Litigation

Another Reason To Structure Attorney Fees... The "Wealthy Surcharge"

Posted on July 07, 2009
In 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, 2009
In 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, 2009
Peter 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, 2009
Think 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...

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"It's OK To Be Broke" Implies Colonial Settlement Partners' SEO Blog Masthead

Posted on July 06, 2009
What 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, 2009
How 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, 2009
Oasis 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, 2009
Sorry 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, 2009
The 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, 2009
The 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, 2009
In 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, 2009
The 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, 2009
The 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, 2009
As 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, 2009
Continuing 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, 2009
New 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, 2009
In 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, 2009
Three 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, 2009
The 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, 2009
Cash 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, 2009
A 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, 2009
If 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, 2009
Kudos 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, 2009
Cash 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, 2009
The 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, 2009
The 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, 2009
As 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, 2009
J.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, 2009
Yet 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"...

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