" on the business cards of settlement professionals. 836-080-0160 (NEW September 14, 2009) Use of Special...
MetLife "SIGNIFICANT INCREASE in Structured Settlement Sales"
Posted on September 16, 2009On the one year anniversary of the 2008 "epicenter of bad news", positive news is coming from MetLife. William J. Wheeler CFO of MetLife, Inc. said that Met is gaining market share in every one of its lines of business,...
"Yabba Dabba Doo" Insurance Company Needs To Get With The Times
Posted on September 16, 2009Other commentators have waxed toxic of their disdain for casualty company approved lists. So, having been given the appropriate "stimulus" I've decided to weight in. One wonders what "dinosaur" of the structured settlement industry is advising a P&C company to...
Structured Annuity Issuer Customer Service...Areas To Improve-1-Policy Mailings
Posted on September 15, 2009This author believes that the shorter the structured settlement sales cycle the more happy your customer will be. One thing that I have observed that needlessly extends the sales cycle is delivery of structured annuity contracts to settlement agents, brokers...
New York Insurance Compensation Disclosure Coming To a Head (Proposed Reg. 194 of 11 NYCRR 30)
Posted on September 14, 2009The New York State Insurance Department (Department) has sent draft producer disclosure regulations to the Governor?s Office of Regulatory Reform (GORR) for review. GORR is meeting with and getting input from interested parties and could publish proposed regulations by late...
Rip-Off Report Complaint on Peachtree Settlement Funding "These B**ches Got His Money"
Posted on September 13, 2009This piece of uncensored "fan mail" for Peachtree Settlement Funding appears on the Rip Off Report (#424073), an online bulletin board which enables consumers to sound off about companies who they feel have wronged them. "Paechtree (sic) is a ripoff....
NSSTA Position on "Promoting the CSSC" Certification
Posted on September 13, 2009The National Structured Settlement Trade Association has posted a web page about "Promoting the CSSC", a settlement industry professional certification program that it administers. The page came about after conversations between officials at the University of Notre Dame and the...
Short Term Structured Settlements... Don't Get Snookered
Posted on September 13, 2009Plaintiff attorneys should use caution when encountering a latter day defense tactic that still occasionally pops up in negotiations, involving pressuring the plaintiff into a structured settlement with payment terms of only a few years in the current environment...
She's Right, Sort Of
Posted on September 11, 2009Patricia Laborde. Division Counsel from "cash now" pusher Stone Street Capital, publicly admits to enjoy reading this blog and I thank her for that. She recently made an attempt to hoist me on my own petard concerning the regulation of...
Structured Settlement "Seminal Text" promoted on Internet as " Helping People Transfer Payments From Their Structured Srttlements"
Posted on September 11, 2009This in from one of our readers who alerted us to the following after reading yesterday's post Structured Settlement Annuity in One Wordy "Inarticulate Articulation"? "This also from Settlementblog.net on what I thought was the seminal text on our industry:...
Structured Settlement "Seminal Text" promoted on Internet as " Helping People Transfer Payments From Their Structured Settlements"
Posted on September 11, 2009This in from one of our readers who alerted us to the following after reading yesterday's post Structured Settlement Annuity in One Wordy "Inarticulate Articulation"? "This also from Settlementblog.net on what I thought was the seminal text on our industry:...
Financial Rating Agencies Under Review on State and Federal Level
Posted on September 10, 2009One year removed from the 2008 Fall "Vlasic", the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) announced that it will hold a public hearing on Sept. 24 to discuss the past and future roles of Nationally Recognized Statistical Ratings Organizations (NRSRO),...
Structured Settlement Annuity in One Wordy "Inarticulate Articulation"
Posted on September 10, 2009"Structured settlement annuities are as a (sic) result of broadly articulating litigation that?s occurred between parties where a (sic) economic award has been given by one party to another as a (sic) result of a court action". Source: Settlementblog...
What Do 4structures.com, LLC and Forge Consulting Have in Common?
Posted on September 09, 2009Check this out! I can praise as well as I can bash. In this post I would like to acknowledge that besides sharing a current or former client (or two), 4structures.com, LLC and Forge Consulting, LLC now share compliance with...
Lien Resolution and "Other Discounted Free Services" Tie In To Structured Settlements... Potential Pitfalls Exposed
Posted on September 09, 2009In the last few months Ive notice that a number of licensed insurance agent or broker individuals or firms that are Partners For Justice with the New York State Trial Lawyers Association have begun to offer discounts for services. This...
Lack of Published Thought Contributes To S2KM High Bounce Rate
Posted on September 09, 2009The "Bounce Rate" for readers of the S2KM blog "Beyond Structured Settlements" is ridiculously high for someone who is the author of what was once considered the seminal text for structured settlements. With a 1 month bounce rate of 73.5%,...
Glossary of Structured Settlement Terms From GotTrouble.Com is Useless Spam
Posted on September 09, 2009If you are seeking the meaning or definition behind a keyword related to structured settlements one glossary not worth your time is GotTrouble.com. Essentially Got Trouble.com Glossary of Structured Settlement Terms contains only 11 terms and only about 33% relate...
"Dirty Barry" Smokes Brooklyn Investors in Brooklyn Ponzi Scheme
Posted on September 09, 2009"Go ahead, I'll Take Your Pay!" "Do U Feel Lucky Punk?" Accused scam artist Philip Barry purportedly told investors he was investing in stock options while instead allegedly splurging on personal real estate and a mail-order porn business, losing $40...
Ohio "Investment Advisor" Is One Bad "Apple"
Posted on September 08, 2009One of Patrick Hindert's neighbors to the North is going "up the river". William R. Appleton, II, the "bad apple" former insurance agent from Maineville, Ohio pulled a "mini Madoff" on unsuspecting victims, posing as an investment advisor and convincing...
"Prepare For a Future... If You're Not Careful Everything Can Disappear"
Posted on September 08, 2009Former Orlando Magic star David Vaughn 36, appears on NBA Fanhouse in a story that describes a journey that stretches at its peak from accommodations at the Ritz Carlton to the 2008 nadir of "accommodations" in a friend's dusty storage...
Wearing Two Hats: Your Lawyer Is Your Structured Settlement Consultant
Posted on September 08, 2009A number of practicing trial lawyers have entered the structured settlement business. Some are brazen enough to advertise such on their legal web sites. Should such lawyers be mindful of the legal and insurance ethical tightrope that is teetered on...
Structured Settlements 4Real Breaks Avvo Top 100 of Legal Subject Matter Blogs
Posted on September 07, 2009Avvo.com ranks legal subject matter blogs using Alexa's trailing one month traffic statistic (as an aside we use the 3 month Alexa traffic stat to rank structured settlement websites). The structured settlement blog is currently ranked 78th out of 400...
Pressman Settlements "Investment Management"?
Posted on September 06, 2009The LinkedIn profile for Elizabeth Pressman (see link below) states that Pressman Settlements Corporation is in the "investment management industry" and that she is in "investment management" Download Elizabeth Pressman _ LinkedIn Inasmuch as there has been an advertisement for...
On Friday the news came that unemployment
Posted on September 06, 2009On Friday the news came that unemployment hit a 26 year high. I graduated Syracuse University that year, the economy ravaged by spiraling inflation and despite the odds and malcontent of the time my colleagues and I made it, as...
Structured Settlement Blog Becomes Available on Amazon Kindle
Posted on September 06, 20094structures.com, LLC announced today that Structured Settlements 4Real: What's Real in The Structured Settlements, Settlement Planning and Litigation Recovery Management Space will be available for download on the Amazon Kindle. The ability to download the structured settlement blog by Kindle...
Is JG Wentworth a Consumer's Friend?
Posted on September 06, 2009"J.G. Wentworth was founded on a single, yet powerful idea: deferred payment streams can be purchased at a discount to produce superior returns". J.G. Wentworth corporate brochure 2007 .pdf page 3 "Produce superior returns" for whom?
Florida Bd. of Bar Examiners Adopts Formal Policy of Accessing Applicants' Facebook and Other Social Networking Sites
Posted on September 06, 2009The Florida Board of Bar Examiners voted to adopt a formal policy review applicants' social networking sites on a case-by-case basis, according to this recent report in Florida Bar News. This author has written several pieces providing subtle admonishment to...
Do We Need More Symmetry, OR Should Insurance Law Simply Make Insurance Rebates, Bribes and Kickbacks Legal?
Posted on September 05, 2009It goes without saying that paying bribes, kick backs and rebates in the process of soliciting insurance is illegal! Ostensibly such rebate restrictions are to protect consumers from being tempted to business with those whose best quality is the rebate...
Structured Settlement Industry "Designer Labels"
Posted on September 04, 2009The term designer label refers to clothing and other personal accessory items sold under an often prestigious marquee. The structured settlement industry has plenty of "designer labels"! Modern Day Settlement Industry "Epithets" Plaintiff broker Defense Broker Examples: "You're a plaintiff...
Bab-oon Line Drive "Carons" Off "Hindert's Corner"
Posted on September 04, 2009Is Patrick Hindert doing enough to "promote" NYU law student Jeremy Babener? Points for consideration: Hindert has not posted anything else but Babener in close to 3 months Hindert has not posted anything in 5 weeks Paul L. Caron's Tax...
Failure to Register in Florida Cost Pressman "One Large" Plus ...and Counting?
Posted on September 03, 2009The case of Elizabeth B. Pressman and Pressman Settlements Corporation should be a lesson for any settlement consultant, not to mention ANY insurance professional. Know the laws of the state in which you are conducting business, BEFORE you start doing...
Lock In Form Asks For Settlement Broker's CLIENT'S Contact Name and Address
Posted on September 02, 2009The lock-in form generated by Quote in The Box software for one of the structured annuity issuers is asking for a contact name and address for the Purchaser/Assignor. Pardon my fleeting skepticism, BUT the fact is that some life insurance...
Structured Settlement Attorney Hogwash
Posted on September 01, 2009What is a "structured settlement attorney"? The term "structured settlement attorney" is one of the key search terms driving traffic to one of the settlement industry's web sites. So I did a Google search and sure enough a bunch of...
North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Reports Of "Extra Layer of Security" For Structured Settlement Payees
Posted on August 30, 2009The North Carolina Lawyers Weekly reported on August 17, 2009 that on August 7, 2009 North Carolina governor Bev Perdue signed legislation that will add an extra layer of security to those receiving payments from structured settlement annuities. The legal...
The Roth "Why Are They?" ...Rated Age Abuse of Insurers -2
Posted on August 30, 2009On June 4, 2009 I discussed the number of rated age requests going to structured annuity underwriting departments without legitimate intent for business to follow (on the rated age lives) is a blood gorged clot, clogging the structured settlement service...
How Sticky Are Structured Settlement Websites?
Posted on August 30, 2009How well do the structured settlement industry's web offerings hold the attention of their audience? To augment its monthly survey of the traffic ranking of industry websites, Structured Settlements 4Real now looks into the "stickiness" of settlement industry websites...
Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator Is Useful Tool for Bank Depositors in View Of Accelerating Bank Failures
Posted on August 30, 2009With 3 more banks failing over the weekend bringing the 2009 total to 84, it may be a good idea for depositors to bookmark the Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator ("EDIE") According to the information posted on the FDIC website, EDIE...
Cash For Clunkers Credit IS NOT TAXABLE
Posted on August 29, 2009There have been rumors that the Cash for Clunkers Credit is taxable. The rumors are false. The operative word is "credit". The FAQ for the Cash for Clunkers program states that "The CARS Act expressly provides that the credit is...
IRS Revises Structured Settlement Factoring Audit Technique Guide
Posted on August 29, 2009The IRS issued its latest revision to the Structured Settlement Factoring Audit Technique Guide in August 2009. The guide contains loads of useful information for someone who wants to understand the basis for IRC 5891, a section of the Internal...
1,000 Banks to Fail in Next 2 Years, FDIC Fund Down 20% in Q2 2009
Posted on August 28, 2009On a day when AIG stock jumped 30% this sobering news came out of the banking sector: "With bank failures rising, the FDIC fund fell 20 percent to $10.4 billion in the second quarter as U.S. banks lost $3.7 billion"....
Why The Gaps in Timeline on Resume?
Posted on August 28, 2009Why does Rhonda Bentzen leave a gap in her LinkedIn profile omitting the fact that she was affiliated with Structured Financial Associates, Inc. between Canada and Strategic Capital? Was the fact that she was affiliated "under seal" too? Why doesn't....
Buffalo Structured Settlement Broker in New York State Insurance Disciplinary Action
Posted on August 28, 2009The New York State Insurance Department reported in a July 31, 2009 press release (p6/13) that it has taken disciplinary action against structured settlement consulting firm, Pressman Settlements Corporation and Elizabeth B. Pressman of 218 Wellingwood Drive Amherst, NY...
Plaxo... It Just Goes From Bad To Worse!
Posted on August 28, 2009Are you a user of Plaxo? The other day I exposed how befriending your competitors permits them a window into your business contacts. I've just discovered that Plaxo is now publishing a public profile which basically shows ANYONE on the...
Structured Settlement Blog Experiences Dramatic Traffic Increase
Posted on August 28, 2009Now with over 2,025 posts, the Structured Settlements 4Real blog is experiencing a significant increase in quality traffic. Over the past 3 months the average time spent by readers on this blog is 14.5 minutes, with a 1 month average...
AIG Stock Rises Over 30% in Morning Session, Touches $50 per Share
Posted on August 27, 2009The common stock of American International Group, Inc. (AIG) continues its dramatic rise from a March 9, 2009 low of $6.60 to touch $50 in the morning session. According to Reuters there is new optimism from the company's CEO Robert...
Life insurance policy "contestable period"
Posted on August 27, 2009Someone has made a comment on another industry blog concerning life insurance that I though would best be addressed in this forum. The writer appears confused over the significance of the contestable period on a life insurance policy. Here's what...
Peach Holdings Gets S&P Upgrade to CCC+ (Outlook Negative), Senior Secured to CCC-
Posted on August 27, 2009Standard & Poors issued new credit ratings on Peach Holdings, the parent of cash now pusher Peachtree Settlement Funding on August 26, 2009. As stated on the Standard & Poors website, an obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment,...
Will's "Financial Literacy Lesson" LOL ... Why Factoring Company Sales Reps Strike Out
Posted on August 27, 2009From the mouths of one of Stone Street Capital's "brightest" "One question we hear rather regularly is what is the difference between a ?structured settlement? and an annuity. A ?structured settlement? is defined as a tax advantaged financial settlement awarded...
Bentzen Funding Blog No "Servicing" Comments BUT One "Juicy" Gossip Entry
Posted on August 26, 2009August Fools! Barely filling the gossip void from May, Rhonda Bentzen informs us that North Carolina's Tacker Le Carpentier has switched structured settlement brokerages. Now if Bentzen could just contribute to the settlement industry with a modicum more than gossip...
Larger Factoring Companies To Suffer Financial Squeeze?
Posted on August 26, 2009Something notable is going on in the factoring world. Yesterday I was approached by someone purporting to represent a group of investors with $200 million to invest in structure settlement factoring deals. Needless to say I quickly issued my rebuff.....
Adjuster of No Fault MAY NOT Share Non Public Medical With 3rd Party Adjuster of Affiliate
Posted on August 26, 2009The New York Insurance Department Office of General Counsel has issued a new opinion that may impact structured settlement practice, particular those intermediaries who work with affilated auto insurers on two sides of a claim, where one handles the 1st...
Practice Strategic Intelligence In The Use of Plaxo BEFORE You Connect
Posted on August 25, 2009The online social networks phenomenon be great for business but it can also hurt your business if you're not careful. Would you give your competitor a window into your client and/or contact list? If you add a competitor to your...
Hindert Inert on Structured Settlement Servicing by Factoring Companies
Posted on August 25, 2009Patrick Hindert has variously commented on JG Wentworth as "structured settlement thought leaders", "focusing on the needs and best interests of consumers". What Hindert has never discussed, however, is what our sources tell us is the business practice of structured...
Fairfield Funding...Cash Now Pusher Pulls Slime Ball Move Against Ringler, EPS, Millennium, Settlement Professionals
Posted on August 24, 2009Fairfield Funding has an "A-" from the Better Business Bureau. But perhaps not for long. You see Fairfield Funding, a less than one year old cash now pusher out of Atlanta, is not going to win too many friends using...
WHY Won't BBB Atlanta Look At Fairfield Funding Complaint???
Posted on August 24, 2009The BBB Code of Business Practices represents sound advertising, selling and customer service practices that enhance customer trust and confidence in business. The Code is built on the BBB Standards for Trust, eight principles that summarize important elements of creating...
Structured Settlement Payments: The Label "Guarantee" Comes With Caveat
Posted on August 24, 2009Be careful how you use the word "guarantee" when expressing structured settlement payments in documents or sales presentations. While a number of people and at least one life insurance company's quoting software continue use the term "guaranteed" in connection with...
Effective Date of Structured Settlement Agreements and Releases
Posted on August 24, 2009** I'm astonished by the number of times my industry colleagues representing certain insurance companies employ the cookie cutter approach to structured settlement documents. The cookie cutter documents are bastardized versions of what was commonplace 20 years ago...
Imperial Structured Settlements Lays More Inconsistencies on Potential Customers!
Posted on August 23, 2009What kind of eggs is Imperial Structured Settlements laying? "Our team has a combined 25+ years of industry experience. We made history by revolutionizing the time required for the Structured Settlement process by shortening it from 120 days down to....
Largest Number Of Bank Failures since 1992, BUT Still No Structured Annuity Issuers
Posted on August 23, 2009Rising loan defaults spurred by tumbling home prices and spiking unemployment have done in another 4 banks. The failure of Austin, TX based Guaranty bank, which was announced on Friday, along with failure of three small banks in Georgia and...
Imperial Structured Settlements' Mortgage Contest Inconsistencies
Posted on August 22, 2009I've "Ben-Eyeing" Imperial Structured Settlements latest contest where a winner is randomly selected to have their mortgage paid by Imperial for a period of 1.5 months up to a limit of well, uh, that's the point I'll be getting to....
Structured Settlement Guide Features Notorious Structured Settlement Misinformant Chris Padgett
Posted on August 21, 2009Last September I excoriated Chris Padgett for misinforming the public that structured settlement were used by lottery winners. Today he "retains his form "on structuredsettlements-guide.com in the case of "if you don't do your research and seek the easy Google...
Settlement Industry Marketing to Lawyers Over the Top- Exhibit 1
Posted on August 21, 2009Marketing Claim "How many structured settlements have you been involved with in the past 10 years in which the annuity was funded through the life insurance company affiliate of the casualty insurer? Is it likely that the affiliate life market...
Veteran Publishes "Belly Flop" on Key Structured Settlement Fundamental
Posted on August 21, 2009Geez when I read this "belly flop" from someone I understand to be one of the leading all time settlement producers in the industry I almost fell off my chair: "For defendants, structured settlements allow payment guarantees and obligations to...
A Lump Sum Structured Settlement ANNUITY COMPANY? Don't Believe These Liars!
Posted on August 21, 2009Attention insurance regulators, the folks at Stone Street Capital are advertising that they are a "leading lump sum structured settlement annuity company" Off to Structured Settlement Aper's Pillory goes Stone Street Capital The Stone Street Capital reputation has now come...
California Law Firm's Structured Settlement FAQ Needs Work
Posted on August 20, 2009What are the Disadvantages of a Structured Settlement? Spray Gould Bowers, LLP If the plaintiff retains too much control over the proceeds, the IRS may look at the situation and decide that the tax benefit must be forfeited. Comment Huh?...
A "Will" In Sheep's Clothing!
Posted on August 20, 2009Acting in contrast to his company's Teletubby like spokes creature, Stone Street Capital's "Will in Sheep's Clothing" suggests that it is "likely a prudent step" for those who are receiving structured settlement payments "to find out what their payments might...
Structured Settlement Blog Milestone: 2,000 Posts and Counting!
Posted on August 20, 2009On August 19, 2009 Structured Settlements 4Real hit the 2,000 post mark. It took a little less than 26 months for Structured Settlements 4Real to hit the 1,000 post milestone. It has taken only 18 more months for Structured Settlements...
Facebook and Your Career-2
Posted on August 20, 2009The other day I posted about how lack of discrimination in status updates on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter that are copied to members of your industry or clients can affect your career and/or reputation. In another twist...
Structured Settlement Websites Experience Increased Traffic in August 2009 survey
Posted on August 20, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 08/20/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 07/24/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall scheme)...
A Few Settlement Brokers' "Ethical Skirts" on Lock Ins Could Lead to Changes
Posted on August 20, 2009According to our sources it HAS been noticed that some structured settlement brokers and settlement planners have a pattern of locking in "any old benefit" to preserve a rate series and then opportunistically taking advantage of the life insurer by...
Structured Settlement Annuity Contract and Servicing Issues-1
Posted on August 19, 2009With all the modern technology available one wonders why the majority of the companies issuing structured settlement contracts have not made use of an alert system to their appointed brokers. When a case is submitted to the annuity issuer it...
Which "Cash Now Pushers" Are Having Trouble Funding Deals Right Now?
Posted on August 19, 2009Perhaps it's the case of survival of the fittest, but the word on the street is that a number of factoring companies that are promoting the "cash now" fraud while allegedly, behind the scenes, they having great difficulty funding their...
Courts Should Impose Sanctions on Factoring Company Lawyers Who Are Ill Prepared to Defend "Best Interest" Test
Posted on August 18, 2009After reading some of the decisions made by judges around the country where a structured settlement factoring transaction was determined to fail "the best interest" test, it is evident that neither the factoring company or their legal counsel was adequately...
Factoring Industry "Financial Planning" for Tort Victims
Posted on August 18, 2009Based on what appears on a factoring company website, the following 5 questions represent the extent of "delving for details" before "getting the (structured settlement factoring) transaction rolling". GENERAL INFORMATION Client Name: ________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ Phone Number: ____________ Best Time...
Financial Ratings of Structured Settlement Companies
Posted on August 18, 2009Looking for insurance company ratings for the structured settlement you are contemplating for you, a loved one, or a client? 4structures.com, LLC has compiled a helpful chart which shows the life insurance companies who currently write structured settlements funded with...
Facebook and Your Career
Posted on August 17, 2009PC World has an excellent article entitled "Facebook Etiquette: 10 Rules for Better Socializing" One excerpt in particularly rings out: "Oversharing on Facebook can be a problem. Every meal eaten, every TV show experienced, and every weather condition observed need...
If You Have To Sell, Don't Get Ripped Off! Effective Discount Rates As Low As 7.75%
Posted on August 17, 2009One of our reliable structured settlement factoring information sources claims to have effective discount rates of 7.75% with only slightly higher for AIG paper. This author is not encouraging factoring. If have hit a devastating financial crunch however, AND you...
Woodbridge Investments Purveyors of Bad Structured Settlement Information AGAIN!
Posted on August 17, 2009Blindly taking financial advice from a "cash now pusher" is usually not a good idea, particularly one that is dangling trendy baubles in front of your eyes hoping that you will be gullible enough to do business. Woodbridge Investments falls...
Canada.... "Patients are getting less than optimal care " Canadian Med Assn President
Posted on August 17, 2009The National Health Care debate continues. Those pushing for national health care or universal health care may want to consider what is happening north of the border. The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada's health-care system is...
Brokers versus Direct Funders in Structured Settlement Factoring Transactions
Posted on August 16, 2009Stone Street Capital is now making the pitch that direct "cash now pushers"do it better" than brokers without the broker's fee. I imagine that some brokers would respond that a broker permits "shopping the market". Settlement Quotes, LLC factoring exchange,...
"Full Nelson" Would Scuttle SEC Regulation of Indexed Annuities
Posted on August 16, 2009SEC Rule 151A is the culmination of a decision by the Securities Exchange Commission to reclassify indexed annuities as securities. Effective January 12, 2011 annuity issuers will be required to file their products with the SEC. Solicitation will have to...
Repression Scorecard -2
Posted on August 15, 2009The FDIC shut down of $25B 346 branch Colonial BancGroup, Inc. on Friday along with another bank brings the total bank failures in 2009 to 74. Colonial Branches will reopen as branches of BB&T with a total cost to FDIC...
News About Structured Asset Funding and the Servicing of Structured Settlement Payments
Posted on August 15, 2009Those who have kept track of my latest expose of the servicing situation will recall that "cash now pusher" Structured Asset Funding is Bentzen Funding Solutions' funding source. Although Rhonda Bentzen recently disclaimed responsibility for anything to do with "her...
Peachtree Settlement Funding Latest False Advertising Scheme UGHHH!
Posted on August 15, 2009The add below appears in a sponsored ad on the Microsoft search engine BING.com 8/15/2009 10:00am EDT "Structured Settlement Now
Matt Bracy Says Structured Settlement Servicing Is The Fault of Life Insurance Companies Issuing Structured Annuities
Posted on August 14, 2009In response to our open market letter concerning structured settlement servicing I have received a response from Matt Bracy, General Counsel of Settlement Capital Corporation whose finger points squarely at the structured settlement annuity issuers, although he does not name...
Imperial Structured Settlements and JG Wentworth Glossary Missing Important Words That Are Intrinsic To What They Do. WHY?
Posted on August 14, 2009A number of factoring industry companies have glossaries. The purpose of a glossary is to "decode" what industry terms mean to the lay person. I am particularly bemused by the glossaries on offer by Imperial Structured Settlements and JG Wentworth....
How to Make Comments on This Blog
Posted on August 13, 2009Making comments about any of the posts on Structured Settlements 4Real is very easy. Simply scroll down to the end of the post. You will notice a time stamp, a bunch of key words and at the very end the...
Why Bring Up JG Wentworth Now ? Part One
Posted on August 12, 2009The following short statement was posted by Andrew Cravenho of Settlement Quotes, LLC about JG Wentworth Chapter 11 in a post August 8, 2009 "After receiving approval by a Delaware judge, JG Wentworth received $100 million from their parent, private....
Who Will Answer the Question on Structured Settlement "Servicing" by Factoring Companies?
Posted on August 12, 2009This is an open letter to the factoring industry AND the structured settlement industry We all know that structured settlement servicing exists. Servicing arises where an annuitant sells a portion of the payments rights and through a contractual arrangement ("servicing...
The Relevance of "Dollar Exposure" To Plaintiffs Is?
Posted on August 12, 2009I'm sorry to have to have lift my leg... AGAIN... on the Forge Consulting "fire hydrant", but something still just isn't right, 2 years after I first brought this up. A. " We have over 5,000 cases under our belt,...
Why Bring Up JG Wentworth Now? Part 2
Posted on August 12, 2009On May 7, 2009 a Bankruptcy Code section 1125 Disclosure Statement was issued as part of the Prepetition Solicitation of Votes With respect to the Prepackaged Plan of Reorganization of JGW Holdco, LLC, J.G. Wentworth, LLC and J.G. Wentworth, Inc....
Shouldn't It Be The Judges Responsibility to See That Factoring Company "Servicers" Are Bonded As Part of Judge's Oversight of Structured Settlement Factoring Transactions?
Posted on August 12, 2009Much has been said of the state structured settlement protection acts which leave it to a judge to determine if the structured settlement factoring transaction is in the plaintiff's "best interest". Many judges are already doing a great job. But...
Peach Holdings "HIGHLY VULNERABLE" by S&P After Years of Peachtree Charging Bloated Discount Rates
Posted on August 11, 2009Standard & Poor has downgraded from a B to a CC rating the debt obligation of Peach Holdings, Inc. "CC" is defined as "highly vulnerable" by Standard & Poors. S&P has stated that ?If Peach is unable to close on...
Structured Settlement Customer Service Telephone Contacts
Posted on August 10, 20094structures.com, LLC has a convenient listing of Structured Settlement Annuity Issuers and Their Customer Service Telephone Numbers all in one spot. The 4structures.com listing includes current structured settlement annuity issuers as well as those insurance companies no longer writing structured...
Settlement Planner gazumps competitor with "Local representation" Pitch then "Can't Perform" When It Matters
Posted on August 10, 2009Heard an amusing story today about one of my competitors that markets on a national basis. You see this competitor (having worked on a small unrelated case involving the same plaintiffs, and thus learning of the new development from the...
The National Debt... Where Are We?
Posted on August 09, 2009New York's National Debt clock made headlines last October when it ran out of numbers. It was scheduled to be replaced this year. For those who can't wait, don't have the means or don't wish to travel to New York,...
NSSTA Makes Right Move on Certified Structured Settlement Consultant Program
Posted on August 08, 2009The NSSTA has finally moved to erase any doubt about its Certified Structured Settlement Program, after discussions with officials from the University of Notre Dame about how the credential should be promoted. The program has been branded the "NSSTA CSSC...
Is S2KM "AIG Structured Settlement Wiki" Lack of Maintenance Intentional?
Posted on August 07, 2009There has been a lot of important news about AIG of late, but not a peep from Patrick Hindert. The mud mongerer of last Fall created an AIG structured settlement timeline in September 2008 and an AIG structured settlement wiki...
"Stone Street Capital puts structured settlement OWNERS' rights first" - PHIL
Posted on August 07, 2009For those who can't see past the Teletubby liked mascot, perhaps this will open your eyes... Some dude named Phil has posted the following on the cash now pusher run Stone Street Blog today: "Stone Street Capital puts structured settlement...
" You Purposely Keep The Focus on Me" She Whinges.. Do I?
Posted on August 07, 2009Despite all the whinging that all the focus is on her and not on the competition, the numbers tell a different story. Sitting here watching the Yankees-Red Sox I've been able to compile some statistics in between innings just for...
"Delays in Funding Not My Problem" Bentzen
Posted on August 06, 2009I received a ranting stemwinder and somewhat farcical email from Rhonda Bentzen today in which she asks whether she can refer to me by "a title that is currently granted only to a top Shia mujtahid, after completing sat'h and...
Home Ownership "From Piggy Bank To Albatross" -Deutsche Bank
Posted on August 06, 2009The percentage of U.S. homeowners who owe more than their house is worth will nearly double to 48 percent in 2011 from 26 percent at the end of March, portending another blow to the housing market, Deutsche Bank said on...
"The Life of Bryan" in The New "Millennium"
Posted on August 06, 2009Headline: MetLife acquires Travelers from Citigroup Date: February 1, 2005 New York Newsday Headline: Met Life acquires Citigroup business (MetLife has reached an agreement with Citigroup to purchase Citigroup's Travelers Life and Annuity Co... Date: April 15, 2005 Risk &...
S2KM Blog Spam Farm "Crop Report"
Posted on August 06, 2009The dog days of summer are proving fertile ground for the S2KM's digital spam farm. S2KM Blog has been a spam comment magnet and the neglect of the farm to prevent such comments through a simple screening process simply associates...
NATLE Endorsed Strategic Capital Misleading Advertising
Posted on August 06, 2009Canadian factoring company Strategic Capital posts the following on its website as of 9:00pm on August 6, 2009: "A 2004 California Attorney General's report on the selling of structured settlement payments showed the average interest rate charged for the state...
The Pitfalls of Using of Absolute Superlatives In Structured Settlement Marketing
Posted on August 05, 2009I'm not a big fan of using absolute superlatives in marketing. Too easy to get burned. The classic example is In early 2007 where we showed showed how the principals of one firm in the structured settlement industry made preposterous...
"Society of Settlement Professionals" All Points Bulletin
Posted on August 04, 2009Both a well respected settlement professional and an Arizona based special needs expert advertise that they are members of the "Society of Settlement Professionals". There does not appear to be any such society, unless there is such a thing as...
NY and PA Insurance Commissioners Refute NY Times on "New AIG Weakness"
Posted on August 04, 2009Kermitt Brooks and Joel Ario, respectively the Acting New York Superintendent of Insurance and Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner and, respectively, the Chair and Vice Chair of the NAIC AIG Managing Task Force, have acted swiftly to refute a July 30, 2009...
"Innovative Settlement Planner" Bill Tilley Rocks In The "Tweet Tops" All Day Long, Yet His Noggin' in Bloggin' It's All So Wrong
Posted on August 03, 2009"Innovative Settlement Planner" Bill Tilley's Settlement Planning blog asks "What Are the Rates of A Structured Settlement?" Tilley says that "the value of a planned settlement is decided by two main factors ? rated age and the rate of the...
AIG...Nice to "Met" ya!
Posted on August 03, 2009Various news reports say that American International Group Inc. (AIG) has chosen former MetLife chief Robert Benmosche as its new CEO to succeed Edward Liddy, who is stepping down.
"Our tax system is already inadequate to support the promises our government has made" Former Treasury Official
Posted on August 03, 2009The above haunting words of Eugene Steuerle, a former Treasury Department official in the Reagan administration underscore why taxes are bound to increase and not just on the rich. An AP report states that the recession is starving the government...
More "Irrelevant Statistics" for "The Dissipation Myth" Bab-oons
Posted on August 02, 2009The "irrelevant stats" just keep rolling in for "Dissipation Myth" Bab-oon palooza... In Dumb and Dumber, which appears in today's Finance and Markets Newsletter, Villlanova Associate Professor Robert LeClair, principal in Leimberg & LeClair, Inc. discusses how "many people had...
The "Repression" Scoreboard
Posted on August 01, 20095 more banks were shut down Friday July 31, 2009 Just an observation... As of August 1, 2009 Number of Bank Failures in 2009 69 Number of Structured Annuity Issuers Who Have Failed in 2009 Zero Number of Bank Failures...
Phishers "Hooked"!
Posted on August 01, 2009This author is pleased to say that the owners of structuredsettlementusa.com have had their site suspended. Download Http___www.structuredsettlementusa 812009. No sooner had the "thieves" been nabbed with 4structures.com content this author discovered that Preferred Settlements USA and Steve Dodge got...
New York Children Can NOW Stay on Parents Health Insurance Plan Until Age 30
Posted on July 31, 2009Health insurance availability to children of New Yorkers has improved as the result of a new bill signed into law on July 29, 2009. The new law requires insurers to let parents keep their children on their medical plan-at their...
Peachtree Structured Settlement Mailbox Ad Presents Unrealistic and Exaggerated Portrayal to Bait Its "Prey"
Posted on July 31, 2009Peachtree Settlement Funding's advertising solicitation "structured settlement mailbox" is an outrage. Peachtree Settlement's "cash now" solicitation contains an unrealistic and exaggerated portrayal of an upright twenty something man who progressively ages into a cripple, in what appears to be a...
Despite The Ubiquitous Promises of Cash Now, The "Financial Crack Dealers" Get Off Easy When They Can't Do The Deal
Posted on July 31, 2009"Nosentzen Bentzen's" bellicose expulsion of yesterday exposes yet again the serious need for federal or state regulation of the factoring companies. The "walk away" clause that appears in these structured settlement transfer agreements ostensibly permits the factoring company to promise...
Critque of Advice from Genex Capital "Procto-logist"-2
Posted on July 31, 2009On June 28, 2009 Roger Proctor, "affectionately" dubbed the "Genex Capital Procto-logist", offers the following financial advice to structured settlement recipients: "You may have heard in the media in recent weeks that interest rates have bottomed and are slowly creeping...
Qualified Settlement Fund Article by Robert Wood
Posted on July 31, 2009Robert Wood, a tax attorney based in San Francisco, CA has written an interesting article on Qualified Settlement Funds that appeared in the Los Angeles Daily Journal on July 23, 2009. Wood believes the time has come for the QSF....
The Hartford Q2 2009 Financial Results
Posted on July 31, 2009The Hartford reported a second quarter 2009 net loss of $15 million compared with second quarter 2008 net income of $543 million. Second quarter 2009 results benefited from a deferred acquisition cost (DAC) unlock gain of $358 million, after tax,...
Structured Settlement Lock-Ins... What Does a Structured Settlement Lock-In Mean in Terms of Benefit? Responsibility? Commitment?
Posted on July 31, 2009Structured settlement lock-ins offer valuable benefits to plaintiffs, defendants, their respective attorneys and insurers. They enable settling parties to fix benefits that are being submitted for Court approval, where the court approval process make take months and where the Court...
Rhonda Bentzen Makes No Sense
Posted on July 30, 2009With respect to the CT Woman saga Rhonda Bentzen today presents the following as facts: "Fact: the structured settlement broker did an outstanding job providing plenty of upfront money as well as a beautifully put together structure". "Fact: the annuitant...
Structuredsettlementusa.com GET OUT OF "DODGE"!
Posted on July 30, 2009Poor Steve Dodge appears to be the latest victim of the website phishing going on with domain name structuredsettlementusa.com Here's my pal Steve on the legitimate website http://www.preferredsettlementsusa.com/contact.html Here's my pal Steve on the phishing site http://www...
Scraper Site Structset.Netii.net Tossed by Web Host Thanks to Settlement Industry Bloggers
Posted on July 29, 2009Another made for Google Adsense website was essentially scraping the headlines of posts from Structured Settlements 4Real and Settlement Channel to pull in visitors who would be theoretically stunned by the lack of content click on the Google ads in....
Little Meyers... "NO RELATIONSHIP With Baird"
Posted on July 29, 2009On July 9, 2009 we first reported of a matter in which a structured settlement quote bearing the name of Little Meyers and Associates and one of its principals Karen D. Meyers was presented to a plaintiff attorney for an...
Factoring Company Servicing of Structured Settlements MAY NOT Get You Payments on Time
Posted on July 28, 2009The Connecticut Woman's torment and sequelae continues. Background Less than a year ago an NSSTA member acting as financial adviser to the Connecticut woman placed her into a very large American General structured annuity. As far as this author can...
How To Make Comments On This Blog. It's Easy!
Posted on July 28, 2009Making comments about any of the posts on Structured Settlements 4Real is very easy. Simply scroll down to the end of the post. You will notice a time stamp, a bunch of key words and at the very end the...
Structuredsettlementusa.com Owner's Are Thieves!
Posted on July 28, 2009The owners of structuredsettlementusa.com have just completely pirated the public area content of 4structures.com, LLC website and claimed their own copyright in the material which includes the bio of this author, 6 registered trademarks of 4structures...
"Memories... Seemed Like Yesterday"
Posted on July 27, 2009I have to hand it to The Mangelsdorf Companies, a member company of the IFS Corp for leaving me pining for the "Old Days". You see if on July 26, 2009 I was seeking the answer to "What is the...
Dissipation Myth Bab-oonery Showcased by S2KM Blog
Posted on July 27, 2009What do we do now that "the bab-oon" is out of the bag? "Babs" appears on Hedwig's blog today stating that there has been a mischarcterization of the intent of his article. This follows an "intellectual discussion" with this author...
Shouldn't NSSTA Collect "Sub-Broker"Dues From Member Companies with National Pipelining Arrangements?
Posted on July 27, 2009A number of structured settlement master general agencies who are member companies have national and/or regional sub-brokering arrangements with wire houses in which such wire houses representatives are directly, or indirectly given access to structured settlement quotes produced on software...
If Structured Settlement Agency A Supplies Annuity Quote to B Who Supplies Quote To C, Who Works For D, Who Supplies To E, the attorney for end user F. Who is Responsible to Plaintiff F in this "Who's Who"?
Posted on July 26, 2009An open question for comment from the structured settlement industry, including its appointed general agencies, appointed agencies, structured annuity issuing life companies, insurance regulators and legal commentators. Assume XYZ= an admitted Insurance Company that issues structured settlement annuities A= the...
Enter The Dissipation Myth "Baboons"!
Posted on July 24, 2009Now that NYU law student Jeremy Babener has submitted the "final" version of his paper (attacking a statistic that he opines is the flawed basis for the structured settlement tax subsidy) for publcation, expect the dissipation myth "Bab-oons" to howl...
Structured Settlement Website Alexa Traffic Rank July 2009
Posted on July 24, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 07/24/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 06/24/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall scheme)...
Bye Bye Factoring " Butt Heads"
Posted on July 23, 2009RAM Fundng, the cash now pushers whose apparent finanicial illiteracy about structured settlements in its published "structured settlement faq" inspired some of our most entertaining posts, is apparently kaput. The sound of the "small violins" is deafening! For old times...
"The Dissipation Mistletoe" Matt Bracy And Laura Koenig...Ne'er The "Twain" Shall Meet
Posted on July 21, 2009The viral discourse over a law student's draft paper continues. Talk about "wasteful dissipation" of irreplaceable time. Today Matt Bracy offers his perspective on Jeremy Babener's revelation that essentially the "90% dissipation in 5 years" is "a crock of shit"...
Seneca One Cash Now Pushers Take Liberty With Term "Annuity Specialist"
Posted on July 21, 2009The war against "cash now pusher" and "financial crack" dealer misleading use of insurance terms in advertising continues. Today's bugaboo is about Seneca One's use of the term " annuity specialist" The Certified Annuity Specialist designation is issued by the...
AM Best Rates John Hancock Life A+ (Superior)
Posted on July 20, 2009AM Best announced today that Manulife and its subsidiaries, which include structured settlement annuity issuer, John Hancock Life Insurance Company have been rated A+ (Superior) with a stable outlook. The company was formerly rated A++. The AM Best announcement leaves...
Structured Settlement Annuitants. Don't let John Ryan "judo chop" your financial plan!
Posted on July 20, 2009Six Sigma Master Black Belt John Ryan, President and Chief Operating Officer of Stone Street Capital seems to encourage people to sell their structured settlements at deep discounts to buy Real Estate which he states is discounted. He says on...
Cajun's Perpective on Structured Settlement Factoring Realistic
Posted on July 19, 2009Want settlement cash now? Not So fast!" a piece by NOLA based freelance writer Craig Guilot appearing on Bankrate.com, presents one of the first realistic posts on the subject from an "independent writer". The following message is crystal clear and...
Rhonda Bentzen, Bentzen Funding Solutions "in Bed" With THESE Folks, AND Your Structured Settlement Broker?
Posted on July 19, 2009Ever checked into a hotel room and get the heebie jeebies wondering who previously occupied the room, slept on the bed, used the remote or drooled on the same bedspread? Well that's feeling I'm getting about this. The Alabama structured...
Beer Sheva Isn't Exactly The Hot Bed of Structured Settlement Information
Posted on July 18, 2009Big Noise from "The Holy Land"! Ohad Raz has created THE STRUCTURED SETTLEMENTS blog (emphasizing the block capitals). The thing is that it contains very little credible information about structured settlements. In my opinion a more appropriate name for the...
Eight Structured Settlement Consultants Explain It "Like Its 1999"
Posted on July 17, 2009On May 11, 1999 Hartford Life Insurance Company produced a series of useful brochures designed to help appointed structured settlement brokers compare structured settlmeent annuities to various alternatives such as Treasury Securities, Bank Trusts, CDs,, Variable Annuities and the like...
Press Bashes Social Security, Just Like AIG, Over $700,000 AZ Conference
Posted on July 16, 2009Emmy award winning reporter Josh Bernstein has picked up where Bill Hemmer left off, sensationalist bashing what the media has perceived as excesses in the use of taxpayer dollars. In lieu of AIG's "hot stone massages", this inane sensationalism includes...
Notre Dame Asked For Position on CSSC Representations About Association With School-2
Posted on July 15, 2009For the benefit of the NSSTA Board of Directors and membership as well as the Administration of the University of Notre Dame and those who have actually earned diplomas there, we are pleased to post comments from NSSTA members and...
Notre Dame Responds to CSSC Promotion Concerns
Posted on July 15, 2009This author received the following response to his letter to University of Notre Dame concerning the manner in which NSSTA members who are CSSC designees are promoting their association with the school. In his response, Paul Slaggert, Director of Non-Degree...
7 MONTHS=CASH NOW? Another Story About Bentzen Funding and ANOTHER 7 MONTHS of Delays
Posted on July 14, 2009In a developing story (the details of which we hope to bring you shortly) apparently another structured settlement annuitant who chose to do business with Bentzen Funding Solutions and was met with delays in funding of nearly 7 months, and...
How Easy It Is To Kill Spam Comments on Your Blog
Posted on July 14, 2009Those who make spam comments are generally looking for cheap advertising. Spam comments typically take the form of flattering fake compliments and then include a link to the commenter's website. That link MAY count as a valid back link that...
Notre Dame Asked For Position on CSSC Representations About Association With The School
Posted on July 14, 2009This author has written the following letter to the University of Notre Dame Download Letter to University of Notre Dame concerning CSSC. The letter is necessitated by the mischaracterization by many CSSC designees as set forth in yesterday's blog post...
The Irony Of Voices Coming Out of Two Heads Of the Hydra-1
Posted on July 13, 2009"Banks, stockbrokers, and other financial planners cannot set up structured settlements. Only authorized structured settlement consultants like those through MTSS can establish your structured settlement" From the brochure Structures 101- Mass Tort Settlement Services, an IFS Company BUT, since you...
Was NSSTA Asleep at Switch on "CSSC" mark?
Posted on July 13, 2009The National Structured Settlement Trade Association (NSSTA) has been offering the designation of Certified Structured Settlement Consultant for almost 15 years in conjunction with the University of Notre Dame. The NSSTA and the 550 or so members and designation holders...
Structured Settlement Brokers Who's Your "Puff Daddy"?
Posted on July 13, 2009"Obviously, the structured settlement broker with access to the most life companies will be in a position to offer a very competitive annuity price". Ringler Associates website July 13, 2009 The implication is that the company has access to the...
Certified Structured Settlement Consultants Blowing Hot Air About Credentials
Posted on July 12, 2009Certified Structured Settlement Consultant is a professional designation offered by the National Structured Settlements Trade Association to its members through the Executive program at the University of Notre Dame since 1994. On July 12, 2009 on the NSSTA website it...
Structured Annuity Issuers and Assignees Stand The Test Of Time- Best Review July 2009
Posted on July 11, 2009Best's Review has published "Standing the Test of Time" its annual report of insurance companies that have demonstrated their financial strength for half a century or more. The report published in its July 2009 issue includes both property and casualty...
Barney's "Legs" No Trouble For Business Of Life Insurance
Posted on July 10, 2009House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) has introduced legislation (H.R. 3126) as part of the Obama financial services reform blueprint by creating the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Like the draft legislative language that the Administration previously released, H...
Stone Street Capital "Milwit" Hoists Self and Company On Mutually Exclusive Petard
Posted on July 10, 2009Gary MIlwit is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development at Stone Street Capital, LLC. In a July 1st post on the Stone Street Capital Blog "What You Can Expect From Stone Street Capital When You Sell Your...
Structured Settlement Brokers Cut Deals With Wire Houses But Can't Herd The Cats-1
Posted on July 09, 2009A number of structured settlement general agencies have cut commission sharing deals with wire houses as a business strategy. They know who they are and so do we. One can presume that the idea is to be the focal point...
How Much Should You Say In Online Social Networks That Include Business Contacts?
Posted on July 09, 2009More and more people are using social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn with work contacts. For some it's a way to show a different side of yourself than "all business" and can be very effective. Personally I enjoy...
IRS Offers Advice on Disability Exception to Pre- 59 1/2 Distribution Penalty from IRA
Posted on July 08, 2009In May 2009 the IRS has issued Chief Counsel advice 200922041 which offers guidance on the meaning of "disabled" as it relates to IRC 72(m)(7), the disability exception to the 10%, pre 59 1/2 distribution penalties from IRAs and annuities...
S2KM Wikis Cumbersome and Unnattractive In Design and Rarely If Ever Updated As Promised
Posted on July 08, 2009A Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and crosslinks between internal...
"Crazy Eddie" Resurfaces in Lake Oswego?
Posted on July 08, 2009Back in the 1980s Crazy Eddie's was a retailer famous for its "Christmas in August" sales. The Settlement Professionals July 8, 2009 blog still posts its "End of Year Message" featuring Jack Meligan and a bunch of very snowy trees....
Structured Settlements-What Is She Really Saying?
Posted on July 07, 2009Ever read a sentence that starts out correct and then turns into a steaming pile, but if you didn't read it entirely you might have a different impression? One of my competitors, whose professional success I have a great deal...
Toomre Capital Markets "Declined Opportunity" to Work With JG Wentworth, "Not Surprised" By Bankruptcy
Posted on July 07, 2009The sarcasm drips from Lars Toomre's June 8, 2009 post about the JG Wentworth bankruptcy filing. He says: "Many individuals and firms have long avoided the structured settlement sector of the financial markets, particularly on the purchase side of the...
EPS Settlements Makes Corporate Statement on Factoring
Posted on July 07, 2009"We understand that there may be legitimate instances where a structured settlement recipient has experienced life altering circumstances resulting in a hardship situation that must be addressed. As a company, we have concerns over the ethics and professionalism of unauthorized...
Some Say Credit Default Swaps Should Be Regulated As Insurance
Posted on July 07, 2009"Credit default swaps nearly brought down the world financial system last fall when it was discovered that AIG Financial Products had written hundreds of billions of dollars worth of credit protection without setting aside sufficient reserves. Yet since then, pathetically...
Chicago Writer Out of "The Loop" In Business.Com "Guide To Structured Settlements"
Posted on July 07, 2009Chicago SEO hack Matt Alderton states one reason that structured settlements can benefit plaintiffs and defendants in injury cases: "If you're injured, having a claim paid to you in periodic payments via a structured settlement, rather than in one large...
Another Reason To Structure Attorney Fees... The "Wealthy Surcharge"
Posted on July 07, 2009In order to raise $832 billion for a massive overhaul of the health care system, there is talk of a 4% income surtax on "the wealthy". "Wealthy" is variously defined as "over "$200,000" or "over-$250,000", although few of those that...
Are Structured Settlements FDIC Insured?
Posted on July 06, 2009In a word, No! Click to the right for more information about structured settlement consumer protection
Vodola and Scanlon Named Partners at Seiger Gfeller Laurie, LLP
Posted on July 06, 2009Peter J. Vodola and Katherine A. Scanlon have been named partners at Seiger Gfeller Laurie, LLP. Formerly with Pullman Comley, LLP a good portion of their practice includes representing annuity issuers and/or qualified assignees when faced with petitions for structured...
The Retirement Security Needs Lifetime Pay Act of 2009
Posted on July 06, 2009Think there is no Congressional support for annuities? Think again! H.R. 2748 (The Retirement Security Needs Lifetime Pay Act of 2009) was just introduced by Congresspersons Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), both members of the House Ways and...
"It's OK To Be Broke" Implies Colonial Settlement Partners' SEO Blog Masthead
Posted on July 06, 2009What is Colonial Settlement Partners advertising message? Is Colonial Settlement Partners implying that "it's OK to be broke"? According to Wikipedia, the universal AOK symbol, the unique positioning of the fingers and hand" in Germany can also mean "asshole" and...
The Structured Settlement Services Estate Tax Time Warp
Posted on July 05, 2009How often should one check one's website to check to see if what is being said is still current? What if the facts presented on one's website were not correct in the first place? Someone better tell Robert Risk at...
Mid NOT at The Oasis
Posted on July 04, 2009Oasis Legal Finance claims that its founders and staff of professionals, from top legal firms and Wall Street financial institutions, have deep experience in law, finance, credit and business. The team understands complex cases, which speeds the qualification process for...
Tom Nomako No Sense on American Airlines 1256 LaGuardia Bird Strike
Posted on July 02, 2009Sorry to go off point here but I just can't shut up about Tom Nomako's shoddy reporting in Wednesday's New York Post about the above captioned incident that Nomako calls "similar to the one that force a US Airways plane...
Should You Be Able To Use Taxpayer Money on Lottery Tickets?
Posted on July 02, 2009The PPI Cash Blog reports that the Tennessee legislature "has looked to make living difficult for those reeling under poverty". A committee hearing on Wednesday is likely to discuss a bill which would prevent anyone receiving federal or state assistance...
Califiornia Fiscal Crisis Has Potential to Affect Tort Victims
Posted on July 02, 2009The BBC points out today that California is the world's eighth largest economy and generates nearly 13% of US gross domestic product - which means what happens there matters for the rest of the country. The State is in a...
Liberty Life Offers Program to Ease Structured Settlement Rated Age Underwiting Back Log
Posted on July 01, 2009In April 2009 Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston introduced its Concierge Underwriting Program. This new program allows for underwriting on any case that you submit for a rated age, regardless of carrier. To qualify for Concierge Underwriting, a broker...
"Heady Junk Bond Returns Attract Funds" Deja Vu All Over Again?
Posted on July 01, 2009The New York Post reports that junk bond bets have soared to their best comeback since the 1980s Year over year returns for May were purportedly 25.4%, citing at Bank of America Merrill Lynch report. The Post alleges that analysts...
Is Colonial Settlement Partners, LP Faking It?
Posted on June 30, 2009The Sell Structured Settlements Blog posts a story dated June 25, 2009 entlitled " Hunkering Down With The Choice To Sell Annuity Payments Part I" which purports to be a true story written by an individual. Pardon my skepticism but...
Cash Now Pusher Woodbridge Investments Using NSSTA To Solicit Investors
Posted on June 30, 2009As someone who holds a FINRA Series 7 and 66 I wonder how Woodbridge Investments, LLC and Scott Schwartz are able to get away with a solicitation to investors that states you can earn 8% to 10% AND appears to...
Patrick Hindert Melts Snow... Promoted "Squandering Plaintiff" Theory!
Posted on June 30, 2009Continuing to expose Patrick Hindert's hypocrisy for his attack on the "squandering plaintiff" theory comes from a recent and unlikely source- a series of posts about Randy Snow, the parylimpian, the second of which Hindert posted in August 9, 2008.....
Stone Street Capital Enacted Policy To "Not Even Consider Doing Business With An Individual Receiving Payments From A US Owned Annuity" Says Legal Officer
Posted on June 27, 2009"In 2004 (immediately after my conversation with the Department of Justice) Stone Street enacted a policy that we would not even consider doing business with an individual receiving payments from a US owned (structured) annuity. In light of the Department...
New York Supreme "Quick Pay Orders" in Wrongful Death Cases Creates Dilemma in Need Of Solution
Posted on June 25, 2009New York attorneys who go the route of submitting a petition at the end of a wrongful death case to obtain a "quick pay order" (so they can be paid before the Surrogate approves a distribution plan) need to be...
Jeremy Babener's Dissipation Paper Review- The "Squandering Plaintiff" Redux
Posted on June 24, 2009In his review of a draft of NYU Law student Jeremy Babener's Dissipation Paper "Justifying the Structured Settlement Tax Subsidy: The Use of Lump Sum Settlements" , Patrick Johann Hindert is once again "pimping" ASSOCIATE Professor Adam Scales, author of...
Structured Settlement Industry Website Alexa Traffic Rankings June 2009
Posted on June 24, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 06/24/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 05/24/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall scheme)...
New York Insurance Dept. Issues Important Opinion on Long Term Care
Posted on June 23, 2009The New York Insurance Department's Office of General Counsel has answered a question that could prove important for holders of Long Term Care Insurance policies in New York. The question: "Would a NY resident insured under an individual long-term care...
BEFORE "The Best Interest Test"...Decisions Expose Dangers of Relying on Cash Now Pushers
Posted on June 23, 2009Cash now pushers need to establish more ethical credibility instead of hanging their hat on "the best interest test". The crux of their argument is that a judge must look over every structured settlement factoring transaction so consumers are protected...
Threat of Commission Chargeback Would Incent Better Settlement Planning
Posted on June 22, 2009A number of life insurance companies charge back annualized commissions to agents if the policy lapses within a short period of time after issue. The 10 or 20 day free look periods on life insurance policies and the threat of...
Bracy's Impassioned Whine Is Wrong Approach
Posted on June 22, 2009If he's trying to stir up outrage with "Unequal Rights For Those Injured By The US Government" Matt Bracy , General Counsel of Settlement Capital has failed. That is unless you count his counterpart Patty Laborde, General Counsel at cash...
New York Court Rejects J.G. Wentworth 21.42% Effective Discount Rate!
Posted on June 21, 2009Kudos to Kings County Supreme Court judge James G. Starkey who put the kibosh on an attempt by J.G. Wentworth company, 321 Henderson, to get away with charging a 21.42% effective discount rate to Gladys Lugo. Lugo, 21, has been...
Morning "Wood"... Limp Justification
Posted on June 21, 2009Cash now pusher Woodbridge Investments wants you to believe they've got a good handle on things... that they are "financial experts" Here's what they say: "Woodbridge Investments and other companies that buy structured settlements and annuities understand that with the...
FTC Is Set To Tighten Rules on Paid Testimionials on The Internet
Posted on June 21, 2009The US Government is considering a new requirement that those who write about products or services on the Internet must inform readers if they received compensation. It seems fair to me. Apparently companies pay a staggering $1.6B annually to generate...
California Municipal Bond Ratings Now Inferior To Most Structured Settlements
Posted on June 20, 2009The State of California already has the lowest credit ratings of any state in the United States according to Bloomberg. Now facing a $24 billion budget deficit, the state of California is facing a further drop in its credit rating...
We Don't Need The "Huzpah"-Lah
Posted on June 17, 2009As if it was enough to take on the responsibility critiquing structured settlement websites for the improper use of the English language for the first time I have an issue over the Settlement Channel's use of Yiddish. In today's rant...
J.G. Wentworth Reverts to Old False Advertising Claim
Posted on June 17, 2009J.G. Wentworth has regressed. For some reason, despite a Chapter 11 filing last month the company claims once again that it is "the undisputed leader in the structured settlement industry". It also goes on to state " sell some or...
J. G. Wentworth In Big Ole Bucket of ' Kentucky Fried Butt Kickin' From Uncle Sam
Posted on June 17, 2009Yet another attempt by a cash now pusher to circumvent structured settlements set up to benefit litigants against United States has come up empty. One cannot doubt that J.G. Wentworth is not a fan of the original "structure preserving good"...
WHY Do Certain Structured Settlement Industry Websites Continue to Skirt New York Insurance Law?
Posted on June 13, 2009This is the FOURTH time that this author has written on the subject in the last year. New York Insurance Law § 2122(b) (McKinney 2000), entitled "advertising by insurance agents and brokers", provides as follows: "Every agent of any insurer...
The Hartford Gets TARPed...To Issue New Stock
Posted on June 12, 2009Hartford Financial Services Group ("The Hartford") has announced plans to sell up to $750 million in stock and formally announced it will participate in the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program ("TARP").The participation is not unexpected and various news reports...
How Long Does A Structured Settlement Last?
Posted on June 12, 2009The question of how long does a structured settlement last is today's Structured Settlement FAQ. The answer is " a structured settlement lasts virtually as long as you want!" A structured settlement is fully customizable and there are many types...
Odd Pigeon Droppings
Posted on June 11, 20091+1= Pigeon Hole "Settlement Planning starts from the premise that structured settlements are not the answer to everything that everyone needs or wants to do with their settlement dollars". "Settlement Professionals Inc. is a nationwide Structured Settlement Company" Just an...
Mattress Savings?
Posted on June 11, 2009Ma Nish Ta Na? To paraphrase one of "The Four Questions" Why is this day different from all other days? On every other day we see ways that you can save money ON a mattress Today we see how "Sealy"...
Life Insurance Policy Contestable Period
Posted on June 10, 2009There seems to be some confusion over what the contestable period of a life insurance policy means judging by the following question which appears on another industry website. A visitor to The Settlement Channel writes: "I have noticed lately that...
The True Cost of Poor Settlement Planning
Posted on June 09, 2009Structured settlements offer many valuable benefits to tort victims. But too much of any "good thing" is not necessarily a GOOD THING. The purpose of this post is to make structured settlement consultants, attorneys , judges and tort victims aware...
Financial Statistics That Shape The Lives Of Tort Victims and Ourselves
Posted on June 07, 2009Stat 1 The S&P Case-Shiller index of home values has fallen to where it was in 2002. Current national savings rate 5.7%, highest since February 1995. Nearly 6% of fixed-rate mortgages to borrowers with good credit were in the foreclosure...
Pet Care Trusts For Connecticut Tort Victims
Posted on June 05, 2009Connecticut tort victims with pets would be able establish trusts for the care of their pets under new legislation that won unanimous approval on June 2, 2009 in the Connecticut House. Assuming the legislation is signed into law by Governor...
New Qualifed Assignment Company for AI Life Structured Settlements
Posted on June 05, 2009The qualified assignment company for structured settlements funded with annuities issued by American International Assurance Company of New York will change to American General Annuity Service Corporation (AGASC) effective with cases locked in or funded on or after July 1,...
Rated Age Abuse of Insurers By Structured Settlement Brokers Under Investigation
Posted on June 04, 2009The number of rated age requests going to structured annuity underwriting departments with no business to follow is a blood gorged clot, clogging the structured settlement service artery and affecting everyone's ability to service business in the structured settlement industry...
Structured Settlement Market Capacity and Service Issues
Posted on June 04, 2009One aspect of the withdrawal from the market of Aviva and last quarter's downgrade of Hartford that has yet to be commented on publicly is that the normal "rhythm" of business has been disrupted for the surviving markets, brokers and...
Non Qualified Structured Settlement Annuities..Who Writes Them?
Posted on June 04, 2009With the announcement by Prudential that it has suspended new business via its Pruco non qualified assignment facility, the market now includes: Allstate International Assignments, Ltd., which funds assigned obligations through Allstate Life Insurance Company and Allstate Life Insurance Company...
Former "Top Young Lawyer" Admits to Being a $9MM Thief
Posted on June 03, 2009Steven Eugene Cauley, former partner in Little Rock, Arkansas, law firm Cauley Bowman Carney & Williams LLC, pled guilty to charges of stealing more than $9 million of client's money from the case "in re BISYS Securities Litigation 04-3840 in...
Sound Financial Advice From The Genex Capital Proct-ologist?
Posted on June 03, 2009The following sound bytes come from a video Genex Capital ad featuring Roger Proctor, CEO of the "cash now pusher" "Were you 'taken advantage of', 'pressured into' or 'not properly informed' of the "REAL TERMS" of your structured settlement when...
Purveyor of Structured Settlement Software Drops Trademark
Posted on June 03, 2009Structureonline has apparently canceled its trademark"structureonline" as of January 31, 2009 according to records of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Hindert Spam Farm Goes Sartorial
Posted on June 02, 2009The latest "dandelion" on the Beyond Structured Settlements spam comment farm is from a custom (bespoke) tailor in Toronto who "had something to say" about NSSTA leadership. If Hindert is not going to post regularly and is either (1) too...
More than Half of Insurance Consumers Now Seek Information Over Internet Says LIMRA
Posted on June 01, 2009It's no secret that insurance consumers are using the Internet for more information on individual products. Now a 2009 report by The Life Insurance Research and Marketing Association (LIMRA) "Trends in Consumer Internet Use for Insurance: The Growing Role of...
"Pioneers" of PLANTIFFS' Rights Blaze New Trail
Posted on June 01, 2009Forge Consulting, those pioneers of "PLANTIFF'S" rights seem to have broken new ground, according to the Alexa search metric. One of the keywords that drove the most traffic to the company site is "DEFERD guaranted payments" (undelined for emphasis). Download...
Prudential Explains Why It Is Putting Brakes on Non Qualified Structured Settlements
Posted on May 30, 2009The official reason given that Pru pulled out of the non qualified structure market was management's perception of limited success, of which 50% was structured attorney fees. It appears management felt that the attorney fee market could be served using...
A Poem Inspired by J.G. Wentworth Chapter 11 Filing
Posted on May 29, 2009Hello Patrick, my old friend Pardon me I must gloat, again That JG Wentworth who you once embraced, Filed Chapter 11 leaving you disgraced, And the mirth swirling around our brains The "Thought Leader" NOT still remains. In September you...
Prudential Bombshell! No More Non Qualified Assignments Through Pruco!
Posted on May 29, 2009Effective immediately, Prudential has decided to suspend the sale of annuities in connection with non?qualified assignments through Pruco Assignment Corporation (?PAC?). In recognition of open cases that brokers may currently have pending, PAC is authorized to accept purchase commitments (?lock...
"Worst Slide Story"
Posted on May 28, 2009If you enjoy gallows humor you will enjoy Walt Handelsman's irreverent cartoon parody of West Side Story which appeared last month in Newsday online. If you can view Flash animation on your computer then follow this link : http://www.newsday.com/media/flash/2009-04/46217527...
Structuredsettlementreferencesonline.com is bloody useless!
Posted on May 28, 2009Some made for Adsense geek has created a new blog website called "Structured Settlement References Online" that can be found at structuredsettlementreferencesonline(dot) com and is anything but what the name suggests. Much of the information has been culled from the...
John Darer/Jan Schlichtmann Interview on Legal Broadcast Network Voices of The Law
Posted on May 27, 2009Following is my interview with Jan Schlichtmann which appears on the Voices of The Law Channel of The Legal Broadcast Network. Watch the interview and learn why I became a watch dog and why do what I do. Note: A...
Longer Rated Age Response Times From Structured Annuity Issuers
Posted on May 27, 2009We are observing a trend of longer response times after submitting medicals for rated ages. What was once the matter of several hours is now taking 24-48 hours in some cases. Whether the cause is a matter of a trimmed...
J.G. Wentworth Bankruptcy Confirmation Hearing June 1, 2009
Posted on May 27, 2009J.G. Wentworth announced that the confirmation hearing for the prepackaged bankruptcy plan filed May 19, 2009 for its non-operating holding company affiliates has been set for June 1, 2009. J.G. Wentworth reports that over 90% of the term lenders (the...
Registered Settlement Planner Designation Indicates Serious Commitment to Settlement Profession
Posted on May 26, 2009There is a growing concern on the part of regulatory agencies ? including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Senate Committee on Aging ? that unscrupulous advisors are using dubious credentials to take advantage...
Summit Settlements Channel " I Erased My Stretch Marks in Less Than One Month"
Posted on May 25, 2009One cannot blame the Legal Broadcast Network for seeking to monetize its channels by selling advertisements, but what one must realize is that many of the ads are contextual in that the ads are matched to the content on the...
State Insurance Department Phone Numbers and Links
Posted on May 25, 20094structures.com, LLC has posted a useful web page which contains the phone numbers and links to every state insurance department in the United States. Each state insurance department has a website which contains information useful to consumers, including tort victims...
Canada Unveils "Canadian Life Insurers Assurance Facility"
Posted on May 25, 2009Reuters reports that Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty unveiled details of an assistance facility for the country's life insurers aimed at ensuring the firms have access to the funds they need if credit markets seize up. The Canadian Life Insurers...
Sheiks To Help Fund Structured Settlement Cash Outs?
Posted on May 25, 2009Andrew Savysky and Michael Asseff, principals of cash now pusher Structured Asset Funding (and Bentzen Funding Solutions) are listed on a website as "Investors/Issuers at the now canceled October 2009 Middle Eastern Distressed Credit Investment Conference in Dubai...
Structured Settlement Blog's Search Engine Rankings Hit New Low In Spam Comments
Posted on May 24, 2009Patrick Hindert's recent post Spencer v Hartford 3 contains a comment from real estate lawyer, Lucas Law Center that "at first blush" adds credibility to the post. Download Lucas Law Center comment on Beyond Structured Settlements 5-2-2009.. Heck an endorsement...
Structured Settlement Websites...Alexa Traffic Rankings May 2009
Posted on May 24, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 05/24/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 04/24/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall scheme)...
"Cash Now Pusher" States That "Chain Of Brokers Take Cut out of YOUR money!"
Posted on May 22, 2009As if it was bad enough to have absolute proof that Bentzen is locked at the hip with a "cash now pusher" Structured Asset Funding we now have a competitor who imply that the kick back to structured settlement broker...
Inflation...It's Coming Says Philly FRB President
Posted on May 22, 2009Bloomberg reports that Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Charles Plosser said prices may rise 2.5 percent in 2011, a rate well above central bankers? preferred range, and cautioned against complacency on inflation. ?The economy may be at greater risk...
Banks Assessed Emergency Fee by FDIC To Replenish Reserves
Posted on May 22, 2009Bloomberg reports that U.S. banks will pay an emergency fee based on their assets to rebuild the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.?s reserves, putting a greater burden on large banks to replenish the fund amid the fastest pace of failures in...
Hindert Mum On JG Wentworth Bust
Posted on May 21, 2009Pardon me for being sophomoric but can't stop giggling about this headline long enough to write a post. You get the drift.
The Great Thing About Structured Settlements From The US Department of Justice
Posted on May 21, 2009Structured settlements created as part of claims resolved through The United States Department of Justice structured settlement program represent perhaps the only annuity based structured settlements that are factor proof. Lawyers for tort victims contemplating a settlement with the United...
What JG Wentworth Leaves in Its Wake
Posted on May 21, 2009How ironic that the doofy JG Wentworth commercials win an advertising award the same week that it goes bust. In court documents In re: JGW Holdco LLC, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, No. 09-11731, J.G. Wentworth said that tightness...
Another "Bernie" in New York City legal settlement "Ponzi"
Posted on May 21, 2009The New York County District Attorneys Office says that its investigation revealed that Marc A. Bernstein ("Bernie"), a 54 year old personal injury lawyer with Bernstein & Bernstein, LLP 330 East 33rd Street New York, NY 10016, "engaged in a...
Four More Years! Temporary FDIC Limits Extended! FDIC Can Borrow 3X More
Posted on May 21, 2009On Wednesday the Senate passed Bill S.896 to prevent mortgage foreclosures and enhance mortgage credit availability. One of the provisions of this bill is the extension of the FDIC's $250,000 deposit insurance limit. The bill extends the temporary $250,000 limit...
JG Wentworth, in Bankruptcy, Offers Advice To Bankruptcy Trustees...Oh The Irony!
Posted on May 20, 2009Yes it's true...in Reuters today!
Thought "Bleeder"JG Wentworth, in Bankruptcy, Offers Advice To Bankruptcy Trustees...Oh The Irony!
Posted on May 20, 2009Yes it's true...in Reuters today!
Structured Settlement Industry Has Parallels To Boxing and Wrestling Industry
Posted on May 19, 2009One of my colleagues says he was surprised to learned that the structured settlement industry was becoming like boxing in the old days. We have NSSTA, SSP and now NSSTO per Settlement Partners' Carola Davis whose email signature states "Member...
J.G. Wentworth Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Posted on May 19, 2009J.G. Wentworth, the nation?s leading "cash now pusher" announced that three of its non-operating parent holding company level affiliates ? JGW Holdco, LLC, J.G. Wentworth LLC, and J.G. Wentworth, Inc., -- have filed a voluntary reorganization plan under Chapter 11...
Just When You Thought You Could Count on Social Security
Posted on May 18, 2009The trustees of the Social Security system reported that the retirement trust fund will be exhausted in 2037, four years sooner than was the case just one year ago. Plaintiffs, their lawyers and frankly, the rest of us, should plan...
Disability Insurance is Critical Defensive Financial Planning
Posted on May 18, 2009A new study released May 18, 2009 by the LIFE Foundation and America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). looks at the consequences facing individuals who become disabled and can't work, and the level to which various types of disability income protection...
Lawyers Who Moonlight as Structured Settlement Experts
Posted on May 18, 2009You have to love the "locker room" banter you're starting to hear from handful of lawyers who are moonlighting as structured settlement experts. "Swinging it around" to measure up as structured settlement experts by advertising the "size" of their experience...
Hartford To Keep Life Insurance Business- Dow Jones
Posted on May 18, 2009Just days after it was approved for $3.4 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), The Hartford has announced that it WILL NOT BE SELLING its life insurance business. The last few months had brought rampant speculation that Hartford...
New York Life Chief Investment Officer Says No Need For TARP
Posted on May 16, 2009Gary Wendlandt , chief investment officer and vice chairman of New York Life Insurance Company, said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswire on Friday May 15, 2009 that, with more than $12 billion in surplus capital at the end...
Rapid Settlements "Bootleg" Results in a "Sack" By The Fifth Circuit
Posted on May 16, 2009The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a District Court ruling in "concluding that a sham arbitration cannot be used as a device to being about an unlawful (structured settlement) transfer." The Court rejected yet another attempt by Rapid Settlements...
NSSTA and SSP Leadership Asked to Address Servicing of Structured Settlement Payments by Factoring Companies
Posted on May 16, 2009The following letter has been sent to NSSTA leadership by this author: "As you may be aware a number of annuity issuers/assignees are permitting factoring companies to "service" the annuity issuer/assignee's structured settlement obligations. The arrangement starts off with the...
Strucured Investment Vehicle IS NOT a Structured Settlement
Posted on May 15, 2009In the last few months we've encountered a number of people, fortunately small) who have become confused by the term "structured investment vehicle" to the degree that they believe it has something to do with the term structured settlement. Rest...
Structuring Celebrity Endorsement Fees
Posted on May 15, 2009Attention Singers/Songwriters Actors/Actresses Comedians Famous Personalities and "Celebutards" If you are having a good year financially and anticipate endorsement fees that only add to this year's tax bill? A long term financial planning opportunity providing potential relief for celebrities of...
Bentzen Funding Apology Letter ...From "Cash Now Pusher" Structured Asset Funding President!
Posted on May 15, 2009The saga of "the Connecticut woman" continues. Background The woman lost an eye just over 2 years ago and filed suit against a defendant. The matter was settled in August 2008 and a large structured settlement funding with an annuity...
Structured Investment Vehicle IS NOT a Structured Settlement
Posted on May 15, 2009In the last few months we've encountered a number of people (fortunately small) who have become confused by the term "structured investment vehicle" to the degree that they believe it has something to do with the term structured settlement. Rest...
Hartford and Prudential preliminary approval for TARP-Wall Street Journal
Posted on May 14, 2009A Wall Street Journal email blast is reporting that Hartford Financial, Prudential Financial, Lincoln National and Principal Financial have received preliminary approval from the Treasury Department to receive funds from its Troubled Asset Relief Program.
EPS Attempts To Trademark "The Structured Settlements Company"
Posted on May 13, 2009EPS Settlements Group has opportunistically attempted to register the stand alone words "The Structured Settlements Company" as a service mark. On February 9, 2009 the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a refusal based on Trademark Act Section 2(e)(1),...
Would you take Settlement Planning Advice from this "Hoodie"?
Posted on May 13, 2009Structured settlement financial advice has hit skid row by way of the Sirigao Phillipines. I Valnaz (who uses the above image in his Blogspot profile) has picked up where his compatriot mommy bloggers have left off with spam blog about...
A Number of Structured Settlement Industry Websites Continue to Skirt New York Insurance Law
Posted on May 13, 2009Should one question how seriously some structured settlement agencies take New York Insurance Law? Structured settlement agencies who have been operating in New York state for years typically operate a website directed at New York residents that includes a list...
"MetLife Has Adequate Capital To Sustain Further Deterioration in The Economy"-CEO
Posted on May 13, 2009The following may be helpful with MetLife structured settlements or those considering them. On April 13, 2009 MetLife announced that it had elected NOT to participate in the US Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). In a May 7, 2009...
Higher Taxes...They're Coming!
Posted on May 12, 2009The Obama administration seeks to raise nearly $60 billion by closing loopholes according to various news reports on May 11, 2009. These potential loophole closings have a potentially significant impact on settlement industry stakeholders . "Another Loophole closing?" The tax...
NEW IRS Private Letter Ruling May Answer Important Questions About Structured Settlement Commutations And/Or Factoring by Assignment Companies
Posted on May 07, 2009In issuing a Private Letter Ruling, the IRS seems to have resolved trouble about commutations that was stirred up in Christmas past by a Dec 2006 published legal opinion that was purportedly done at the behest of the factoring industry....
Frank Desaille of St. Albans UK is No Structured Settlement Expert is Adsense Structured Settlement Carpet Bomber
Posted on May 06, 2009Shafiq Kamal. the owner of the made for Adsense website Knowreally.com and Frank Desaille, the primary author have teamed up to flood the Internet with more digitial diarrhea about structured settlements. Desaille deserves the Wall of Shame for his poorly...
Challenging Peachtree Settlement Funding's "Unparalleled Level of Professionalism"
Posted on May 06, 2009Cash Now Pusher Peachtree Settlement Funding says: "Our Peachtree team is dedicated to learning about your unique situation, and tailoring your lump sum payment to meet your needs. Our access to funding will ensure that you get access to your...
S2KM Blog Traffic Analysis Tells A Story
Posted on May 05, 2009One should not be surprised that according to Alexa, the majority of the search terms driving traffic to Beyond Structured Settlements, Patrick Hindert's S2KMBlog, have to do with factoring and really are "beyond structured settlements". Such terms includes: JG Wentworth,...
I'm Afraid "Iz-zo"
Posted on May 04, 2009Mary Lynn Izzo, whose boundless enthusiasm touched so many of us who worked with her in the structured settlement industry over the years, has lost her long battle with cancer. Whether you encountered Mary Lynn during her time at Confederation...
Will April Showers Bring May Flowers? Hartford "Taking Measures to Stabilize Ratings... Preserve Capital"-CEO
Posted on May 01, 2009Greetings from London. The Hartford reported "showers" on Thursday, with a $1.2B loss for Q1 2009. Today's Hartford Courant, citing The Hartford CEO Ramani Ayer, "The financial markets remain difficult and the outlook for the economy is uncertain"In light of...
"Lawyers In Dallas" Structured Settlements For "The Estoned"
Posted on April 30, 2009Here I was all excited after getting the Google news alert announcing Lawyers in Dallas "a New Blog on Structured Settlements and The Secondary Market". Then I discovered through a WHOIS search that the site's owner is Kalev Kompus (Kalev...
United States (Bank) of America
Posted on April 30, 2009Fox Business says April 30, 2009, commenting on the government's putative conversion of $95B in preferred stakes in Bank of America and Citigroup to common shares: "Do any of you agree that all of this government borrowing will vacuum up...
Pingo Pango Ponzo Who Wants To End Up With Zero?
Posted on April 29, 2009The Ponzi scheme du jour involves Danny Pang who allegedly defrauded investors in life insurance policies (life settlements/viatical settlements). These have nothing to do with structured settlements although it's bound to come up in the search results thanks to some...
"NSSTA Has Softened Its View Of Factoring" -Patrick Hindert Report To SSP April 28 2009
Posted on April 28, 2009According to our sources who attended, author and NSSTA legal committee member stated that "NSSTA has softened its view of factoring" during his presentation at the Society of Settlement Planners meeting in Washington DC yesterday. I wonder what that means...
123 Lump Bum
Posted on April 28, 2009The factoring company Structured Asset Funding, with common ownership to Bentzen Funding Solutions, that Bentzen Funding Solutions used to fund the "Connecticut woman's" factoring deal through has a stinky egg on its face. On the company website for its DBA,...
Questions To Ask About "Questions To Ask Your Structured Setllement Broker"
Posted on April 25, 2009Appearing among the tips in a text link ad filled Google alert for structured settlements today: "#1. Are you a member of NSSTA? The National Structured Settlements Trade Association is a reputable regulatory body within this industry. A broker who...
The Hartford Puts P&C Business on The Block -Reuters
Posted on April 24, 2009Citing sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reports today that "Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is trying to sell its property/ casualty insurance business, said Thursday, as the U.S. insurer reels from massive losses. Hartford has retained Goldman Sachs, which...
AIG Structured Settlement Wiki by S2KM Has Not Been Maintained and Value Must Be Questioned
Posted on April 24, 2009The AIG Structured Settlement Wiki was produced by S2KM Patrick Hindert in the third week of September 2008 and maintained through November 2008. When a person spends an inordinate amount of time talking the wikis as S2KM Patrick Hindert does...
Most Popular Structured Settlement Websites April 2009
Posted on April 23, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 04/23/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 03/24/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Google.com is ranked 1 in the overall scheme)...
Structured Asset Funding Pays Connecticut Woman FINALLY!
Posted on April 23, 2009Late Supreme Court Judge Louis Brandeis was right, sunlight IS the best disinfectant or, in this case, motivator to pay up as promised. Structured Settlements 4Real has confirmed that the Connecticut woman who was apparently strung along for weeks by...
Serious Questions Concerning Factoring Company "Servicing"of Structured Settlements
Posted on April 22, 2009Factoring Company Servicing of structured settlement payments. It's time to get it all out on the table before one of the big servicers goes belly up and someone has to learn the hard way. Please read my previous post on...
Bentzen Funding Solutions STILL HASN'T PAID Connecticut Woman as Promised! Update
Posted on April 22, 2009Supposedly "Emergency Credit Meetings" are going on involving Bentzen Funding Solutions, Structured Asset Funding and their bankers to be able to pay what was promised to the Connecticut woman (who related to this author this morning that she has now...
Selling Structured Settlements "Tempting But Not Smart" -Suze Orman
Posted on April 22, 2009Financial guru Suze Orman responds to a woman who along with her husband is contemplating the sale of the husband's remaining structured settlement payments with the the advice that such transactions are "tempting but not smart". O, the Oprah magazine...
Credit Default Swaps and Your Insurance Company
Posted on April 21, 2009Credit default swaps are financial contracts that "insure" against the default of financial instruments such as bonds and corporate debt which are also traded as a hedge against bond defaults. Credit default swaps played a major role in the credit...
Bentzen Funding Solutions... Connecticut Woman STILL HAS NOT BEEN PAID As Promised?
Posted on April 21, 2009Structured Settlements 4Real is rallying around a Connecticut Woman's cause for Bentzen Funding Solutions and Structured Asset Funding to make good on their promises. On April 14, 2009 we posted the story, "Bentzen Funding Solutions Not Paying for Factoring Deals...
Fairfund Financial Misleading Consumers AGAIN!
Posted on April 21, 2009Back in December 2006 cash now pusher Fairfund Financial Group was the subject of this blog post Fairfund Financial Goose Egg for false advertising. Now these knuckleheads are asking the question "So what should people do that have structured settlements...
FDIC Assessments... News About Treasury and Regulatory Concern About Collateral Damage is Instructive
Posted on April 20, 2009Bloomberg reports today that "the U.S. Treasury and financial regulators are clashing with each other over how to disclose results from the stress tests of 19 U.S. banks, with some officials concerned at potential damage to weaker institutions. With a...
S2 Knowledge Management Expert...Half Acid Washed Denham
Posted on April 20, 2009Out of date information is of little use unless you are a historian, or perhaps a detective trying to solve a cyber crime. This author has observed alot of detritus on structured settlements floating around like space junk. One such...
Buffoonery May Result From Salesmen Who Don't Read
Posted on April 20, 2009The March 2009 NSSTA newsletter, The Structure, featured the President's message with a slap at Halpern Group entitled Halpern's "Superior Results". The slap says that sometimes "truth is stranger than fiction" and goes on to mock the 17% loss that...
Failure to Think Things Through
Posted on April 19, 2009What is former NSSTA President Patrick Hindert smoking for implying that Treasury should deny Hartford TARP funds because of a legal case that has not yet been decided, Spencer v Hartford? Hindert asks: "Should federal officials consider Spencer v. Hartford...
Student Loan Debt Questions for 19-26 Year Olds, Alternatives to "Cash Now"
Posted on April 19, 2009Are you 19-26 years old with a structured settlement that was set up when you were a child and now have mountains of student loan debt? Are you the parent of a 19-26 years old with a structured settlement that...
"And NOW For Something Completely Different" For Cost Cutting Insurance Companies To Save Money
Posted on April 19, 2009Perhaps insurance companies can learn something from this "Nugget" about paper making industry town of Burnie, Tasmania which has taken to making paper out of wombat's poo. Yes, according to an April 18, 2009 report by the BBC these innovative...
Financial Literacy Lesson For Children- Really "Living It Up" in a Garden Variety Depression
Posted on April 19, 2009What values are we teaching our children during what Jim Cramer calls the "garden variety depression"? I received a call this morning from a $75,000/year single mother of a 16 year old who called me because I have traveling experience....
Bentzen Funding Solutions, Structured Asset Funding...More Questions Arise
Posted on April 17, 2009Inspired by the story covered in the preceding post, this author has begun a state by state investigation to learn if Bentzen Funding Solutions and Structured Asset Funding have registered in states where this author has information and/or reason to....
Maybe There Isn't "a Sucker Born Every Minute"
Posted on April 14, 2009I was pleased to read in yesterday's New York Post that the bids for the rights to the story of Dana Giacchetto were only fetching $5,000 on EBay. Who the heck is Dana Giacchetto you say? He's merely the social...
S2KM Content Syndicated on Purchase Structured Settlement Blog
Posted on April 14, 2009S2KM's blog post about the NSSTA Winter Regional Meeting has apparently been syndicated on the Purchase Structured Settlements blog. On the same blog you can find ads for Patrick Swayze's secrets, PIcs of beautiful women, Danica Patrick's Bikini Pictures and...
The Structured Settlement Illiterate Tip of The Day "featuring" Stan Johnson
Posted on April 14, 2009Self back slap happy writer Stan Johnson on "Better Structured Settlement (Dot) Com" has essentially hung himself up in "Not Everything You Read About A Structured Settlement is True" Stan Johnson states "Like only few writers out there, Stan Johnson...
Bentzen Funding Solutions Not Paying For Factoring Deals On Time?
Posted on April 14, 2009Back in September 2008 Rhonda Bentzen boasted that it was "business as usual" and assured everyone in a blog post that she has now taken down that Bentzen Funding Solutions was purchasing AIG annuities. My how times have changed and...
Settlements for Children... Bank Accounts Should Track Old FDIC limits of $100,000 NOT $250,000!
Posted on April 13, 2009Reminder to Judges and Plaintiff Lawyers when considering placing a portion of a minor's settlement proceeds in a bank, the current FDIC limits of $250,000 are temporary and expire December 31, 2009. They cannot be relied upon long term. Track...
Is FDIC Really Backed By The Government?
Posted on April 12, 2009The Abilene Reporter News has an interesting article in today's local business section (thanks to the Internet its "local" to me in Stamford, CT) which discusses the impending rate increase by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and gives an...
I-35W Bridge Collapse...Now "Holden" Just a Minute!
Posted on April 12, 2009The Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune's Jim Foti reports on the task faced by the Special Master panel of lawyers to fairly allocate slices of the fund created by the Minnesota State Legislature to compensate survivors of the I-35W Bridge Collapse...
Stone Street Capital's Shame About "Factoring"
Posted on April 11, 2009Stone Street Capital's Michelle (Determan) Hsu would have you believe that the Internal Revenue Code is not correct and that the word "factoring" is not appropriate to describe what "The Stoners" do for a living. Hsu makes these statements (among...
FINALLY Factoring Companies Begin to Turn On "Cash Now" Reprobates in Their Ranks
Posted on April 11, 2009Prosperity Partners is using its blog network to attack what we have been attacking all along, the false claims of cash now made by certain factoring companies. "There?s a great push going on these days to expose structured settlement (factoring)...
New York City Attorneys Should Be Structuring Attorney Fees To Mitigate Tax Bite
Posted on April 11, 2009New York is the Tax Capital of The World according to the Wall Street Journal which said: "In New York, Assembly Speaker (and de facto Governor) Sheldon Silver and other Democrats will impose a two percentage point "millionaire tax" on...
Liberty Life Assurance of Boston Affirmed at "A" (Excellent) by AM Best.
Posted on April 11, 2009While affirming the A (Excellent) rating on the Liberty Mutual Group the outlook has been changed from stable to negative effective April 9, 2009. Specific to Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston, a structured settlement annuity issuer, A.M. Best said...
Tax Increase is Gilded Lily For Structured Settlement Value
Posted on April 09, 2009The Wall Street Journal reports that "at least 10 states are considering some kind of major increase in sales or income taxes, including Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. California and New York lawmakers...
Woodbridge Investments Business Down 45% from 2008
Posted on April 09, 2009"Although the demand is there from customers seeking to sell their structured settlement payments, the present financial condition of the insurance companies and downgrading of their bond and credit ratings has caused rates to rise making the purchase of stuctured...
"Hedwig" and The Angry Inch-10
Posted on April 08, 2009Patrick Hindert's pedantic demagoguery is predictably revived in his latest blog post in which he cites an NSSTA Member on the NSSTA Code of Ethics. Virtually silent for years on to name a few (1) the "underground railroad" of factoring...
Few Structured Settlement Companies Use The Web To Their Advantage
Posted on April 08, 20094structures.com, LLC continues to dominate the unique visitors to structured settlement industry websites, according to an anlaysis of Compete.com data for March 2009. The industry itself improved on last month with an average of 1,284 unique visitors...
Willy Exposed
Posted on April 08, 2009"Will" on cash now pusher Stone Street Capital's blog "finds it interesting that there are such vocal opponents of the factoring industry when they are filling an absolute need for structured settlement recipients". He states "The reality is that the...
Structured Settlement Quote Form Is A Matter of Literacy and Security
Posted on April 07, 2009Both of the following terms have their origins in the Middle English of the 12th-13th century but have distinctly different meanings. Council 1: an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion2: a group elected or appointed as an advisory...
How Structured Settlement Works Useful Structured Settlement Flow Chart
Posted on April 07, 20094structures.com, LLC has introduced a structured settlement flow chart which helps explains how a structured settlement works when a structured settlement is funded with one or more structured annuities. Click To Open How Structured Settlement Works Flow Chart The flow...
Structured Settlement Industry and National Financial Literacy Month
Posted on April 06, 2009As financial literacy month enters its second week a paraphrase of words about a child and a nation, uttered almost half a century ago by President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, still rings true: "A" plaintiff or attorney or judge "miseducated is...
"Cash Settlements Now" Bull Sharks in The Water Circling Your Clients
Posted on April 05, 2009Look out now but some "loan sharks" are now calling what they do "cash settlements". A website at www.cashsettlementsnow (dot)com** The black dorsal fin belongs to the cowards who own the website but have used a private registration on Godaddy.com....
Readers of Structured Settlements 4Real Blog Get Discounts on Legal Texts From Aspen Publishers
Posted on April 04, 2009Readers of Structured Settlements 4Real can now qualify for discounts on legal texts from Aspen Publishers. Discounts are available through 12/31/2009. Simply scroll down and follow the appropriate link at the bottom of the left column of this blog.
Structured Settlements 4Real in Top 100 of Legal Blogs March 2009
Posted on April 04, 2009Structured Settlements 4Real is again in the Top 100 of Legal Blogs in Avvo.com's monthly survey of 300 legal subject blogs for March 2009
My Responsibility or Yours? (a/k/a I'm Not Your Mama!)
Posted on April 04, 2009From time to time I receive an email from someone or on behalf of someone who has appeared in this forum having been highlighted for a specific alleged behavior. While the majority of such contact is favorable on occasion I...
Tasteless Ignorants Advocate Capital Crimes in Face of Binghamton Tragedy
Posted on April 03, 2009The tragic news today that at least twelve people are dead after a gunman went on a shooting spree inside the American Civic Center in Binghamton for the most part has been met with the outpouring of humanity, but some...
J.G. Wentworth "Springs Forward" Falls Back
Posted on April 03, 2009Is J.G. Wentworth NOW going after Jerry Springer's audience with a new commercial send up that involves a talk show host and a bunch of loonies chanting like chimpanzees that they want their money now?
FTC to Clamp Down on Dubious Product Statements on Social Media
Posted on April 03, 2009Advertisers will soon face regulatory changes that some fear will curtail their efforts to tap into the fast-growing online social media phenomenon according to an article in the Financial Times on April 3, 2009 Revised guidelines on endorsements and testimonials...
J.G. Wentworth Boo Frickety Hoo
Posted on April 02, 2009Standard & Poor's Rating Services said yesterday that it will no longer rate J.G. Wentworth, LLC's counterparty credit and senior secured debt at J.G. Wentworth's request. S&P's announcement occurred on March 31, 2009 after Wentworth announced Deutsche Bank had extended...
National Insurance Consumer Protection Act Proposal Is Unveiled
Posted on April 02, 2009Congress is set to reveal will reveal its first Optional Federal Insurance Charter proposal today, entitled the "National Insurance Consumer Protection Act" (NICPA), introduced by Congresswoman Melissa Bean (D-IL) and Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA). NICPA would establish a national regulator...
"Financial Crack" Dealer Now Offering FAST Cash Now
Posted on April 01, 2009Cash Now Pusher Structured Asset Funding, who we affectionately refer to as a "financial crack dealer" due to its irresponsible promotion to the gullible of a Ferrari and a boat as reasons to sell your structured settlement payment rights. Now...
Aviva 4 Year Run at A.M. Best "A+" Over...Now "A" with Stable Outlook
Posted on April 01, 2009The A.M. Best rating of Aviva, one of the United States' fastest growing insurance operations, has changed to A (Excellent) from A+ (Superior) effective March 12, 2009. The downgrade follows a 4 year run at A+ that stretches back to...
"Maryland Structured Settlements"... The Money Goes To Your Head!
Posted on March 30, 2009The following appears on the web site of Maryland Structured Settlements located at www.structuredsettlementsmaryland.com: "If you sell your structured settlement to a third party that?s licensed, insured and bonded you get something that others, who sell to uninsured, unlicensed and...
Can Your Agent Legally Yap Up State Insurance Guaranty Funds in Insurance Sales Pitches?
Posted on March 30, 2009Is there a change in New York State law afoot on the use of the state guarantee fund by an agent in a sales situation? Link to January 26, 2009 New York State Insurance Department Office of General Counsel (OGC)...
Non Qualified Structured Settlement Benefits Magnified By Tax Hikes
Posted on March 29, 2009A deal reached in the New York State legislature will hike state income taxes by an astounding 31% for all New Yorkers making more than $500,000 a year reports Sunday's New York Post A second, slightly lower tier would increase...
Be Careful Where You Dip Your Wiki!
Posted on March 29, 2009A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified mark up language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites. Wikipedia is the perhaps the best...
Long Term Care Insurance Company Ratings Fumble in April 2009 Financial Planning
Posted on March 29, 2009A fumble "at the goal line" in otherwise very good article on the financial security provided by long term care insurers in the April 2009 Financial Planning magazine (pp 48-53) leaves me scratching my head. Donald Jay Korn observes that...
New York Life Grabs Market Share in Guaranteed Lifetime Income Annuities 2008, Q1 2009 Sales Up 90%
Posted on March 29, 2009LIMRA International U.S. Individual Annuity Sales Survey, Fixed Immediates, Fourth Quarter 2008 places New York Life Insurance Company as the number one seller of fixed immediate annuities for 2008. It was a year that New York Life exceed $1 billion....
Walking The Walk on "Sound Diversified Settlement Planning"?
Posted on March 28, 2009I felt compelled to read Tacker LeCarpentier's February 16, 2009 article in North Carolina Lawyers Weekly after the NSSTA posted a link and "belated kudos" on its website referring to the aricel as "perceptive". After reading it I was left...
Structured Settlement Sales Jump 25% Say SFA Statistics
Posted on March 27, 2009Speaking of structured settlements, The National Law Journal's Amanda Bronstad reports "in a sign of the economic times, value of structured settlements jumps 25%". Citing Structured Financial Associates stats, Bronstad refers to the total value of structured settlements and a...
Use of Structuring Attorney Fees Expected To Increase With Taxes
Posted on March 27, 2009A new tax environment in the offing in New York could lead to increased use of structured attorney fees and structured settlements. Bloomberg reports that next year's budget gap may be $3 billion greater (25% more) than expected just 6...
Using Credit Card vs Selling Structured Settlement
Posted on March 26, 2009Paid to post shill for Prosperity Partners, Brit Julie-Ann Amos states in Structured Settlements in Georgia: "It?s real easy to reach for the plastic when you don?t have the cash to pay for things. The problem with that is that...
Re Unifying Estate and Gift Tax Exemptions...Don't "Bauc" At it!
Posted on March 26, 2009Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) today introduced legislation which would make permanent many of the Estate tax cuts enacted in 2001. The bill would make permanent the estate tax levels ($3.5 million exemption/45% top rate) in effect in...
National Financial Literacy Month
Posted on March 25, 2009April 2009 is National Financial Literacy Month in the United States. National Financial Literacy Month is an effort to highlight the importance of financial literacy and teach Americans how to establish and maintain healthy financial habits. Historically, The Jumpstart Coalition...
Everything You Need To Know About Structured Settlements?
Posted on March 25, 2009Who didn't sneak a peek at the poorly hidden tome at the top of their parents' bookshelf at pubescence to learn "Everything That You Need To Know About Sex... But Were Afraid to Ask"? On the topic of masturbation, author...
ViaTrust Inc Laughable Misinformation on Structured Settlement Broker
Posted on March 24, 2009Douglas Petrie of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey has outdone himself with this howler website from Via Trust Inc about Finding The Right (Structured Settlement) Broker "Selling the settlement may seem very tempting and you may think about finding a good...
Structured Settlement Websites Most Popular March 2009
Posted on March 24, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 03/24/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 02/25/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Yahoo.com is ranked 1 in the overall scheme)...
Stone Street Capital Mascot Resembles Which Teletubby? CAST NOW!
Posted on March 23, 2009Showing its sensitive side Cash Now Pusher Stone Street Capital says: "Some people are critical of annuitants who choose to solve their financial problems by selling some of their structured settlement payments. This criticism is unfair; we should admire those...
What is A Qualified Assignment?
Posted on March 23, 2009An assignment of obligation to make future periodic payments which satisfies the requirements of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) § 130. In a structured settlement agreement the original obligor (the defendant, insurance carrier for the defendant, or the trustee of a...
Puffing Professional Credentials Is Not Cool in Houston or anywhere
Posted on March 23, 2009On January 3, 2009 I posted Truth In Structured Settlement Advertising, SSP is Not a Professional Designation, after discovering that a veteran member of the profession was holding a trade association that he/she was not on record as being a...
AIG-"Making Informed Decisions Is More Important Than Ever"-NAIC Chief, PA Insurance Commish
Posted on March 22, 2009In the face of continuing media and consumer confusion regarding American International Group, Inc. (AIG) and the role of state insurance regulators, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has moved to correct the information and in a published statement...
Fresno Tomahawk Chop Suey
Posted on March 20, 2009While the Recent Appelate decisions in the Tomahawk and Ramos cases in Fresno County California represent a victory of sorts for J.G. Wentworth, in that California is not sinking into the sea as feared, Patrick Hindert ruins his own commentary...
Do Annuity Issuers Really Give a Crap About Plaintiffs?
Posted on March 20, 2009I am going to go out on a limb with this one because I, for one, want to know how many structured annuity issuers really give a crap about plaintiffs? One can read the brochures, look at the web sites...
The T'SNOT Heard 'Round the World
Posted on March 20, 2009Yet another factoring company has tried to overcome the United States sovereign immunity status and failed. This time its the "Thompson Twins" Bobby and Bob, Bobby, the surviving recipient of an annuity purchased by the United States from National Home...
JG Wentworth "SEVERELY WEAKENED FINANCIAL POSITION"- Standard & Poors "
Posted on March 18, 2009J.G. Wentworth, LLC was not bestowed with the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's day as its credit ratings continue to flop over like a sack of potatoes. Standard & Poors dropped J.G. Wentworth's long term counterparty rating to...
Structured Annuity Issuers Again Rank Well In 2009 Fortune "World's Most Admired" Survey
Posted on March 18, 2009Structured settlement annuity issuers again appear in the FORTUNE list of America's Most Admired Companies for 2009. The annual FORTUNE survey has been called "the definitive report card on corporate reputations". There's nothing better than having your peers recognize you...
Fixed Annuity Sales Up 90% in Q4 2008 over Q4 2007 and Up 60% Calendar Year 2008
Posted on March 18, 2009According to Beacon Research Fixed Annuity Premium study of 53 insurance companies representing 86% of the market, U.S. sales of fixed annuities were up 60% in 2008. Surprisingly in the 4th quarter of 2008, at the height the financial crisis...
The Factoring Jackal Within
Posted on March 17, 2009Patrick Hindert's "One Step Beyond" blog reference to the protagonists of the 3rd Circuit bitch slap of Rapid Settlements as "All State" appears to be no clerical error. "Hedwig" has even created a separate category on the blog for All...
How Big Is In "The Tin Cup"?
Posted on March 16, 2009The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is a United States government corporation created during The Great Depression by the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. Pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 1828(A)(1)(B) insured deposits are guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the...
Emergency Fund and Good Cash Management Essential to Financial Stability
Posted on March 14, 2009An emergency fund is simply sound financial planning for both individuals and businesses. The old adage that you should have 3 months expenses salted away in an emergency liquid reserve fund to cover unanticipated blips has been enlarged to 6...
Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right Unless it Comes out of the Factoring Industry???
Posted on March 14, 2009Apparently two wrongs don't make a right unless it comes out of the factoring industry. On the Legal Broadcast Network Matt Bracy, the general counsel for Settlement Capital of Dallas, TX is interviewed by Mark Wahlstrom on the topic of...
Structured Settlement Fraud and Racketeering Case May Proceed As Class Action
Posted on March 13, 2009Connecticut Federal Judge Janet C. Hall has ruled that the Spencer v. Hartford case may proceed as a national class action under alleged fraud and federal racketeering violations, but not on two additional claims for unjust enrichment and breach of...
Illinois Structured Settlements Will "Show More Leg" With State Tax Increase
Posted on March 13, 2009"Income taxes in Illinois could soon be going up by as much as 50 percent to combat deficits in a difficult state budget", according to a CBS News report. In what would be the first increase in 20 years, the...
The Yellow Payment Stream By I. Peachtree Daily
Posted on March 11, 2009Yet again a cash now pusher has tried to factor a structured settlement annuity owned by the United States of America and someone has pissed on its leg. This time it's the United States District Court for the District of...
High School Synapses Reconnected in Terrace Park Ohio?
Posted on March 10, 2009Was S2KM's Patrick Hindert an Ohio All State athlete? Perhaps so, or what else could be the explanation for the factual fromage exhibited in Hindert's review of the 3rd Circuit's recent decision concerning Rapid Settlements?How could Hindert, a self professed...
4structures.com, LLC receives top service rating from Better Business Bureau
Posted on March 10, 20094structures.com, LLC has been assigned an "A+", the highest rating from The Better Business Bureau (BBB).BBB assigns grades from A to F with pluses and minuses. A+ is the highest grade and F is the lowest. The grade represents BBB?s...
Beware of "Rob" - Roy
Posted on March 10, 2009Boston attorney Jeffrey Roy of Boston's Ravech & Roy, P.C. speaks out in favor of structured settlements in a post about the recent 3rd Circuit decision against Rapid Settlements which we reviewed yesterday."We have had many clients over the years...
"Arb This!" Third Circuit to Rapid Settlements
Posted on March 09, 2009A Federal Court of Appeals in the 3rd Circuit in Allstate v. Rapid Settlements, 2009 WL 514080 (C.A.3 (Pa.)) slammed a Rapid Settlements deal because no state court had signed off on it, as required by structured settlement protection acts...
NASP finally sets up Website... Sort Of
Posted on March 09, 2009The National Association of Settlement Purchasers moves out of the shadows and onto the Internet with a website. Well sort of.At this point the site is very rudimentary the only content being links to the two Earl Nesbitt interviews from...
Cash Now Pushers Not Paying Yet Continuing to Advertise "Cash Now?"
Posted on March 09, 2009Settlement Quotes, LLC's Andrew Cravenho's February 24, 2009 post will be of interest to Attorneys General and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Cravenho describes several recent instances consumers have written to him describing a process from JG Wentworth, Stone Street...
Which Side of "Most Of" Do Hartford Structured Settlements Fall?
Posted on March 09, 2009Various news reports citing anonymous sources on Friday said that Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is in talks to sell most of its life insurance subsidiary to Sun Life Financial Inc.of Canada, a fine company north of the border that...
Hindert Gushes Over Risk's "Watershed Moment" But Argument Hits Rocks
Posted on March 09, 2009In an otherwise generally informative review of the recent Academy of Special Needs Planners annual meeting Patrick Hindert goes over the top in a barrel to laud a historical model of self restraint Richard B. Risk as, to S2KM's knowledge,...
Structured Settlement... It's Worth The Wait
Posted on March 07, 2009Since Obama has brought back the 1970s-1980s swashbuckling economic icon Paul Volcker it seems appropriate for the structured settlement industry to bring back an advertisement of that era to fight irresponsible factoring advertising and the forces of instant gratification vs...
Cash Now Pusher Evokes "Needle in a Haystack" To Justify Fraudulent Advertising Practices of Industry
Posted on March 07, 2009Brutally honest (cough cough) Michelle Hsu of cash now pusher Stone Street Capital (yeah, the folks whose mascot is a blue Teletubby like cow) says she's looking for a needle in a haystack. "People who receive a structured settlement are...
Pruco Assignment Corporation Now Requires 60 Day Window For Funding Non Qualified Structured Settlements
Posted on March 07, 2009The non qualified assignment (often referred to as a non qualified structured settlement 1) is a form of settlement used to resolve disputes, claims for damages and certain other financial transactions that do not fall within the realm of physical...
Sterling "Pounds" One Out for Structured Settlement Illiteracy
Posted on March 07, 2009Jim Sterling's work on structured settlements is typical of non credentialed writers about structured settlements on the Internet. Non credentialed writers flood the Internet with content (much of it laughably inaccurate to those in the know) on websites built for...
Stirring It Up..SSE Funding Advertisement says it All
Posted on March 06, 2009You've got to love it when your message gets a stirring response. As you can see from the web pages of certified cash flow consulting office SSE Funding, there appears the beginnings of a recoil by some members of the...
4structures.com, LLC Leads Structured Settlement Website Unique Visitors..Compete.com
Posted on March 06, 20094structures.com, LLC continues to dominate the unique visitors to structured settlement industry websites, according to a Compete.com analysis for February 2009. The industry itself improved on last month with 1,181.14 unique visitors. While this represents an improvement from January 2009,...
Bair Says FDIC Fund Could Dry Up Amid Surge In Bank Failures
Posted on March 05, 2009With all the hubbub about insurance companies, let us not forget the banks.The breadth of the financial crisis has hit reality when Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair said in a March 2, 2009 letter to the banking industry...
468B QSF Settlement Consulting
Posted on February 26, 2009Patrick Hindert's pedantic demagoguery of the day focuses on a new concept which he labels 468B QSF settlement consulting. The concept ostensibly involves the standard use of a 468B QSF trust fund that in many cases adds needless extra cost...
Cash Now Question Should Go To Federal Trade Commission
Posted on February 26, 2009The focal point of the cash now advertising fraud is the where the cash NOW emphasis is placed. Is the cash NOW emphasis placed on what the consumer needs versus the advertiser's promise and ability to deliver what they advertise?I...
Structured Settlement Thought For The Day
Posted on February 26, 2009Regarding competition in today's environment... … you don't simply want just the low cost bid on parachutes, life preservers, life insurance OR structured annuities.
No More Rated Ages From Allstate Life Insurance Company
Posted on February 25, 2009Allstate Life is discontinuing medical underwriting for both qualified and non-qualified business. Allstate's decision to no longer issue rated ages is said to be due to high underwriting volumes and low placement rates. Rated age is an important cost factor...
Most Popular Structured Settlement Websites February 2009
Posted on February 25, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 02/25/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 01/25/2009 report). Lower number means more traffic (e.g. Yahoo.com is ranked 1 in the overall scheme)...
Imperial Structured Settlements Queen's Kumbaya Misses The Point
Posted on February 24, 2009Cash Now pusher Imperial Stuctured Settlmeents has issued a press release in resposne to "disreputable industry blogs". It states "buzz surrounding seedy blogs posted about structured settlement and annuity factoring companies has grown dramatically over the past year...
Folksongomy and Mixing Milk With Meat
Posted on February 23, 2009Patrick Hindert minces words today over settlement consulting and settlement planning and introduces us to the "Hedwig Pindork" 4 syllable Big Word of the Day "Folksonomy". Wasn't Folksonomy Plaza the LA office tower that got shot up in Die Hard?...
Sell Structured Settlement Alternative
Posted on February 23, 2009Is there an alternative to sell structured settlement? If you have an IRA, or rollover IRA, the answer is yes, IRC 72(t).IRC 72(t) provides that amounts distributed from a traditional IRA or Roth IRA before an individual reaches age 59...
Hindert Changes Tagline BUT...
Posted on February 22, 2009Beyond Structured Settlements " Discussion of the legal issues related to structured settlements" Alexa description February 22, 2009Beyond Structured Settlements "Commentary about structured settlements and special needs planning" Blog tag line February 22, 2009Previously Beyond Structured Settlements tagline was "collaborative...
Former NSSTA Executive Director Headlines SSP Annual Meeting
Posted on February 22, 2009Structured Settlements 4Real has learned that former NSSTA Executive Director Randy Dyer will be featured as an engaging dinner speaker at the April 27-28 annual meeting of the Society of Settlement Planners. I understand that Randy will be giving his...
Qualified Settlement Fund As "Settlement Planning Standard" Caveat -1
Posted on February 22, 2009If a money manager was going to charge you 3% to manage your money in a money market fund for a few weeks or a month would you do it? If your answer is no, you might want to question...
Mack N' Cheese At Upcoming SSP Meeting in DC?
Posted on February 21, 2009Following what has become an unfortunate tradition of promoting structured settlement "one hit wonders" at its annual meeting (such as Professor Adam Scales and his erstwhile paper), the Society of Settlement Planners apparently intends to delve even deeper into the...
Structured Settlements 4Real Ranked 74 on Top Legal Blogs at Avvo
Posted on February 18, 2009Avvo, a legal marketing service that competes with Martindale wonders "what exactly goes into those top legal blog (blawg) lists floating around?" So Avvo has compiled an auto-updating list of over 300 legal subject blogs ordered by their Alexa traffic...
Web 2.0 "Weschful Thinking" Is An Improvement on Pedantic Plodding
Posted on February 18, 2009Whether you were enthralled or bewildered by the Hindergush at the NSSTA Regional you may be interested in Web 2.0...The Machine is Us/Ing Us, a 4 1/2 minute video on Web 2.0 by Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology...
Amicus Capital on Structured Settlements...Silly Tilley!
Posted on February 18, 2009The accompanying picture of Bill Tilley, President of Amicus Capital Services, LLC , belies the inarticulate explanation of structured settlements attributed to him and his company on Ezine Articles. From Valencia California Tilley delivers a malaprop that "Archie Bunker" would...
When Even "CDs" Aren't Safe
Posted on February 17, 2009The global financial crisis that has decimated stock portfolios and real estate has seen people flocking to safer alternatives. Among those "safer alternatives"...Bank CDs. From some unlucky Texans and others who invested in CDs with Stanford International Bank that illusion...
California Resident Thinks "Terminator" Unduly Influenced By JG Wentworth Commercials
Posted on February 17, 2009VIctorville California Daily Press reader Art Fotschky suggests that Arnold Schwarzenegger has been having some sleepless nights. "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislators must be watching too much late night television, and in particular the commercials regarding selling structured settlements ,...
JG Wentworth..."Plus Ca Change Plus La Meme Chose"
Posted on February 17, 2009Just When You Thought JG Wentworth Was Turning Over a New Leaf with "In a Bind? Need Cash? www.jgwentworth.com Sell your Settlement Payments Now JG Wentworth Pays Cash" then you follow the link and find that "the more it changes...
Structured Attorney Fees...Financial Literacy Corner
Posted on February 16, 2009Forge Consulting, LLC states on its website that it "provides attorneys with fee structuring options, allowing them to take advantage of the unique opportunity to defer taxation on earned fees".Download Forge Consulting LLC - Mess.. 2-16-2009 Is there anything wrong...
John Bair "Covers Tracks" in John Edwards Testimonial Cover Up?
Posted on February 16, 2009With former Presidential candidate John Edwards' political career over due to untimely revelations about his cheating on his cancer stricken wife and the bizarre cover up, it appears that Forge Consulting CEO John T. Bair has apparently rewritten history AGAIN...
Structured Settlement "Standard of Care" in New York
Posted on February 16, 2009The inclusion of the following language required to be sworn to by the New York State Supreme Court for Bronx County in the standard "Structure Broker's Affidavit" introduces a new "standard of care" for structured settlements apparently due to a...
Florida Annuities Fraud Law... A Sign of Things To Come Elsewhere?
Posted on February 13, 2009Florida's annuities fraud law, an amendment to Florida Statute 627.4554 "Annuity Investments By Seniors" went into effect January 1, 2009. In addition to new suitability standards, one of its provisions could easily apply to insurance agents and brokers or settlement...
Second Circuit Court of Appeals Tells Cash Now Pusher Where to Shove Their Ten Gallon Hat
Posted on February 11, 2009An attempt by Rapid Settlements Ltd to "circumvent" the New York Structured Settlement Protection Act by arguing that the Full Faith and Credit Clause in Article IV of the United States Constitution required the United States District Court for the...
AAJ Affinity Deal With Halpern Group For Recovery Management
Posted on February 11, 2009It was recently announced at its Winter Meeting in New Orleans that the AAJ has endorsed the Halpern Group for recovery management services.
Settlement Planner Commits Perjury in Court Document? OYOYOY!
Posted on February 10, 2009Doing his job to "help elevate the profession" a New York based settlement planner having been duly sworn and deposed recently said: " A traditional structured settlement is the only mechanism that prevents a minor from cashing in on the...
Bank This...It Ain't Maundy Money- Mundy
Posted on February 09, 2009Bill Spencer of ABC Television WXYZ-Channel 7 Action News Financial Survival Team in Detroit says "Don't Give your Settlement Away", structured settlements that is!The segment includes an interview with Troy financial adviser Michael Mundy of AXA Advisors who states "...
New York Structured Settlement Vig Takers May Not Be Able to Hide From Dinallo
Posted on February 09, 2009The draft regulations issued earlier this week by the New York Insurance Department include rules that establish "minimum disclosure requirements." Those requirements include the nature and amount of compensation, as well as language that tells consumers an agent "may have...
Qualified Settlement Fund Use In Single Claimant Cases
Posted on February 09, 2009On June 19, 2003, the Society of Settlement Planners armed with numerous contributions (that included $15,000 of this author's money**) hired the law firm Skadden Arps to seek clarification from the United States Treasury Department about the use of 468B...
Ghosts of The Internet
Posted on February 08, 2009According to a Compete.com analysis for January 2009, the structured settlement industry websites picked up by Compete.com averaged 839.67 unique visitors. While this represents an improvement from December 2008, the result is misleading because two companies 4structures...
North East Settlement Funding
Posted on February 05, 2009Despite changing from Seeley Investments toll-free number to a local phone number Christopher J. Seeley's "tenant" cash now pusher North East Settlement Funding lists Seeley Investments as a related webpage as of February 5, 2009. Download Google Maps related web...
Nancy Pelosi's Voodoo Economics
Posted on February 04, 2009305,749,425 Population of the United States February 4, 2009 Number of Jobs Being Lost Every Month According to Shrieker of the House Nancy Pelosi 500,000,000 (cited as a reason we need to pass economic stimulus ill right away)
Allstate Life Insurance Company in Ratings Downgrade by S&P, Fitch, But A.M. Best Affirms Rating
Posted on February 04, 2009While A.M. Best affirmed Allstate Life Insurance Company at A+ (Superior) this week, both Fitch and Standard & Poors have lowered their ratings on the company to A (Strong) and AA- (Very Strong) respectively. The ratings also apply to Allstate...
Chartered Financial Consultant® Program Expanding "To Put More Distance Between It and Other Credentials in The Field"
Posted on February 03, 2009As professional credentialing moves to the forefront in consumers vendor selection process, The American College has announced February 2, 2009 that the Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation program, will require a total of nine college-level courses for students starting the...
MetLife Announces Q4 2008 and FY 2008 Results
Posted on February 03, 2009Although reporting earnings fro the line were down $251MM for Q4 2008, Metife reported with respect to its Institutional Business that retirement and savings premiums, fees and other revenues grew 80% in Q4 2008 over Q4 2007 to $689MM. This...
"Cash Now Pusher" Rides To Rescue "Damsel" Hindert's Distress
Posted on February 03, 2009Patrick Hindert's "friends" are coming to his defense and not surprisingly the source of support is from the factoring industry. Cash Now Pusher Stone Street Capital's Patricia Laborde states that "while he never actually uses the term, it seems that...
Are The Tough Guys Still Tough Post Election?
Posted on February 03, 2009Back in October the press was all agog at $20,000 worth of spa treatments at an AIG sales retreat. A October 7th hearing before the congressional House Oversight Committee brought attention to a conference which took place at the St....
Could it Be That "Simsbury Sam" Doesn't See Shadow?
Posted on February 03, 2009Only 4 months after Harry Reid's misplaced muttering started a free fall in confidence, now the financial press is talking up Hartford Financial Services Group. Barron's Jonathan R. Laing recognizes the risk, but states that for those willing to take...
Life Insurer Capital and Surplus Reductions A No Go-NAIC
Posted on February 01, 2009The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), representing regulators in all U.S. states and territories, reached a decision last Thursday after nearly three months of deliberation to NOT LOOSEN life insurers' capital and surplus requirmeents...
"Go and Boil Your Bottom, You Son of A Silly Person!"
Posted on February 01, 2009Said Richard Halpern regarding the Patrick Hindert's "Structured Settlement Credo" 1-5 and "The Holy Grail" "John, You have already called me and interviewed me after Patrick Hindert published his "Structured Settlement Credo - 3" wherein he misquoted and mischaracterized an...
If You're A Part TImer And You Know It Clap Your Hands
Posted on January 31, 2009Lori Forthmann of Los Angeles, CA incorrectly states that the "preferential tax treatment for those injured in personal injury and workers compensation case is now a government benefit guaranteed by IRC 5891 as if it just happened". If Ms. Forthmann....
Brian Ginty Joins The Halpern Group as Senior Vice-President
Posted on January 30, 2009Brian Ginty, recently Director of Structured Settlements for Prudential, has joined The Halpern Group as a Senior Vice President effective February 2, 2009. Rich Halpern, President of The Halpern Group said "We are thrilled to have Brian with us. I've...
New York Structured Settlement Referrals/Joint Work Need Life Broker's License to Get Paid
Posted on January 30, 2009Without a direct carrier appointment the only way a person or entity can legally be paid for their role in placing life insurance or annuity business in New York is via a life broker's license. Please review the following opinion...
Did you Think You Sold Your Structured Settlement For One Price Only To Learn that You Were Actually Going To Get Less? COMPLAIN HERE
Posted on January 29, 2009This author has reason to believe that a factoring company contracted with structured settlement annuitants to purchase their structured settlement payment rights for one price and THEN when the funder fell through forced the tort victims to take a worse...
Structured Settlement Brokers MAY NOT Use NSSTA Financial Handout to Solicit Structured Settlement Annuities in New York
Posted on January 29, 2009A opinion issued January 26, 2009 by the Office of General Counsel of the New York State Insurance Department finds that a statement that "state insurance guaranty funds provide additional level of protection for future structured settlement recipients", which is...
Issue of Structured Settlement Broker Factoring Compensation "Has Become Such A Volatile One in The Entire Industry"
Posted on January 28, 2009Stan K. Harlan is a really decent guy, long time friend and industry colleague. In December 2007 Stan was one of the first structured settlement professionals to voluntarily execute the Structured Settlement Declaration Concerning factoring Business Practices as part of...
North East Settlement Funding Still Answering "Seeley Investments" As Nightmare on Main Street Continues
Posted on January 28, 2009Structured settlement broker Christopher J. Seeley just can't shake cash now pusher "tenant" North East Settlement Funding. Seeley stated on January 5, 2009 "I have never advised an annuitant to seek cash in exchange for future payments, nor do I...
New York Bridges to Nowhere...Yet Another New York Ponzi Scheme Affecting 6,000 and over $130MM!
Posted on January 28, 2009In those heady days of yore New Yorkers brandished their Cosmopolitans with swizzle sticks. Now some appear to have got the swindle stick from "Cosmo". That's alleged Ponzi swindler Nicholas Cosmo who convinced 6,000 clients to put close to $400...
New York Licensed Structured Settlement Broker
Posted on January 28, 2009THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A NEW YORK "LICENSED STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT BROKER CONSULTANT"! It's marketing B.S. Consider these facts: Structured settlements are often funded an annuity. A structured settlement annuity is a form of annuity that permits one or...
Colonial Settlement Partners' "Think BIg Shyte"
Posted on January 28, 2009Like the other structured settlement factoring companies that contribute to financial illiteracy Colonial Settlement Partners, LP hires a Search Engine Optimization firm (in this case Think Big Sites) which creates a blog that links back to the Colonial Settlement Partner...
United States Owned Structured Settlements and Attempted Structured Settlement Transfers, 5th Circuit Doesn't Like What It Sees in "Peachtree Dish". Affirms Lower Court
Posted on January 27, 2009The continuing dispute over whether it is possible to factor payments made under an annuity contract owned by the United States has once again come up empty for the factoring company, this time in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals....
The Price of Liquidity...Annuity Transfers Website supports FACT that broker commission comes out of Tort Victim's Hide
Posted on January 26, 2009Annuity Transfers, Ltd. pays brokers for referring it structured settlement factoring business. According to its website one of the options Annuity Transfers offers is for the money to be "wholesaled" to the broker or then charges the tort victim (structured...
Most Popular Structured Settlement Websites Monthly Report January 2009
Posted on January 25, 2009Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 01/25/2009) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 12/25/2008 report). Lower number means more traffic. Who Are Ya? Structured Settlements 4Real Blog (John Darer)...
Andres Financial Group, LLC Latest CASH NOW pusher
Posted on January 25, 2009The Andres Financial Group, LLC a/k/a The Andres Group is the latest CASH NOW pusher. Andres Financial Group/AFG operates a pedestrian looking website with the URL earlycash4u.com/structuredsettlements. (Early Cash 4 u) As we've already covered in this blog in previous...
Structured Settlement Transparency Intiative Reflects Brandeis' Adage
Posted on January 24, 2009With only a few weeks to go before the structured settlement transparency initiative moves to the next stage it is worthwhile to harken back to the statement of late Associate Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis who said "sunlight is...
FORGEt THIS REASON To Do A Structured Settlement
Posted on January 24, 2009"When compared with the limited flexibility of a lump sum payment, the structured settlement is a powerful tool for plaintiffs, allowing them to make the best choice for their future and that of their families"- Forge Consulting, LLC January 24,...
Alfieri becomes USA's Second RSP
Posted on January 23, 2009Congratulations to Anthony Alfieri of Settlement Professionals in Seattle, Washington who today became the second settlement planner to achieve the designation of Registered Settlement Planner.
IRC 5891 Is a "Settlement Planning Section" of the Internal Revenue Code-Patrick HIndert
Posted on January 22, 2009In addition to making a veiled slam of the American Association of Persons With Disabilities (AAPD), Patrick Hindert continues his "credo pedo" rhetoric with Structured Settlement Credo- 5 referring to two Internal Revenue Code sections as settlement planning sections...
"Structured Settlement Credo" Es Un Pedo-1
Posted on January 21, 2009"El Pedorrero" Patrick Hindert sure does squeeze out as much foul air as he can on a subject. In prior blog posts Structured Settlements 4Real has identified: Patrick Hindert's pedantic writing style that is the digital equivalent of "Groundhog Day"....
Would You Take Advice From A Settlement Planner Who Had Problems Managing His Own Money?
Posted on January 20, 2009A Free Money Finance blog posted "Would you take advice from a financial planner who was doing poorly financially himself?" is a very interesting read, particularly the comments. It and the Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing I read today which showed...
Cybersettle Structured Settlements Defunct
Posted on January 20, 2009No longer listed as a Diamond $100,000 contributor to the New York State Trial Lawyers Association Partnership For Justice, Cybersettle Structured Settlements is listed as defunct according to a recent Bankruptcy Court filing in United States Bankruptcy Court Western District...
Freedom of Screech
Posted on January 19, 2009Pedantic Patrick Hindert is at it again with Structured Settlement Credo-3 making veiled attacks on Joe Jamail and others, using religious dogma that is irrelevant to the subject. In this latest rant Patrick Hindert attempts to inveigle Richard Halpern in...
Year of "Flabbergasting Financial Criminality"
Posted on January 19, 2009Page Six Magazine refers to 2008 as "a Year of Flabbergasting Financial Criminality"A historical swindler's gallery that includes Bernard Madoff, Marcus Schrenker,Arthur Nadel,Richard S. Piccoli and Gen-See Corporation,Norman Hsu, Lou Pearlman a/k/a "Big Poppa",Charles Ponzi,William Miller a/k/a "520%",Dana Giacchetto, Raffaello...
Structured Settlements Industry Must Improve Web Presence
Posted on January 18, 2009According to a Compete.com analysis for December 2008, the structured settlement industry websites picked up by Compete.com averaged 766.80 unique visitors. Removing the top two structured Compete.com ranked settlement industry websites that skew the results, drops the average BY 52...
Certified Structured Settlement Consultants Shamelessly Puff Their Credentials
Posted on January 17, 2009Certified Structured Settlement Consultant is a professional designation offered by the National Structured Settlements Trade Association to its members through the Executive program at the University of Notre Dame since 1994. It DOES NOT involve matriculation at the University of...
Structured Settlement Industry Now Turning to Cash Now Pushers Like JG Wentworth For Advice?
Posted on January 17, 2009Evidence continues to mount that a segment of the structured settlement industry, led by former NSSTA Executive Director Patrick Hindert IS teaming up with the cash now pushers. First, Patrick Hindert has long yakked that the growth of the structured...
CASH NOW Novation Capital...Robin Marc Shapiro All Talk No Action?
Posted on January 17, 2009"Today?" Wow! You are absolutely right on this one. The "instant gratification" pitch is wrong. And it makes no sense for us because when we talk to prospective customers, we always tell them that the process takes months. We provide...
New York Judge Hunter Prevents "Vulture" Snack in Bronx
Posted on January 16, 2009In the Matter of Medina New York Supreme Court Bronx County 260363/08 decided December 12, 2008 Justice Alexander W. Hunter, Jr. has denied a structured settlement factoring transaction because he could not "state with reasonable certainty whether or not the...
Elizabeth Pressman and Cybersettle Structured Settlements False Advertising
Posted on January 15, 2009The Cybersette website biography for Cybersettle Structured Settlements CEO Elizabeth Pressman states as follows:"Her successes in implementing strategies are born of two factors: her reputation in broad-based consulting with personal injury attorneys and her comprehensive and full-market access to the...
Gregorian Chants and Structured Settlements?
Posted on January 14, 2009What is the structured settlement credo? asks Patrick Hindert with the word "credo" linked to this Wikipedia definition: The credo (Latin for "I Believe"; pronounced [?k?e?d?o?]) is a statement of religious belief, such as the Apostles' Creed (or, less often,...
John Darer is the first Registered Settlement Planner in USA.
Posted on January 14, 2009John D. Darer, CLU ChFC CSSC RSP, of 4structures.com, LLC is the first person in the United States to earn the Registered Settlement Planner professional designation.The Registered Settlement Planner Program (RSP) is a product of collaboration between the Registry of...
Patrick Hindert the Cause of Mislabeling of Structured Settlement Transaction By Factoring Companies?
Posted on January 14, 2009"Lets get proactive and start selling our product and it's virtues, reclaim the brand now that the factoring companies have fewer dollars to advertise, lobby and influence buyers and get out of the fox hole and build our profession". Mark...
Structured Settlement Quote Not Found In ViaTrust Petrie Dish
Posted on January 13, 2009Structured Settlement Aper's Pillory welcomes its first structured settlement aper of 2009, Via Trust, whose website is registered, according to whois records, to Douglas Petrie 435 Ottawa Ave. Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604 the vIce-President of Zero Gravity Computing...
"So It's Not Exactly Cash Now?" "NO, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT!" NASP Executive Director
Posted on January 13, 2009This is an open letter to attorneys for tort victims, advocates for tort victims, attorneys general in the United States and the Federal Trade Commission.For years tort victims have been subjected to cash now advertising. There has now been an...
Is Imperial Structured Settlements Lying or What?
Posted on January 13, 2009Imperial Structured Settlements is a cash now pusher. The company makes the advertising promise of cash now which is misleading because nobody selling structured settlement payment rights is able to drift through the statutory court approval process instantly, or even...
Forge Consulting Now Appointed With John Hancock Life
Posted on January 12, 2009Our prior post FORGE Full Market access=BS, posted September 24, 2008 chastised Forge Consulting, LLC for advertising full market access to the public when for a long stretch it DID NOT have an appointment with "the full market". Structured Settlements...
"Code of Ethics" National Association of Settlement Purchasers
Posted on January 12, 2009The following appears on the website of a settlement purchasing company and is represented as the NASP Code of Ethics:"Be it resolved that NASP shall adopt a code of ethics for its members as follows: A) A member in the...
The Hartford Gets Thrift Charter
Posted on January 12, 2009The Office of Thrift Supervision announced on Friday that Hartford Financial Services Group was granted a thrift charter, clearing a hurdle for its insurance affiliates to receive capital infusions under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Hartford Life Insurance Company...
Factoring Broker Fights Structured Settlement Transparency Initiative...YET Supports Perjury and/or False Advertising? AND DOES NOT SUPPORT Financial Literacy?
Posted on January 11, 2009Factoring heavyweight Rhonda Bentzen continues an obsession with this author (55% of her posts since January 2008) with "The List" that she published January 6, 2009 It is evident from the digital effluent that Ms. Bentzen has either not taken...
Buffalo Ponzi Scheme in Latest Chapter of "F$%^ing Your Own"
Posted on January 10, 2009The Jews have Bernard Madoff and now the Catholics have Richard S. Piccoli in the latest despicable chapter of "f%^&ing your own". Piccoli, 82, of Amherst, New York, a poor man's version of Bernard Madoff who even bears an odd...
Structured Settlement Quotes from 4structures.com, LLC The ONLY Legitimate Source On Page One Of Google Search For Structured Settlement QUOTES
Posted on January 10, 20094structures.com is the ONLY legitimate source of structured settlement annuity quotes that comes up on the first page of results when you do a Google search for structured settlement QUOTES , on January 10, 2009. See for yourself Aside from...
Stone Street Capital's Adam Not in Garden Of Eden
Posted on January 10, 2009Adam Shapiro is the President of "cash now pusher" Stone Street Capital. It is evident from his post "Little Known Facts" on the Stone Street Capital blog that (1) Adam Shapiro either knows little of the facts, or (2) the...
"I have not been paid a dime"- Seeley Responds
Posted on January 05, 2009Christopher J.. Seeley has responded to my earlier posts as follows:?Dear Mr. Darer, I am not a regular reader of your bulletin board, but was made aware of the many innacurate (sic.) allegations posted about me and my practice there...
NSSTA "Cash Now" Scandal-2- The Plot Thickens
Posted on January 05, 2009Structured Settlements 4Real continues its investigation into the story of an NSSTA member's activity as a cash now pusher with the following overnight development.Timeline1. January 4, 2008 "Cash Now Pusher "Northeast Settlement Funding Website includes toll-free phone number discovered to...
NSSTA Scandal as Member Creates Structured Settlements AND Secretly Acts As "Cash Now Pusher"!!!!
Posted on January 04, 2009In a scandal that is sure to rock the structured settlement industry, I regret to inform you that a member of the National Structured Settlement Trade Association (NSSTA) has been discovered to create structured settlements while simultaneously acting as a...
Qualified Assignment, Is the Assignee an Insurance Company?
Posted on January 03, 2009In a discussion about qualified assignments an NSSTA member's website reads:"From the plaintiff?s perspective, an assignment to a financially secure insurance company gives them the assurance that future payments will be made as promised. For many plaintiffs, this assignment to...
Truth In Structured Settlement Advertising SSP is NOT a Professional Designation!
Posted on January 03, 2009One settlement consultant places the initials SSP after the surname and CSSC (i.e. The Name, CSSC, SSP). CSSC stands for Certified Structured Settlement Consultant, but what does SSP stand for? A good guess from the fact that the individual's bio...
Structured Annuity Consultants Using Outdated and Inaccurate Comparison With US Treasuries
Posted on January 02, 2009In 1999 The Hartford produced some point-of-sale pieces for appointed structured settlement annuity brokers to use to compete with alternatives to structured annuities such as bank trusts, CDs, variable annuities and US Treasuries. The passage of time has rendered some...
Structured Settlements...Google Blog Alert Filters On The Blink AGAIN Due to SEO Abusers!
Posted on January 01, 2009Samantha Jackson purports to be an expert on wrinkle creams. Do wrinkle creams have anything to do with structured settlements? Samantha's "Why Most Cream For Wrinkles Doesn't Work" on "feelingwow.com" is one of the latest in a blitz of irrelevant...
United States Treasury Structured Settlements...Not As Strong As Annuities, According to NSSTA's Factoring Shill?
Posted on January 01, 2009In response to his own question "How Strong Are Structured Settlements?"..."Except for United States treasury obligations, life insurance annuities are among the most secure long term investments" -Patrick Hindert, co-author of "Structured Settlements and Periodic Judgments", NSSTA member and former...
Open Letter to the Structured Settlement Industry
Posted on December 31, 2008Deadline day in the Matter of Honor structured settlement transparency initiative is upon us. In a month letters will be going out to state trial lawyer association and the American Association for Justice along with a white paper explaining the...
NSSTA Response to Structured Settlement Transparency Initiative
Posted on December 27, 2008Mark Wahlstrom does a nice write up on the structured settlement transparency initiative over on The Settlement Channel.Mark states that what he really believes is "the focus of this initiative is this author's belief that a lot of settlement professionals...
Prosperity Partners Makes Assault on New York, Texas and Florida Structured Settlement Market With New Blogs
Posted on December 26, 2008Three blog sites Structured Settlements New York, Structured Settlements Florida and Structured Settlements Texas are factoring company Prosperity Partners' (PPI Cash) latest statement of intent to lay their claim to the structured settlement key word space...
Patrick Hindert Hones "Stand Up" Act With Ode To Adam Scales, Randy Snow and Co.
Posted on December 26, 2008Patrick Hindert's year in review of the structured settlement industry is subdued, but ends with the inevitable but comical ode to the J.G.("we're fighting for our life") Wentworth's mislabeled and HIndert's gross mischaracterization "Structured Settlement Thought Leadership Conference", which Hindert...
Most Popular Structured Settlement Websites Monthly Report December 2008
Posted on December 25, 2008Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 12/25/2008) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 11/29/2008 report). Lower number means more traffic. Who Are Ya? Structured Settlements 4Real Blog (John Darer)...
J.G. Wentworth Continues to Lie About Status in Structured Settlement Industry
Posted on December 25, 2008J.G. Wentworth continues to lie that it is the "undisputed leader" in the structured settlement industry.Download Jgwentworth.com - Site Info.. Alexa 12252008 For reference the definition of the word "undisputed" is "accepted without question; "undoubted evidence", or"unquestionably true...
What does Ratings Outlook from A.M. Best Mean?
Posted on December 24, 2008This morning this author received a communication which stated: "On December 23, A.M. Best removed "under review with negative implications" and affirmed the A+ (Superior) financial strength ratings of The Hartford's operating companies. Please see the press release and key...
Internet Surpasses Newspapers as Primary News Source-Survey
Posted on December 24, 2008The Internet has surpassed newspapers as the primary source for national and international news for Americans, according to a recent survey by Pew Research Center. While television remains the preferred medium for Americans, according to the survey, 40% said they...
J.G. Wentworth Fighting To Stay In Business-Philadelphia Inquirer
Posted on December 24, 2008Today's Philadelphia Inquirer suggests that that J.G. Wentworth's grim reaper may be nigh on Christmas Eve. Joseph N. DiStefano reports:"J.G. Wentworth Inc., Bryn Mawr, has cut its payroll two-thirds as it fights to stay in business. Most of the cuts...
Does NSSTA Bomb on Structured Settlement Transparency Initiative or What?
Posted on December 24, 2008Does NSSTA not support transparency? Does NSSTA consider factoring as "promoting the establishment and preservation of structured settlements"? A December 23. 2008 message by Christopher Diamantis, President of NSSTA to the entire NSSTA membership seems to suggest these very points...
Funny Thing About JG Wentworth Is...
Posted on December 21, 2008J.G. Wentworth's glossary STILL does not define the terms structured settlement factoring transaction or structured settlement transfer even though these words describe the financial transaction intrinsic to J.G. Wentworth's operation and that of its entire industry...
Influence for Flatulence
Posted on December 20, 2008For someone who is beyond structured settlements one wonders why have these two big news stories escaped Patrick Hindert. How about the JG Wentworth army getting smaller and the SEC 151A changes which could soon change how settlement planners do...
"Influence" for "Flatulence"
Posted on December 20, 2008For someone who is "beyond structured settlements" one wonders why have these two big news stories escaped Patrick Hindert. How about the JG Wentworth "army" getting smaller and the SEC 151A changes which could soon change how settlement planners do....
Cash Now Stumpy's Whole Forest Full of BS
Posted on December 19, 2008Greg A. Williams, a wannabe cash now expert from Florida International University (FIU) on Ezine, claims to be well read in Finance, Legal Topics, Technology, Education, Travel and Cooking . Judging from these images we can tip our hats to...
"Cash Now" Stumpy's Whole Forest Full of BS
Posted on December 19, 2008Greg A. Williams, a wannabe cash now expert from Florida International University (FIU) on Ezine, claims to be "well read in Finance, Legal Topics, Technology, Education, Travel and Cooking" . Judging from these images we can tip our hats to...
New York City Area Structured Settlements...Who Writes Structured Settlement Annuities in New York City?
Posted on December 18, 2008Which insurance companies write structured settlement annuities in Bronx , Brooklyn, Kings, Queens and Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Fairfield (CT) and other counties in and around New York City? The following companies are the primary writers of...
Cash Now Pusher Imperial Structured Settlements Can Cloak Itself In Beneficence But It Is A Cash Now Pusher
Posted on December 18, 2008Imperial Structured Settlements' sultry Deborah Benaim will woo you with bravo come ons like we have helped people of every age and in a very wide range of situations, real victims of life with heart-wrenching stories but the reality is...
Equity Indexed Annuities To Be Regulated As Securities...SEC
Posted on December 17, 2008The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today approved adopting rules on a 4-1 vote based on SEC proposed Rule 151A**, which is intended to regulate equity indexed annuity products as securities, rather than the non-securities treatment they have received to...
Testimonials From One Cash Now Pusher Show That All Is Not As Rosy As Stone Street Capital Says
Posted on December 17, 2008Finally the message is getting through to the factoring industry, some of whom are attempting to defend the cash now pusher moniker. In attempting to re-write the dictionary Stone Street Capital's Patricia Laborde says that NOW really means a couple....
Literacy Chasm Exists Between Shills For Financial Crack Dealers and Those Who Create Structured Settlements
Posted on December 17, 2008Some schmo actually wrote this steaming pile entitled How To Sell So-called Structured SettlementsStructured settlements do guarantee a steady flow of income, but they are given in bits, or periodic payments. For some that settled a case with this method,...
Settledmoney.com Scraper Site Is NOT Affiliated With Structured Settlements 4Real
Posted on December 17, 2008Over the past few weeks we have noticed that our copyrighted content was regularly appearing on a site called settledmoney.com. Settledmoney.com also used our category headings and the confusion was such that I heard from several friends who questioned me...
Aviva Exits Structured Settlements, Industry in Shock
Posted on December 16, 2008The structured settlement industry is buzzing today with the abrupt decision of Aviva to cease writing NEW structured settlement business effective December 15, 2008. The company is NOT going out of business , it is simply stopping writing structured settlements...
Andrew Cravenho... Someone Who Gets It!
Posted on December 15, 2008The Senior VP of "cash now pusher" Stone Street Capital blogs that she wants to have an open discussion with the "primary market" to address "cash now". What's to address? It's fraud!. It seems that the intent is merely to...
Afraid of Losing Business Due To Transparency Initiative in Structured Settlement Industry? Why Make Veiled Threats?
Posted on December 15, 2008It has come to this author's attention that there are one or two structured settlement brokers, settlement planners who have told one of our sources that they will "turn it over to their lawyers" IF they lose any business over...
J.G. Wentworth in Major Contraction? Lays Off 120 Employees
Posted on December 15, 2008J.G. Wentworth has laid off 120 employees according to a report in today's Philadelphia Business Journal, citing a required filing with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.According to the J.G. Wentworth website the "cash now pusher" went from 100...
Madoff Ponzi Scheme and Structured Settlements. Any Exposure?
Posted on December 15, 2008As the extent of the fallout from the massive Madoff Ponzi scheme continues to unfold, the breadth of investors and firms affected is already staggering. According to reports several Israel insurers, European Banks, the owners of the Mets, the IRA...
Afraid of Losing Business Due To Structured Settlement Transparency Initiative? Why Make Veiled Threats?
Posted on December 15, 2008It has come to this author's attention that there are one or two structured settlement brokers, settlement planners who have told one of our sources that they will turn it over to their lawyers IF they lose any business over...
IRC 130 Qualified Assignment Blooper By Forge Consulting
Posted on December 14, 2008It's time to correct yet another blooper by Forge Consulting, LLC, the firm that brought us "plantiffs", the alleged John Edwards "pay for testimonial" and the notion that it is perfectly OK to sign an affidavit under penalty of perjury...
Does your Structured Settlement Consultant Take Kickbacks From Cash Now Pushers? Sell Names of Claimants or Supply Documents From YOUR Confidential cases? How Do You Know?
Posted on December 14, 2008Questions for trial lawyers Does your structured settlement broker or settlement planner take kick backs from "cash now pushers"? According to one factoring broker 90% of structured settlement consultants referring her business do! The money comes out of your client's...
IMSA Violations By Structured Settlement Brokers and Settlement Planners Could Jeopardize Their Contracts With Insurers
Posted on December 13, 2008The "Milquetoast" enforcement of the NSSTA Code of Ethics may be giving certain members of the settlement industry a false sense of security.The Principles of Ethical Market Conduct of the Insurance Market Place Standards Association (IMSA) are: conduct business according...
IRC 130 Qualified Assignment Blooper By Forge Consulting
Posted on December 13, 2008It's time to correct yet another blooper by Forge Consulting, LLC, the firm that brought us plantiffs, depending on the time of deferral, the sole benefit (of structuring attorney fees) is equivocated guaranteed interest rates at approximately 15%, the John...
What Prosperity Partners Says Supports Claims of Advertising FRAUD Against Tort Victims
Posted on December 12, 2008A thank you is due to Prosperity Partners for providing subject matter expertise that supports our theory that "cash now" advertising is a FRAUDULENT inducement to some of the most vulnerable consumers, tort victims with structured settlements. Among other things...
NSSTA REWARDS J.G. Wentworth "Insider" With Regional Dais!
Posted on December 11, 2008What does NSSTA do when faced with a member whose activities promoting JG Wentworth seem in conflict with NSSTA's own branding initiatives and its bylaws? a) Reward him with a speaking engagement?b) Appoint him to influential committees?c) All of the...
"Gallows Humor" from Baltimore
Posted on December 11, 2008With respect to the Stone Street blog response to my post yesterday Stone Street Capital Where Blue Is Really "Brown" on Structured Settlements (among other things about Stone Street Capital's absurd blooper about the 40% excise tax levied under IRC....
Factoring Foxymorons
Posted on December 11, 2008While one cash now pusher claims that factoring represents "only 5% of all structured settlements written" others like to brag about the size of their securitizations. In a market environment where "shrinkage" is a "very BIG" issue, we all know...
Stone Street Capital Where Blue is Really "Brown" on Structured Settlements?
Posted on December 10, 2008Stone Street Capital has announced a structured settlement resource with a putative intent to clear up misconceptions about structured settlement factoring. The resource includes copies of the structured settlement protection act for each state that has one...
Why Does Forge Consulting Lie About Something So Insignificant?
Posted on December 08, 2008Merriam Webster defines "Big Lie" as "a deliberate gross distortion of the truth" THE LIE "Forge Consulting, LLC is the first major new firm in the structured settlement industry in more than a decade".. The lie, among others, has been...
Guardian Life and subsidiaries UPGRADED By AM Best to A++
Posted on December 08, 2008Bucking the recent "trend" Guardian Life, the New York based major writer of long term disability and employee benefits has been upgraded by A.M. Best to its highest financial strength rating of A++ (Superior). The rating applies to Guardian's subsidiaries...
Structured Settlement Producers and Settlement Planners Who Did Not Declare
Posted on December 08, 2008How it's going to Look... This one of a series of reference lists for lawyers for tort victims in the United States, judges, insurers, risk managers and tort victims that they may use in their evaluation of settlement professionals. The...
NSSTA Member's Obsession With JG Wentworth Presents Inconsistent Message To Trial Lawyers, Judges and Stakeholders
Posted on December 07, 2008Dovetailing from his 5 part series about a series on JG Wentworth's statistically irrelevant survey of 116, Patrick HIndert has now set forth his intentions to begin a multi-part series promoting JG Wentworth.What makes this interesting for trial lawyers, judges,...
Cash Now Pusher Rogues Gallery December 2008
Posted on December 05, 2008These firms currently falsely advertise "cash now" for structured settlements when they are fully aware that the process is not instantaneous as their promotion implies: J.G. Wentworth (including subsdiaries and alter egos FS Gerard, 321 Henderson) Peachtree Settlement Funding Woodbridge...
Bentzen on Medicare Secondary Payer and July 1, 2009- Fact or Fiction?
Posted on December 04, 2008Rhonda Bentzen, gossip and factoring broker known for offering, paying and defending kickbacks to a significant number of structured settlement brokers and settlement planners (a practice proven to be at the expense of tort victims) has finally got off her...
Neither Word Nor Wiki From Hindert on The JG Wentworth Downgrade to CCC+
Posted on December 03, 20083-H Club Patrick Hindert won't attack factoring company business practices Patrick Hindert will attack structured settlement professionals and their trade association who do not support factoring Patrick Hindert has previously characterized JG Wentworth a "structured settlement thought leader" Neither word...
Conseco Dumps Seniors' LTC policies into Trust
Posted on December 03, 2008In an article entitled "Insurer Casts Off Long Term Care Policies" in today's Wall Street Journal, it was reported that Conseco, Inc. has transferred many of its long term care policies into a state supervised independent trust. The move, which...
AIG and Feds Reach Agreement to Clear $53.5B Per Regulatory Filing w SEC, Website
Posted on December 03, 2008American International Group, Inc. (AIG) announced December 2, 2008 via its website that a financing entity recently created by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) and designed to mitigate AIG's liquidity issues in connection with its credit default...
Most People Who Sell Their Structured Settlements Do So To Pay Bills
Posted on December 03, 2008It is clear from both scientifically relevant structured settlement surveys and unscientifically irrelevant structured settlement surveys, that most people sell their structured settlement payment rights to pay their bills.Q. Why do people have bills?You receive a bill because of a...
United States "T-Bomb" Tossed by "Batman"
Posted on December 03, 2008Shouldn't settlement consultants have an obligation to those they serve and the industry to achieve and maintain the highest level of financial literacy? Those that also hold a Series 7 and hold themselves out as "financial advisors" must surely be...
A Word About Criticism in the 21st Century
Posted on December 02, 2008Some people take criticism as "cynical" and others think it "unprofessional and juvenile". Who wants to walk on egg shells when dealing with "elected officials"? Here's some timeless words for those egg shell officials... Criticism is something we can avoid...
Employment Structured Settlement Market Could Benefit from Withholding Solution
Posted on December 01, 2008The lack of a withholding tax solution is a roadblock to many employment structured settlements. The IRS Private Letter Ruling obtained by IFS Corp addresses the tax treatment of the recovery, but the employment structured settlement solution still must address...
Looming Credit Pullback Puts Structured Settlement Recipients in Financial Crack Dealers' Sights. BEWARE!
Posted on December 01, 2008According to Oppenheimer banking analyst Meredith Whitney cited through Reuters, the U.S. credit card industry could pull back well over $2 trillion of credit lines over the next 18 months due to risk aversion and regulatory changes, leading to sharp...
DECEMBER 31 2008 DEADLINE REMINDER For Structured Settlement Industry
Posted on December 01, 2008I reiterate that there are apparently a number of dishonorable settlement consultants in our midst affiliated with an NSSTA member firm who are purportedly SELLING structured settlement payee names and have purportedly partnered with a "cash now pusher" factoring entity...
JG Wentworth Silent on S&P Downgrade to "Junk" status
Posted on December 01, 2008Why has JG Wentworth remained silent on its recent downgrade to CCC+ by Standard & Poors? That's junk status folks!Click here for the News section of the JG Wentworth web site. Not a word of confidence from the cheeky Mr....
And Now For Some "Timely News"... We've BEEN A Recession for 12 months
Posted on December 01, 2008The Wall Street Journal alerts us that the U.S. entered a recession in December 2007, citing the official recession watchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research. NBER economists met on Friday and announced the day after Thanksgiving (when few...
J.G. Wentworth Downgrade Is A Severe Test Of Hindert Credibility
Posted on November 30, 2008The structured settlement industry will now await Patrick Hindert's response to the JG Wentworth downgrade by Standard & Poors. JG Wentworth "suck up" Patrick Hindert, a member of the NSSTA, SSP and former Executive Director of both, has so far...
"At JG WENTWORTH, WE need cash now"?
Posted on November 30, 2008Are the fat Viking opera singers now belting out "We're JG Wentworth and WE need cash now!"? On November 26, 2008 Standard & Poor's cut counterparty and senior-secured bank loan ratings on J.G. Wentworth LLC, the "cash now pusher" firm...
Most Popular Structured Settlement Websites Monthly Report
Posted on November 29, 2008Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 11/29/2008) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 10/26/2008 report). Lower number means more traffic. Who Are Ya? Beyond Structured Settlements Blog (Pat Hindert)...
What You Get Out of Factoring
Posted on November 28, 2008Come to think of it you can quite a lot of silly things by "factoring" such as: A Fit Fat Groan Rat A Graft Torn Fartin' Cat Facing Tan Ant For Rain Rant Actor Far Art A Fin Racing Cart...
This Twit Must Learn To "Twitter" a/k/a J.G. Wentworth Structured Settlement Survey IRRELEVANT-2
Posted on November 28, 2008Patrick Hindert continues his useless rambling in J.G. Wentworth Survey 3. We have already established that the J.G. Wentworth Structured Settlement Survey is irrelevant because it: Is not statistically relevant for numerous reasons including failure to use a random sample...
Structured Settlement Industry Should Watch Latest Microsoft Cybersquatter Case Closely
Posted on November 28, 2008A Florida company has been charged with cybersquatting in a new lawsuit filed November 26, 2008 by MIcrosoft in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at Miami. Microsoft lists 23 Web addresses in the suit...
Pressman Settlements False Advertising is Misleading Attorneys and Tort Victims
Posted on November 26, 2008Pressman Settlements Corporation of Amherst, NY and Miami , FL continues to falsely advertise on its website that it has full-market access to top-rated, financially secure life companies (issuing structured settlements). This author has confirmed today that there are two...
Aviva USA Video Feature Talking Points on Aviva Investment Strategy
Posted on November 26, 2008With the recent market turmoil, Aviva USA, parent of structured settlement annuity issuers, Aviva Life and Annuity Company and Aviva Life and Annuity Company of New York is using a multimedia approach to take the opportunity over the next several...
Text Link Advertising Potentially Risky For Advertisers
Posted on November 26, 2008Text link advertising is a form of promotion which for a price provides a highlighted hyperlink from the purchased key word to your website. What seems like a positive however, has a huge downside that could lead to the impression...
Factoring Broker Suggests That Judges Have Obligation to Require Selling Annuitant to Demonstrate Adequate Market Survey
Posted on November 24, 2008Andrew Cravenho of Settlement Quotes, LLC suggests that structured settlement factoring transactions with discount rates that exceed 20% "will become more prevalent in the near future due to the (inevitable) increase in inflation caused by the downturn in the economy"...
Rhonda Bentzen IRC 5891 Flub Most Viewed Post on Speaking of Settlements Blog
Posted on November 24, 2008It inspires confidence when the person on whom you are relying for professional advice knows what the heck they are talking about and it saps confidence when they don't. The financial literacy (or illiteracy as the case may be)of so...
Imperial Structured Settlements Flaunts Expensive Incentive Trip
Posted on November 24, 2008After the media excoriated AIG for incentive trips as if they were the second coming of Dennis Koslowski, can one believe that cash now pusher Imperial Structured Settlements is actually flaunting its incentive trip to the Gansevoort Hotel in South...
Sales of FIXED Annuities Through Banks 80% GREATER in Q3 2008 Than Q3 2007 and 4% GREATER Than Q2 2008
Posted on November 24, 2008Beacon Research, an independent research organization and application service provider, supplying fixed annuity product information with search and reporting tools to banks, TPMs, insurance companies and other subscribers has information that may be surprising to some of the doom and...
Structured Settlement Surveys Another "Shaggy Dog Story" By The Terrace Park Rambler
Posted on November 23, 2008How does one cure digital diarrhea? Is there such a thing as Blogger's Bismol or Ploppler's Modium?On November 18, 2008 SSP and NSSTA member, and former Executive Director Patrick Hindert, of Terrace Park, Ohio, was back to his pedantic worst...
Forge Consulting Is Kicking Your Ass! Are You Happy?
Posted on November 21, 2008The company whose 3 principals' moral compass guided them to each sign a declaration under penalty of perjury attesting to substantial defense work to the United States Department of Justice at the same exact time that they marketed to tort...
Attorney Lays Out "Cash Now Pushers' Case to Jack Up Costs To Tort Victims
Posted on November 21, 2008Mike Green, Pennsylvania attorney who represents factoring companies has done a nice job of explaining some of the key concepts of factoring which appear in a post on the Settlement Capital blog (www.setcap.com) There are some important points in Mike...
JG Wentworth Structured Settlement Survey IRRELEVANT
Posted on November 19, 2008The best way to avoid a biased or unrepresentative sample is to select a random sample. A random sample is defined as a sample where the probability that any individual member from the population being selected as part of the...
They're Top Of The Pay Per Click and We're "Having a Laugh"
Posted on November 16, 2008There's an old English football terrace chant where one team's supporters (the league leaders) taunts the opposition supporters with memorable lyrics and an annoying tune called " Top of The League and 'Aving a Laugh" Today the structured settlement industry...
Hartford, Genworth and AEGON apply to become Bank Holding Companies
Posted on November 15, 2008Several insurance groups with ties to the structured settlement industry submitted applications to become bank holding companies to the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) on Friday November 14, 2008.The Hartford Financial Services Group, parent of current structured annuity issuer Hartford...
Florida Structured Settlements... Best Practices
Posted on November 14, 2008Section 626.99245 of the Florida statutes reads:In negotiating a structured settlement of claims brought by or on behalf of a claimant who is domiciled in this state, the structured settlement obligor must disclose in writing to the claimant or the...
Mortality Risk and Annuity Issuers
Posted on November 13, 2008A recent memo from Liberty Life Assurance of Boston's Tom Donahue to its brokerage force detailed Liberty's recent project involving extensive research of medical data and a detailed and complex mortality study, which has brought them to the same conclusion...
How A Potentially True Statement Ruined A Competitor's Credibility
Posted on November 13, 2008The following is a true story:A plaintiff was considering a United States Treasury Bond Structured Settlement Trust and one of our industry brethren said we also do T Bonds. When pressed by his own client the structured settlement broker was...
Mass Mutual "No Need For TARP"
Posted on November 13, 2008Former structured settlement annuity issuer, Springfield, Mass.-based MassMutual announced November 7, 2008 it has no intention of participating in the US Treasury's TARP program. "MassMutual is well positioned, and has the financial strength and capital necessary to meet the needs...
Compliments from Readers and Observing The Results of Making a Difference Make The Effort Worthwhile
Posted on November 13, 2008"I was emailing in hopes that you wouldnt mind answering a few questions without getting a sales pitch. All the others that I had emailed and have seen on the net were "cash now types" and have no concern of...
How Making A Potentially True Statement Ruined A Competitor's Credibility
Posted on November 13, 2008The following is a true story:A plaintiff was considering a United States Treasury Bond Structured Settlement Trust and one of our industry brethren said he "also did T Bonds". When pressed by his competitor and the claims adjuster (his own...
Ben Lazy's Gossip Column Downgraded From "Big Draw" To "Mere Guffaw"
Posted on November 12, 2008Ben Fun Ben Lazy.Whether you call it gossip or news Ben Fun (the "nom de plume" of the kick back to 90% of her settlement broker/settlement planner client paying factoring broker Rhonda Bentzen) is missing some of the comings and...
Fitch Affirms AIG at AA- on Government Support
Posted on November 12, 2008Actions announced Monday by American International Group, Inc. (AIG), Treasury and the Federal Reserve provide a high level of explicit and implicit U.S. government support for AIG as the company implements its previously announced restructuring plan, according to Fitch Ratings,...
To Err is Human, Imperialism Is "Benaim"
Posted on November 11, 2008Pardon me for bastardizing a quote from Alexander Pope's appropriately titled An Essay on Criticism to launch into today's diatribe about Imperial Structured Settlements, LLC. If one can see past the sultry photograph and platitudes of the Farrah Fawcett locked...
Being Approached By Factoring Company For Your Structured Settlement Payee List?
Posted on November 11, 2008One of the low lights of the 2005 Society of Settlement Planners education meeting was the density of factoring company representatives, including the reprehensible Sal Venti , who then representing Novation Capital. Other than odious gossip Rhonda Bentzen, who remains...
Market Reaction to AIG Bailout Restructuring Positive
Posted on November 11, 2008Reuters reports that 5 year credit default swaps on American International Group, Inc. ("AIG") fell sharply from 49% up front to 19% up front plus $500,000 in annual premium. This represents the cost of insuring AIG's debt with credit default...
Alarming Number of Attorneys Unwittingly Exposing Their Clients By Not Having Fundamental Understanding of Structured Settlement Documents; Some Settlement Consultants Too!
Posted on November 11, 2008I have to say I am alarmed at the number of attorneys and even some settlement consultants that I encounter who appear to lack a fundamental understanding of structured settlement documents. The affliction appears to affect both sides of aisle....
321 Henderson Under Review By Standard & Poors... A Side Issue Highlights Marketplace Identity Confusion
Posted on November 10, 2008Standard and Poors announced October 7, 2008 that it was "reviewing information pertaining to recent orders of the California Superior Court in Fresno County California to determine the potential impact on structured settlement transactions (sic)". The review by Standard and...
Revised AIG Bailout Package to Be Unveiled Monday November 10, 2008?
Posted on November 09, 2008Various news agencies including Reuters and the Wall Street Journal suggested on Sunday that a restructured rescue plan is close to being put in place for American International Group Inc.(AIG) and may be announced on Monday November 10, 2008. It...
Only A Matter of Honor Will Save Potential Public Relations Disaster For Structured Settlement Industry
Posted on November 08, 2008There are apparently a number dishonorable settlement consultants in our midst affiliated with an NSSTA member firm who are purportedly SELLING structured settlement payee names and have partnered with a "cash now pusher" factoring entity. Neither these brokers nor the...
TheStructuredSettlementSite.Com "Baker The Faker"
Posted on November 08, 2008What are screen shots of Joe Jamail, Mark Wahlstrom, Jan Schlichtmann an other Legal Broadcast Network items doing on a website that advertises "Hot Flash Freedom", Colon Sweep" and "Sleeping Pills"? Are we supposed to be impressed with a web...
New York Life "More Capital Than Is Required TO Maintain Our AAA Ratings"
Posted on November 07, 2008New York Like Insurance Company announced on November 6, 2008 that it WILL NOT participate in the Treasury Department's capital purchase program.In a statement released on the Business Wire a New York Life spokesman said " when it became clear...
Complaints Against JG Wentworth on The Rise- Better Business Bureau Stats
Posted on November 07, 2008Andrew Cravenho reports that JG Wentworth has recently been stripped of its satisfactory rating from the Better Business Bureau ("BBB"). ?To have a ?satisfactory BBB Rating? with BBB, a business must be in business for at least 12 months, properly...
A Spooner Full Of Burnt Sugar From NSSTA Board
Posted on November 07, 2008One of the tricky aspects of making creme caramel is caramelizing the sugar. Take your eye off the ball for a moment and the deliciously sweet syrup turns into an icky mass that is as bad as stale coffee. This...
Unfortunately Some "Fathers" Have "Abused" Their Offspring
Posted on November 05, 2008Giving his perspective of the National Association of Settlement Purchasers (NASP) 4th annual meeting, Settlement Capital general counsel Matt Bracy refers to Patrick Hindert as the "father" of the structured settlement business. While I doubt Bracy would agree, in my...
Take Advantage of Woodbridge "Settlement Offer" NOW!???
Posted on November 05, 2008This may seem highly irregular given my distaste for the marketing of cash now pusher Woodbridge Investments, but today I am happy to promote them by taking their advertising literally.You see consumers and plaintiff attorneys around the nation, in an...
"Cash Now Pusher" Element of Factoring Industry Suffers Crushing Defeat in Palm Beach Election for Florida Legislature
Posted on November 05, 2008State Rep, District 87 60 of 84 Precincts Reporting PercentVotes Adam Hasner60.96%29,262Robert ''Rob'' Ostrov39.04%18,738 48,000
Robert Ostrov Getting Pummeled in Florida District 87 9:06pm
Posted on November 04, 2008Rob Ostrov the general counsel to "cash now pusher" Structured Asset Funding is getting pummeled by incumbent Adam Hasner. As I write its 59.19% to Hasner and 40.81 to Ostrov.
Discussing "A Couple of Points"
Posted on November 04, 2008Andrew Cravenho, the factoring industry thought leader who the odious Rhonda Bentzen "jealously" refers to as "my young pet", has advanced a couple of points for discussion. This post deals with one of them... commutation. With respect to structured annuity...
The Credibility of Trade Associations
Posted on November 04, 2008It has come to the attention of this author that the individual entrusted with the membership of the National Structured Settlement Trade Association is an individual of "exemplary" stature, IF one considers exemplary that H. H. Spooner Phillips IV, the...
"Hash Man" Reveals Peachtree Settlement Juicy Payout To Investors
Posted on November 04, 2008Hasham Malik, Peachtree Settlement Funding's Chief Capital Markets Officer, discussing a renewal of a credit facility for lottery buy outs and said in today's press release: 'Given the dearth of liquidity in the capital markets, we are pleased that our...
"Cash Now Pusher" Attorney Robert Ostrov Getting Pummeled in Florida District 87 9:06pm
Posted on November 04, 2008Rob Ostrov the general counsel to "cash now pusher" Structured Asset Funding is getting pummeled by incumbent Adam Hasner in Palm Beach County. As I write its 59.19% to Hasner and 40.81% to Rob Ostrov.
You Can Bank On It
Posted on November 03, 2008AGORA Financial reports today that "Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and the rest of the crew are starting to cash in their government bailout checks. And in a ?you gotta be kidding me? moment, we find out that they...
Allstate CEO 3Q 2008 Message..."in Good Hands"
Posted on November 03, 2008Allstate Corporation has released a statement for current and prospective policyholders and structured settlement stakeholders containing useful information about the organization, its philosophy and finances. The information is not intended for use in the State of New York where a...
"Hedwig" and The Angry Inch...IIlogic from Indiana
Posted on November 03, 2008Among Hindert's suggestions for the "next generation of industry leaders" :Examining Business standards - The next generation of industry leaders should study the AIG Structured Settlement Model and AIG structured settlement standards as one example of a failed claim management...
Aviva group ratings affirmed by Standard & Poors on strong business fundamentals
Posted on November 03, 2008Following the S&P announcement on October 28, 2008 the following was released by Tom Godlasky, CEO of Aviva USA.?Today?s interim management statement and reaffirmation of Aviva plc?s AA/AA- rating fromS&P confirm that our capital position, asset base and diverse businesses...
50% of Internet Traffic To Be in Online Videos by 2012-Cisco
Posted on November 03, 2008Online video is booming. Cisco Systems estimates that by 2012 nearly 50 percent of all Internet traffic will be to online videos. In 2008 there is Broadband usage in 66% of US Households and 97% of businesses Among all active...
Moodys Affirms Hartford Life Aa3 Financial Strength Rating
Posted on November 03, 2008Some good news for Hartford Financial Services Group today after the rough 3rd quarter news that came out last week and caused its stock to plummet 52% and moodys downgraded the company's senior debt one notch to A3. Moodys Investors...
A Tainted Legacy
Posted on November 02, 2008Unfortunately Patrick Hindert's now tainted legacy in the structured settlement industry will be as an "aide de camp" of "financial crack dealers" and there's no way back. In NSSTA Fall Meeting-3, his third post not about a meeting that he...
Pressman Settlements Corporation Continues to Be All FAQd Up!
Posted on November 02, 2008How FAQ'd Up is Pressman Settlements Corporation? Let Me Count The Ways! States that structured settlement payments are funded by either a life insurance company annuity or US Treasury Bond and then states they are funded by multi-billion dollar life...
AALU Supports Treasury Making Capital Available To Life Insurers Through Discount Window
Posted on November 02, 2008David Stertzer, CEO of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting ("AALU") stated the case in his CEO Update of October 30th, for why the United States Treasury should make capital available to life insurers as it has for banks (to...
Palm Beach Voters Should Tell Ostrov To "Kiss Off"
Posted on November 01, 2008Only days remain to see if attorneys and other voters in Palm Beach County Florida have the balls to elect the counsel for "financial crack dealer" Structured Asset Funding into the Florida State legislature over incumbent Adam Hasner. Electing Robert...
The Hartford To Be Sold? Analyst Speculates in Connecticut Newspaper Report
Posted on November 01, 2008Michael Paisan Managing Director of Stifel Nicholas said "it seems as if The Hartford would be better served to be part of a much larger entity with a stronger capital base." in an article by Dianne Levick which appeared in...
Current and Former Structured Annuity Issuers Listed Among The Street.Com Ratings (Weiss) Strongest Life and Health Insurers in US
Posted on November 01, 2008The most recent quarterly financial safety ratings from The Street.com Ratings (formerly Weiss Research ratings) include a number of structured settlement annuity issuers:Allstate Life Insurance Company A-American General Life Insurance Company B+John Hancock Life Insurance Company AMassachusetts Mutual Life Insurance...
Hartford Has Worst Quarterly loss in 198 Years...But Don't Panic-CEO
Posted on October 31, 2008Hartford Financial Services Group took a $2.6B hit in the 3rd quarter which was comprised of $2.2B in capital losses and $932 MM in deferred acquisition costs related to new and renewed policiesToday Hartford released the following statement from Ayer...
Former NSSTA President and SSP Executive Director Bashes AIG... Promotes Factoring
Posted on October 31, 2008What a sorry figure Patrick Hindert casts on Halloween. In a mistitled post entltled "NSSTA 2008 Fall Meeting-2", a meeting he admitted that he did not attend (save several committee meetings and scarfing down crudites at an opening reception) former...
Are Structured Settlement Annuities Safe? New York Attorney Says Yes
Posted on October 31, 2008Mark E. Seitelman a New York, NY based personal injury attorney gives his thoughts on whether insurance annuities are safe for structured settlements in this post dated October 10, 2008.
Bair Says FDIC May Start To Provide Guarantees For Insurance Companies
Posted on October 30, 2008NO, Not THAT Bair! Sheila C. Bair, the Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, addressing the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) annual meeting in Washington on October 29, 2008, is said to have stated that such guarantees could...
Was Alicamousa's "Meligatawny Soup" Enough to Tame Hyenas of The NASP Zoo
Posted on October 27, 2008In NASP Annual Meeting- 3, pedantic Patrick Hindert, aping Alicamousa the lion tamer, finally gets to the point. Here are some select observations by NSSTA member Hindert about the responses from the spectacle which included former Society of Settlement Planners...
United States Treasury Bond Trust Structured Settlements
Posted on October 26, 2008Structured settlements funded with United States Treasury Obligations can provide claimants with a greater degree of security than annuities for those that are most conservative. Is there a greater level of financial security than an issuer than has the financial...
New Deal Inspiration For 21st Century Financial Crisis
Posted on October 26, 2008With national elections upon us and the recent announcement by the United States Treasury that the Federal deficit as of September 30, 2008 was $455B (the largest in US history) the following timeless words of the Great Depression era seem...
Will Palm Beach County Voters Elect Counsel For "Financial Crack" Dealer?
Posted on October 26, 2008With less than 10 days to go before the election the question is whether Palm Beach county voting lawyers will vote for incumbent Adam Hasner, a Republican, or Democrat Robert Ostrov, whose Florida job experience has consisted of two legal...
Popular Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Websites
Posted on October 26, 2008Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 10/26/2008) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 09/25/2008 report). Lower number means more traffic. Who Are Ya? Beyond Structured Settlements Blog (Pat Hindert)...
Allstate Life Rated Aa3 Moodys
Posted on October 25, 2008Moodys Investor Services has rated Allstate Life Insurance Company and Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York Aa3. The rating change does not affect the core auto and home insurance business which remains at Aa2. This one notch downgrade is...
Treasury Expected To Take Stake In Insurance Companies
Posted on October 25, 2008In a developing story the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that the United States Treasury Department is contemplating taking equity stakes in insurance companies. The Treasury Department wants insurance companies to participate in its TARP Program, according to WSJ sources...
The NSSTA "Pin Cushion" of Its Own Design
Posted on October 25, 2008Expect NSSTA member Patrick Hindert to insert pins into his NSSTA voodoo doll any day now. Those of us who witnessed Patrick Hindert at The Grand Hyatt in San Francisco flitting in and out of the NSSTA legal committee or...
Leave it to Forge Consulting to Try and "Inspire Confidence" Using One of History's Greatest Financial Frauds
Posted on October 24, 2008I'm Bairly surprised that Forge Consulting thinks all is all Schell with the world. These QSF jockey crackerjacks STILL think they're Gunn-er Spooner feed some Sap this bullshit about Executive Life being smooth sailing? Structured Settlement History Not Forge Consulting...
Re-Finance Your Term Insurance!
Posted on October 21, 2008Good news for families! The insurance Information Institute reports that term insurance rates have dropped 4% a year since 2000 with the trend expected to continue. One reason for the drop: Mandatory switch of mortality tables to the 2001 Commissioners...
ZaftAIG Viking Singer
Posted on October 21, 2008In an effort to build up interest by agents and brokers in selling its enhanced guaranteed universal life insurance product,ContnueUL Extend, AIG has certainly got our attention. You see AIG/American General has its own version of the well fed singing...
Gossip Queen Sitting Down on Job
Posted on October 19, 2008Factoring broker Rhonda Bentzen , who once proudly used the screen name "StructureHo", can't even get industry gossip right anymore. While she obsesses over pets, chewing gum, the spelling of the word "senator" and defense of paying kick backs to...
Ashamed Of Your Middle Name? They'll Adopt It Too
Posted on October 19, 2008Like the friends who shave their heads in a show of empathy to the cancer inflicted who lose their hair (due to the side effects of chemo), a similar phenomenon has sprung up within online social networks by Obama supporters....
Chief Investment Strategist "Invest in Low Cost Guaranteed Annuity"
Posted on October 19, 2008In Friday's Denver Post online P. Brett Hammond, managing director and chief investment strategist for TIAA-CREF Asset Management tackles the home mortgage meltdown and the effects on the stock markets and other credit markets. In his conclusions he states: "Individuals...
The "Golden Age of Structured Settlements"
Posted on October 19, 2008Mark Wahlstrom has published a good post entitled "The Golden Age of Structured Settlements" on The Settlement Channel. Mark lays out how an Obama Presidency coupled with the inevitable consequences of recent monetary policy make structured settlements an even more...
IRS Notice 2008-92 Provides Tax Certainty to Variable Annuity Holders During Period of Economic Stabilization
Posted on October 19, 2008The United States Treasury recently instituted a Temporary Guarantee Program For Money Market Funds to provide cash from the Exchange Stabilization Funds to money markets that are regulated by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). In short, the temporary guarantee program...
Hey Lahde Lahde Lahde
Posted on October 18, 2008Hedge Fund Manager Andrew Lahde, who quit after making spectacular gains of 870% last year betting on the downside of sub prime wrote this letter to clients now making the rounds in the media. "Today I write not to gloat....
"CASH NOW PUSHER" ATTORNEY Robert Ostrov MUST NOT BE ELECTED TO FLORIDA LEGISLATURE!
Posted on October 17, 2008Let's hope someone gets the word out to Palm Beach County trial lawyers. While many trial lawyers tend to vote Democrat because of the perception that a vote for Republicans means a vote for tort reform, they need to rethink...
Aviva Structured Settlements Chronology of Company Names
Posted on October 16, 2008Aviva has made considerable expansion into the United States structured settlement annuity market, initially through acquisition or mergers with CGU (itself a product of the marriage between Commercial Union and General Accident), Bankers Life of New York and AmerUs...
Court "Sniffing"...A Sign of The Times?
Posted on October 16, 2008The ability to Court sniff for "structured settlement truffles" is not limited to the factoring industry. Apparently the legal community has recently observed an unprecedented number of structured settlement firm representatives loitering at and around Court clerk's offices getting information...
Jessica Johnson's "Ed-Abhorial"
Posted on October 16, 2008Jessica Johnson is Head of Editorial and PR in London for Data Explorers, a firm that measures and tracks stock borrowing. In an editorial on Seeking Alpha published on September 16, 2008 discussing the Market Capitalization on Loan (a/k/a "short...
Bentzen IRC 5891 "Flub Post" Fastest Rising Post on Speaking of Settlements
Posted on October 15, 2008Our syndicated story about the IRC 5891 flubs by Rhonda Bentzen of Bentzen Funding Solutions is almost to the top of the most viewed list over at Speaking of Settlements. Incredibly, despite other newsworthy stories, in only two months IRC...
John Hancock Life Standard & Poors Ratings Affirmed at "AAA"
Posted on October 15, 2008Standard & Poors has affirmed the top "AAA" financial strength ratings and stable outlook of Manulife Financial Corp. and its key operating subsidiaries, including structured settlement annuity issuer, John Hancock Life Insurance Company. The rating affirmation is unchanged after Manulife...
"As The Qualified Settlement Fund Turns"
Posted on October 15, 2008WHY would a plaintiff lawyer agree to an extra expense inuring to his client's recovery in setting up a single claimant qualified settlement fund for moneys being used for a structured settlement, where there is no restriction on the selection...
"AIG Battles Back"-Insurance Journal
Posted on October 14, 2008You may have read reports that American International Group, Inc. (AIG) will be downsizing by selling off some of its many companies. Despite the anticipated sell off one AIG core component, AIG Commercial Insurance, is expected to remain sizable. To...
Prudential Financial, Met Life announce 3Q 2008 Profits AFTER Charges for Lehman, AIG, Wamu
Posted on October 14, 2008After MetLIfe announced that it expects to report $600M in operating earnings for the third quarter of 2008, Prudential Financial Inc. issued a press release on October 9, 2008 stating that its after-tax adjusted operating income for its financial services...
Pinto's Gas Tank
Posted on October 12, 2008Actress Marlies Pinto lists among her credits "Structured Settlement Commercial, Lead, Blur Advertising, NYC". These "Pinto Beans" a goofy send up of Crazy Eddies and a pillow fight were rejected AND never aired according to Law Cash President Harvey Hirschfeld...
Bacon and "Aigs"
Posted on October 12, 200816th Century English philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon once said " The ill and unfit choice of words wonderfully obstructs the understanding". In a move that is possibly in preparation for its sale, American General Life Companies LLC is sending...
Life Insurer Solvency Record During Great Depression Was Remarkable
Posted on October 09, 2008A 1964 paper "Cash Flow and Solvency of Insurance Companies by Robert H. Mills PhD CPA examined how dependable life insurance companies are under varying economic conditions and whether life insurance companies lent stability to capital markets in severe periods...
"Sack Dance" on AIG By "The Few and The Disgruntled" Annuity Brokers is Downgraded To "Hacky Sack"
Posted on October 09, 2008Today's memo Download rick_woolams_letter_10_08_08.pdf from Richard C. Woolams Chief Claims Officer of AIG Commercial Insurance Group reaffirming AIG's commitment to its structured settlement program regardless of whether or not its structured annuity issuing subsidiaries are sold downgrades the putative "sack...
Hemmer-ing and Hawing... If Only The Media Could Be Sanction For Excessive Embellishment
Posted on October 09, 2008Check out this Fox News howler!First of all, in this video Fox news anchor Bill Hemmer embellished the cost of the St. Regis Monarch sales conference by saying that AIG spent $500,000 when it was $443,343.71 ($402,701.04 was prepaid deposit)...
AIG St. Regis Event WAS NOT Executive Retreat Portrayed in Media
Posted on October 08, 2008The October 7th hearing before the congressional House Oversight Committee brought attention to a conference which took place at the St. Regis Hotel from September 24-28 2008. Here's how CNN reported it "Crippled Insurance Giant spent $440,000 on posh retreat...
Yo Rocky Esquire and Forge "Heroes" A Match Made in "Heven" (Sic)?
Posted on October 08, 2008I don't often fix people up but could Philadelphia attorney Brian M. Puricelli and "heroes" at Forge Consulting be a match made in in "haeven" (sic)? What do they have in common you ask? How about typing with their fists...
Woodbridge Investments Trick? Or Treat? HAPPY Halloween?
Posted on October 07, 2008It's Halloween and "financial crack" dealer Woodbridge Investments' Chief Ghoul Scott Schwartz is offering structured settlement annuitants a treat, or is it a trick? The would be goblins at the Woodbridge Investments "pawn shop" freely admit that " economic paralysis...
David Johnston of Mead Washington is a Heartless Spammer
Posted on October 07, 2008Being a spammer is bad enough but greedy David Johnston picked the wrong post to try and eke out a few more shekels for his pay day loan business "The Personal Money Store". David Johnston, the heartless spammer , of...
Long Term Care Insurance For Plaintiffs, Attorneys and Brokers
Posted on October 07, 2008Think Long Term Care Insurance is simply for old-timers in nursing homes? Think again! According to a study published by the American Association For Long Term Care Insurance:$3.5B in claims were paid out in 2007 to 180,000 Americans. 3% of...
AIG Structured Settlement Annuitants or AIG Policyholders- Watch 3 Min. Video Of U.S. Insurance Regulators!
Posted on October 06, 2008Insurance Journal's Ken St. Onge recently interviewed top insurance regulators from Kentucky, Mississippi, Oregon, Arizona and Connecticut to discuss that impact of the AIG situation on insurers in individual states. This informative 3 minute video highlights the interviews.
Mark To Market and Insurers
Posted on October 05, 2008The buzz phrase "Mark To Market" dominated the financial press in the last few weeks. The Federal bailout bill gives the United States' Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) the power to suspend the mark-to-market accounting rule. But what is "mark to...
NSSTA Corporate Partnership Program
Posted on October 05, 2008The National Structured Settlement Trade Association (NSSTA) has established a corporate partnership program offering marketing opportunities to vendors wanting access to an upscale demographic and financial product distribution network of over 600. Partnership levels range in price from $3,000-$10,000 and...
The Cash Now Pusher's "Schmuck" Flits Freely Between NSSTA, SSP, NAELA, ASNP, NAMSAP, AAJ
Posted on October 04, 2008For the first time ever S2KM is framing settlement professionals, including those who are engaged by a plaintiff as "structured settlement agents". He makes a weak link to the laws of agency to support his and his allies' apparent efforts...
Structured Settlement History Not Forge Consulting Strong Suit
Posted on October 03, 2008Kudos to Forge Consulting for attempting (albeit 3 weeks after the fact) to be the face of calm to members of a trial lawyer association to whom it is classified a "hero" merely because of size of its wad. Forge...
No Link, No Attribution Equals Retribution for Internet Content Scrapers
Posted on October 03, 2008To be sure, chiropractor turned search engine optimizer, turned "cash now for legal advance" hustler Jason Argall of Clearwater Florida has a few good qualities. What a sweet son he is- he attests to his Mommy's chiropractic excellence on Linked...
Structured Settlements...The Day of "The Jackal"
Posted on October 03, 2008Patrick Hindert's post of October 1, 2008 is all the NSSTA Board needs to see concerning Patrick Hindert's true motivation. True to form National Structured Settlement Trade Association member and token "cash now pusher" Patrick Hindert seems to be encouraging...
If They Claim To Offer Liquidity Then Why Are They Still CHaracterizing Such Assets as Illiquid...And Other JG Wentworth Fallacies
Posted on October 02, 2008JG Wentworth issued a press release the other day that highlights the inconsistency of its message. JG Wentworth claims that it is the oldest and most respected buyer of deferred payments for "illiquid assets" such as structured settlements, annuities and...
"Clowns To The Left of Me, Jokers to The Right... Here We Are...Stuck In The Middle With You"
Posted on October 02, 2008Excuse me, I've got to rant off some steam! How about our elected officials learn to shut their frickin' cake holes and lock themselves in the chamber until they get the bail out bill done? Gaffe after gaffe at the...
AIG Structured Settlement Timeline: Hindert's Jelly Donut Missing The Jelly
Posted on October 01, 2008Scum churner Patrick Hindert's published "first draft" of the AIG structured settlement time line gets an incomplete: Anything in the chart prior to the 1970s is essentially irrelevant in a "structured settlement time line". For example there were no structured...
It's Time to SAY NO To NSSTA Board Over Patrick Hindert
Posted on September 30, 2008On November 6, 2007 this author made a formal request of the NSSTA Board to reconsider Patrick Hindert's membership in light of Article 1 of the NSSTA bylaws. The NSSTA Board did not act on the request. Article I Bylaws...
Customer Service Dud: BHC Marketing
Posted on September 30, 2008There appears to be a great disparity in service offered by different national wholesale marketing organizations dealing with the annuity brokerage community. Are you are broker in need of an alternative Single Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA) quote? Then I can...
S&P Lowers Liberty Mutual Rating to A- Post SAFECO Acquistion, Liberty Mutual Responds
Posted on September 30, 2008When one company acquires a "safeco" your first inclination is that this is a good thing. Purportedly under pressure over its reaction time in the current financial crisis apparently Standard & Poors doesn't feel that way. Last week Standard &...
Is Being Financially Literate in Your Profession Too Much To Ask?
Posted on September 29, 2008Frank ReCouper, Sr. head of "cash now pusher" factoring company, FDR Resources and purportedly "Joe Pep's" partner (in R&P Capital), embarrasses himself in "Are Structured Settlements Affected By The Bailout"? One wonders what someone who advertises that he has been...
New York Times Article September 30, 1999 Says It All
Posted on September 29, 2008About a decade ago I recall sitting around a table advocating my position against the principle and morality of a President of the United States lying under oath and the poor example it set for children. While we are on...
Pedantic Pat Pulls Trigger, Then Sees "Shadow" And Retreats to Burrow
Posted on September 29, 2008Trying to revive his waned influence on the structured settlement industry, Patrick Hindert began to let loose another of his pedantic rants (see below) "AIG TimelineBy Patrick Hindert AIG - 2: Looks at AIG and the current financial crisis as...
Risk Law Firm Using Outdated Inaccurate Annuity Chart
Posted on September 28, 2008The Risk Law Firm of Tulsa Oklahoma devotes its law practice to advocacy for "the rights of claimants and their attorneys to make choices that affect them in their settlements" One can appreciate that business must be so good for...
Settlement Capital General Counsel Offers Responsible Contrast In Factoring Industry Response to AIG Situation
Posted on September 28, 2008In "Let's Be Careful Out There" Matt Bracy, General Counsel of factoring company Settlement Capital Corporation, offers an articulate, thoughtful and responsible voice on the AIG situation as it applies to structured settlement factoring. Unlike the opportunistic and hyena like...
Oregon Insurance Division of Department of Consumer and Business Services Urges Caution to Policyholders, Agents and Brokers on The Communication of Misleading Information Concerning AIG
Posted on September 26, 2008Following on the actions of other state insurance commissioners the Oregon Insurance Division of Department of Consumer and Business Services stated in a September 24, 2008 press release that: "AIG's insurance companies are financially sound, with substantially more in assets...
Factoring Industry Wordsmiths-"Liquidity" vs "Cash Now" vs "All Your Money Now"
Posted on September 26, 2008Settlement Capital Corporation, a Dallas, TX based factoring company employs a refreshing alternative marketing approach in describing the services it offers to consumers. Instead of the serial false advertising practiced by a number of "cash now pushers", Settlement Capital states...
Hong Kong Police Make Arrests For Spreading False Rumors About AIG
Posted on September 26, 2008An AP report says that Hong Kong police have arrested and detained 11 agents and managers of MassMutual Asia Ltd on September 26, 2008 in connection with a forged letter that claimed insurance holding company American International Group, Inc. (AIG)....
AIG CEO To Speak on AIG Future Direction in Oct 3 Webcast
Posted on September 25, 2008American International Group Inc. (AIG) Chairman and CEO Edward M. Liddy will host a conference call for the investment community on Friday, Oct. 3, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. EDT to provide an update on AIG's future direction. The audio webcast...
Structured Settlement Web Sites Monthly Traffic Rankings
Posted on September 25, 2008Three Month Trailing Top 10 Traffic Rank (Alexa Rank as of 09/25/2008) of Structured Settlement and Settlement Planning Industry websites* (+ or- traffic from 08/26/2008 report). Lower number means more traffic. Who Are Ya? Beyond Structured Settlements Blog (Pat Hindert)...
Forge Consulting "Full Market Access"= Bull
Posted on September 24, 2008There is an inconsistency in Forge Consulting advertising that is disturbing but not surprising. The Forge Consulting website boasts putative magic words of "full market access" implying that it gives its clients access to all of the structured annuity markets...
At J.G. Wentworth... Where "Quality Assurance" Apparently Means Telling Same LIE as Peachtree?
Posted on September 24, 2008The stench wafting over from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania this morning comes from the rotting eggs running down the red faces of J.G Wentworth management. In a press release intended to highlight J.G. Wentworth's benevolence Randy Parker, the director of "quality...
That Momma Can't Spell!
Posted on September 24, 2008In a post which exhibits the lack of sophistication of an aging gum chomping teenage gossip queen and the "spelling prowess" of Forrest Gump, Rhonda Bentzen refers to me as the structured settlement industry equivalent of "Senetor McCarthy". Download bentzen_cant_spell_senator_and_doesnt_get_the_point_on_mccarthy...
Does Financial Crisis Mean "No Cash Now" from "Cash Now Pushers"??
Posted on September 23, 2008After hearing rumors that some of the major "cash now pushers" were pulling out of deals due to the current financial crisis I received a fax that appears to remove all doubt. Download jg_wentworth_letter_to_fl_structured_settlement_annuitant_sept_17_2008...
Prudential Structured Settlements Now Requires Name of Assignor on ALL Structured Annuity Lock Ins
Posted on September 23, 2008A number of plaintiff settlement planners are pulling locked-in and pending cases from AIG annuity markets and placing them with alternative markets. While some of this is to be expected (for example in minor case where Courts have minimum ratings...
Patrick Hindert Churns the "Factoring Scum" on AIG
Posted on September 22, 2008Monday morning quarterback Patrick Hindert's analysis of "The Week That Changed American Capitalism" begins with the tale of Hurricane Ike and the interruption of power for over 700,000 homes. In Hindert's case perhaps it should have stayed off. Isn't it...
KY "Jaily" Awaits AIG Policyholder Abusers
Posted on September 22, 2008The Kentucky Department of Insurance sent the following to agents licensed in the state on September 19, 2008: "Notice To All Agents: We wanted to share some information with you regarding the recent turmoil in the market, particularly concerning American...
New York State Insurance Commissioner Warns AIG Policyholders of Possible Illegal Approaches-Sends Clear Message Abuse Will Not Be Tolerated!
Posted on September 22, 2008The New York Insurance Department issued a press release dated September 22, 2008 in response to reports of solicitation abuse visited upon AIG policyholders and consumers. Some of the key points made by insurance superintendent Eric Dinallo: " AIG insurance...
There is Precedent For Structured Settlement Payments Being Protected in Bankruptcy of Obligor
Posted on September 21, 2008A 1991 Chapter 11 Bankruptcy case should be of interest to current structured settlement payees, prospective structured settlement payees and plaintiff lawyers. In the case, stemming from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Monarch Capital Corporation, the qualified assignment company of...
The Grand Ole "Mockry"
Posted on September 20, 2008Having just returned from an enjoyable 2 days in Nashville, this "Grand Ole Mockry" is a fitting "tribute" to one of Nashville's local yokels. Rhonda Bentzen, a factoring broker who appears to place enormous weight on her former status as...
Understanding the AIG Rescue Plan 101
Posted on September 20, 2008Much has been written about the AIG bailout and some of it has unfortunately been misinterpreted. This post attempts to help educate our readers. Under the American International Group, Inc. ("AIG") rescue plan, the Federal Reserve will make available an...
Factoring Company Makes "Strategic Decision" to Effectively Add to Market Confusion
Posted on September 20, 2008Former Peachtree flack Deborah Benaim is up to her old tricks, as Senior VP at Imperial Structured Settlements, LLC: "We have recently made a strategic business decision to change the name of our organization from Washington Square Financial, LLC to....
Factoring Scum Preying on Tort Victims Using False Information About AIG
Posted on September 19, 2008A number of factoring companies including some big names are exploiting the fears of tort victims with AIG structured settlements. According to our sources tort victims are being falsely told that AIG is going bankrupt. This author understands that AIG...
Aviva Has A+ A.M. Best Rating Affirmed
Posted on September 19, 2008A.M. Best has just reaffirmed the A+ (Superior) financial strength ratings of the Aviva Life companies, which include structured settlement annuity issuers Aviva Life Insurance Company and Aviva Life and Annuity Company of New York. Click the link below for...
State Guaranty Funds
Posted on September 17, 2008State insurance departments regulate insurers domicied and licensed in their states. In the event of an impairment that is sufficient for insurance regulators to take over, the shortfalls are funded through assessments on the solvent insurers in the state, in...
New York CPLR 50-B Ramifications of Insolvency
Posted on September 17, 2008What are the ramifications if there is a New York CPLR 50-B judgment and the annuity issuer and/or insurer goes belly up? I received such a question on Tuesday morning from an attorney for a former plaintiff receiving a substantial...
AIG...US Government To The Rescue! Post Mortem
Posted on September 17, 2008The financial panic over AIG appears to be over. According to CNBC,BBC and other published sources the Fed will lend AIG $85B in exhange for a 79.9% interest in the company. As I understand it taxpayer money is secured by...
Structured Settlement Industry Teachers MUST Demonstrate Superior Financial Literacy and Command of Facts Concerning Their Business to Inspire Confidence
Posted on September 17, 2008In this episode of teaching the structured settlement teacher we focus on the web site of Brian Milner of Millennium Settlements: Brian Milner on "the structured settlement process": "Once the defendant agrees with the claimant on a stream of periodic...
AIG Situation Update
Posted on September 16, 2008There is no way to sugar coat this: AIG was downgraded by all ratings agencies yesterday A Am Best A Fitch A- S&P A2 Moodys These ratings reflect the current environment at AIG. They are not reflective of all structured...
Will Hyena "Cash Now Pushers" Come Out Tonight?
Posted on September 15, 2008Pay close attention to which slimy hyena element of the factoring industry attempts to exploit potential vulnerability of tort victims over the current AIG financial news. If you have a structured settlement with American General , VALIC or American International...
Plaintff Loyal Settlement Planners' Blunt "Prestige Hook"?
Posted on September 15, 2008For the last 6 1/2 years number of "plaintiff loyal structured settlement planners" have trumpeted the need to include IRC 5891 "enabling language" so that the plaintiffs have the ability to factor theoir structured settlements. Some plaintiff attorneys may have...
AIG Takes Ratings Hit From A.M.Best, S&P and Fitch
Posted on September 15, 2008I think that AIG would be happy to have an AAA rating at the beginning of the day on September 15, 2008. Unfoprtanately this was an A an A and an A-. AM Best reduced the ratings of the life/health...
Would You Pay a $3,000 ATM Fee?
Posted on September 15, 2008Did you know that each structured settlement factoring transaction requires Court approval or the factoring company is subject to a 40% excise tax on the factoring discount. An attorney is needed to make the application for court approval. Even though...
Time to Get New SEO Firm for Structured Settlement Services, LLC?
Posted on September 13, 2008Structured Settlement Services, LLC's search engine optimization efforts appear to have gone under water. An incredible 97% of the Tulsa based firm's web traffic now comes from India according to the latest Alexa report. Download structuredsettlements...
Is Boca Raton "Cry Baby" Like Pot Calling Kettle Black?
Posted on September 13, 2008On 5/2/2008 Neil Lemelman of Boca Raton Florida "boo hooed" to the Federal Reserve about "deceptive and unfair tactics of credit card companies under Regulation AA (R-1314): In a complaint published on the Federal Reserve website the following was attributed...
Does Doing Business with a $100,000 Donor Get Your Client Adequate Inflation Protection and Advice?
Posted on September 13, 2008"You can have your payments increase to keep up with inflation and protect against rising costs. For example, a 3% increase in payments each year helps protect your spending power for as long as your structured settlement is in effect".Pressman...
Term "Licensed Structured Settlement Broker Consultant" is a Canard
Posted on September 12, 2008A New York attorney, the scion of the respected former partner of what was one of New York's most prestigious and respected personal injury firms, uses the Internet to advertise that he is a "licensed structured settlement broker consultant". There...
AM Best Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings
Posted on September 12, 2008The Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings in a very important NEW information resource for consumers, including tort victims, structured settlement consultants, settlement planners, financial planners, lawyers for tort victims, judges, corporate and insurance risk managers...
Structured Settlement Internal Rate of Return
Posted on September 11, 2008Define structured settlement internal rate of return. If you asked the question of different structured settlement consultants would they come up with different answers? What is structured settlement IRR?The structured settlement internal rate of return is the result of a...
Paid "Misinformant" Chris Padgett on "Structured Settlements For Lottery Winners"
Posted on September 11, 2008Add Chris Padgett to the ranks of Structured Settlement Iliterati that willingly misinform consumers about structured settlements for money. in a post entitled "Structured Settlements For Lottery Winners" paid "misinformant" Chris Padgett says "Structured Settlements is a way to get...
Instant "Law Degrees" Bestowed By Some Participants On Legal Broadcast Network's "Voices of The Law"?
Posted on September 08, 2008On the Voices of The Law, a Legal Broadcast Network channel that is clearly promoted to be lawyers giving voice to other lawyers, why is it that the majority of its members are insurance agents and company representatives holding their...
Dancing Annuities
Posted on September 08, 2008Prosperity Partners suggests that "you can start dancing when you discover it's possible to get cash for an annuity", and "if you don't use all the cash", they tell you to "keep dancing by putting the balance in your savings...
Structured Settlement Factoring Audit Technique Guide
Posted on September 08, 2008The Structured Settlement Factoring Audit Technique Guide (rev. 11/06) on the IRS website provides valuable information on how the IRS views and interprets the laws concerning the excise tax on the factoring discount in structured settlement factoring transactions, imposed under...
AIG Consideration of "Forming Separate Company to Hold Risky Credit Assets" is Not Without Precedent in insurance world
Posted on September 08, 2008The New York Post reported on September 4th that insurer American International Group ("AIG") is considering forming a separate company to hold risky credit assets, which have caused it record losses in the past three quarters. The Post further reported...
The Bird May Be The Word, But The Vulture Isn't The Only Bird In the Insurance Jungle
Posted on September 07, 2008The synopsis for "Vulture Culture: Dirty Deals, Unpaid claims and the coming collapse of the Insurance Industry" by Eric D. Gerst (Amacom publishing 4/1/2008) reads like an alterrnative book jacket description for the John Grisham novel "The Rainmaker", or a...
On "Questions of Math" and Simply Being Qualified As A Structured Settlement "EXPERT" or Settlement Planning "EXPERT"
Posted on September 06, 2008The following three statements appear on Jack Meligan's LinkedIn Profile Meligan Statement 1 : "Protecting the injury victim and plaintiff attorney is our only business... which means the job is done right... every time..." Jack Meligan QUESTION? Since when does...
The Risk Tolerance of Tort Victims in Today's Market
Posted on September 05, 2008Tuesday?s edition of the Wall Street Journal included the weekly feature "A Week in the Life of the DJIA" (Dow Jones Industrial Average. According to the Wall Street Journal, if you invested $1,000 on December 31 in each of the...
Jack Meligan "Plaintiff Loyal" Structured Settlements? "Plaintiff Loyal" Settlement Planning?
Posted on September 04, 2008We all make mistakes and I'm no exception. But some of us are mature enough once we know we've made a mistake, to correct that mistake. Fair is fair and on more than one occasion when shown that I have...
California Dreamin'
Posted on September 04, 2008I received a disturbing phone call today from "someone who has business dealings with the annuitant and the financial advisor" to a tort victim who was seeking a quote to sell a structured settlement. Facts: Annuity set up in 1983Annuitant...
LIMRA... "46% Jump in Fixed Annuity Sales" Q2 2008
Posted on September 04, 2008Life Insurance Market Research Association (LIMRA) reports that overall individual-annuity sales grew 4% during the second quarter, buoyed by a spike in fixed-annuity sales. LIMRA states that U.S. individual-annuity sales grew to $68.4 billion during the second quarter, up from...
Your Structured Settlement is Your Paycheck...
Posted on September 04, 2008Would you sell off your paycheck that you earn each week? If no, then why sell off your rights to your structured settlement, if it is a primary source of income? Why is your financial planner advising you to sell...
Patrick Hindert Promotes Structured Settlement Factoring and is Chummy With JG Wentworth But Appears That He Won't Help Tort Victim...WHY?
Posted on September 03, 2008The structured settlement industry torch bearer for the factoring of tort victims' structured settlement payments, Patrick Hindert, still appears to have not responded to the call for assistance from tort victim J. Henry who posted on Hindert's blog on August...
"What Is a Structured Settlement?" Damn The Structured Settlement Illiterati!
Posted on September 02, 2008The same digital diarrhea on what is a structured settlement keeps constipating the information pipeline: "Structured cash payments through an annuity system that is established to compensate injury victims" Quote Me A Price.com "an annuity system may be negotiated as...
Settlement Industry Needs More Yodelers Not Oglers!
Posted on September 02, 2008Over on Speaking of Settlements, a multi media social network started by Legal Broadcast Network 7 months ago. the Christi Fried ogling phenomenon has "hit the big time" with over 100 views of a profile that: Was posted over 6...