If you have had a major change in your life you can sell a structured settlement to get the money that you need to get your life back on track. The law gives you this right, around the country, if you have court approval. In this page we will answer a variety of questions including what type of annuity you can sell, who can sell, and more.
There are a variety of types of structured settlement payments (such as those stemming from lawsuits) and periodic payments (such as lottery payments or pensions) that you may be able to sell. People sell personal injury settlements and workers compensation settlements, lawsuit settlements (anything from sexual harassment cases to wrongful dismissal), as well as lottery payments, sweepstakes prizes, casino winnings and more. Whether you can sell your structured settlement or periodic payment depends upon how the original terms were set up, so you may want to consult a financial advisor or a settlement purchasing company to ensure that your settlement qualifies for sale – there is a good chance that it does.
While federal law provides much protection nationwide, certain things are run by the state. For example, some states do not allow the sale of workers compensation benefits that were given at the state level. But do not let that deter you from at least researching the potential of selling a settlement that you believe is from workers’ compensation – there are many nuances to these types of claims. For example, sometimes you may believe that your payments originate from workers’ compensation, but actually you were paid a lump sum and an annuity was purchased with it – in that case you may be able to sell the annuity to get your lump sum. Or, if you have moved out of the original state that the workers’ compensation was awarded in selling your structured settlement may be possible. Again, a knowledgeable financial advisor or purchaser can help you understand the legality of your specific situation by looking over your original settlement paperwork.
In any event, you cannot generally sell pension payments; read more about this in the “Myths” section of this text.
The law allows nearly any person anywhere with an American structured settlement to sell their periodic payments and structured settlements.
In the United States, selling your structured settlement always requires getting approval from a state court. Adults of sound mind are most likely to be approved to sell their settlement payments. Most courts approve when they feel that a sale is in the best interests of the person selling. However, courts are skeptical about approving the sale of settlements that have been awarded to minor children, elderly persons or anyone unable to care for themselves. Yet, with good reason that is truly in the best interest of the annuitant sales can happen.
People sell their settlements for many reasons, and the decision is a personal one – it varies based on your own life situation. But some good reasons that people may want to sell include:
- buying a house or trying to save a house from foreclosure
- making a major home repair, such as a new roof
- opening a new business or investing more in their current business
- putting themselves or a loved one through college
- buying a new car
- paying medical bills or other debt
There is almost no end to the list of reasons that you might have to sell a structured settlement.
If your structure still has money remaining then you can access that money by selling the payments. This is why you should sell only how many payments you need to sell in order to meet your current need – you can always sell more later. Call Strategic Capital today and we can talk to you about how many payments you would need to sell to meet your immediate cash needs.