Many attorneys think structuring a settlement only benefits injured parties receiving large payouts. That’s not necessarily the case. Small annuities can benefit an injured party in many of the same ways large annuities do: bolster retirement savings, use for future college or medical expenses and prevent young injured individuals from being tempted to spend their settlement on questionable purchases. They offer predictable, tax-free payouts regardless of market conditions.
Over the past 20 years, more than 50 percent of the structured settlements facilitated by Ringler Associates were less than $50,000. Another approximately 17 percent were between $50,000 and $100,000. These figures are typical of most annuity brokerage firms.
In fact, during the first three quarters of 2011, 21,846 cases were structured with the average case size of about $166,000. These figures are based on data released by 11 life insurance companies that issue structured settlement annuities.
Structuring a settlement can make sense for a settlement as small as $10,000. For further information on small structures, go to www.PatrickFarber.com and read “Benefits of Small Dollar Structured Settlements,” an article I co-wrote with attorney Patrick E. Stockalper for ASCDC’s Verdict magazine.
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