Structured Settlements by Patrick Farber

For personal injury claimants, the future is already challenging. The pandemic adds another layer of worry. Structured settlements offer a unique means to bring certainty to an uncertain world. Claimants have the peace of mind of knowing that they will receive a steady, guaranteed, tax-free stream of income regardless of market or economic conditions now or in the future. This is a significant benefit when so many Americans are out of work (about 30 million in the U.S., 2.8 m...illion in California) and the job market remains weak. Injured parties who are able to go back to work once healthy may find that their job has been eliminated. By using a structured settlement, a set amount of settlement proceeds can be deposited each month into the claimant’s bank account and go towards housing and living expenses. More - https://patrickfarber.com//structured-settlements-pandemic/ See more

Reminder - today 4-5pm.

During the pandemic, CAALA is offering insightful webinars to its members. The latest, Women in Law’s UnscriptedReal and Inspiring Conversations With Women Trial Lawyers with speaker Maryann Gallagher. Maryann will talk about her journey from law school to winning CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year. For more info: https://bit.ly/2CgOKfw

When it comes to money, we humans have a natural desire to take risks if it means a potential big payout. Unfortunately, too often, inexperience and emotions end up costing us everything. Find out more in this recent article on my website - https://bit.ly/2Noiklp

Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, recently offered a strong endorsement of structured settlements. Buffett has been an ardent proponent of structured settlements for decades. He’s grown Berkshire Hathaway into one of the largest structured settlement annuity providers. More here > https://patrickfarber.com//warren-buffett-endorses-struct/

From CNBC: Household debt balances through March totaled $14.3 trillion, a 1.1% increase from the previous quarter and now $1.6 trillion clear of the previous nominal high of $12.7 trillion in the third quarter of 2008 during the financial crisis, according to New York Federal Reserve data released Tuesday. (May 5, 2020) More here - https://patrickfarber.com//how-do-we-know-when-weve-borro/

Annuity Yields Update. After a few tumultuous weeks in the financial markets, lifetime annuity yields remain impressivebetween 2.4 percent and 2.8 percent double tax-free returns for personal injury clients. We saw these same yields a year ago. It’s a testament to the stability of the yield models used by insurance carriers.

Thank you to CAALA (particularly Kwedi Moore) for giving us the opportunity to be included in the CAALA online Remote Business Solutions directory. The directory contains links to companies that are able to provide vital resources to CAALA members during the COVID-19 shutdown. CAALA RBS Directory - https://www.caala.org/index.cfm Our page here - https://patrickfarber.com/structured-settlement-services-d/

Many attorneys would be surprised to learn that interest rates for tax-free, structured settlement annuities remain relatively high despite all the recent talk about the Fed lowering short-term rates to near zero. In fact, the rate of return for annuities has been notably consistent for more than 10 years. Don’t hesitate to call so I can show you the benefits that these annuities can provide in an otherwise low interest rate environment. More info here - https://patrickfarber.com//structured-settlements-todays-/

Recent government policy changes are affecting common means-tested benefits that can arise during the personal-injury settlement process. These new policy changes provide injured clients with greater flexibility when it comes to administering their Special- Needs Trusts (SNTs) to preserve eligibility for government benefits such as Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). For the rest of the article visit - https://patrickfarber.com//government-policy-changes-how-/

Here’s an easy-to-understand overview of lawsuit structured settlements by attorney Robert W. Wood, one of the most widely published and recognized tax authorities in the United States. https://www.forbes.com//how-lawsuit-structured-settlemen/ The article appeared in Forbes last year. Structured settlements can seem complicated to plaintiffs not familiar with legal and financial matters.... This article lays out the basics in plain English. We think it could be helpful to plaintiffs so they better understand structured settlement products. Please free to contact me with any questions.

In the link below attorney Robert W. Wood wrote an informative and detailed account of a recent IRS ruling involving wrongful life damages and wrongful birth damages. https://patrickfarber.com//tax-free-recent-irs-ruling-on-/

A client has just received a large award or settlement. The outcome will compensate you for often years of hard work and out-of-pocket expenses. Lump sum? There is another option: structure the fees. I just wrote an article on how and why > http://patrickfarber.com//structuring-attorney-fees-orang/

Here's another one from Enrique Sierra. Enrique let me know that MetLife and the American Bar Association recently produced a new webinar, Justice is Making Sure Your Client’s Employment Settlement Lasts. The 23-minute video looks at the financial options available to clients receiving employment-related, non-physical injury settlements. Check out the post here > http://patrickfarber.com//new-metlife-webinar-justice-is-/