; Annuities | A Structured Settlements Guide

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Lump Sum Annuity

What is a Lump Sum Annuity?

A lump sum annuity is a retirement savings plan sold by financial institutions or insurance companies. Within an annuity plan, the purchaser or annuitant pays an investment sum to the insurance company which subsequently becomes structured settlement companies payment to the annuitant.

An annuity is thought of as an excellent insurance product for maintaining one’s quality of life after retiring. When compared  to other retirement saving plans, annuities offer better benefits such as a more flexible premium payment option, no limit to the contribution amount, higher rates of interest earnings, tax advantages plus a regular income for the life of the annuity. An annuity is also considered to be a great option for providing for a child's educational requirements.

How does an Annuity Work

In simple terms annuities are financial contracts made between a financial institution and the annuitant. Normally the companies selling or acting as the issuer of the annuities are insurance companies. The person purchasing an annuity is referred to as the buyer. In a lump sum annuity the annuitant makes a  lump sum payment to the insurance company and under the terms of the annuity agreement the  insurance company will make periodic payments to the annuitant over a specified period of time.

An annuity plan comes in two parts

These two parts are the accumulation and distribution phases.
The accumulation phase naturally is when the annuitant makes their deposit which will either be in the form of a lump sum payment or through regular payments to the insurance company.
The distribution phase then is when the insurance company makes it’s periodic payments to the annuitant. An annuity plan is commonly associated with a life insurance product where the lump sum or structured settlement payments are made to a beneficiary where the buyer dies before receiving their annuity payments.

The structured settlement payment to the annuitant is allowed when the buyer reaches a certain age. This age is commonly set by the insurance company at 59 ½ years old.It is only then that the periodic annuity payments may be withdrawn. Earlier withdrawals may be possible but there would be taxation and transaction charges involved.

The taxes applied would be 10% of the invested money along with regular tax payment rates on the interest earned. Surrender charges are calculated by the insurance company depending upon when the withdrawal is made and from what annuity plan. The buyer of an annuity plan should assess his or her options and understand all the terms of the annuity before purchase.

Types of Annuity

Generally speaking there are two types of annuities those being fixed and variable.
In a fixed annuity plan, the insurance company guarantees a fixed interest rate for the period in which the annuitant is accumulating the money. In the fixed annuity a regular payment will be made over a specific period of time i.e. 25 years or for the length of  the buyer’s or spouse’s lifetime.

A variable annuity will when the buyer’s payments are invested in different investment plans. The annuitant select which type of investment options they prefer which is usually some sort of mutual fund. The interest earned and the periodic payment are dependent upon how the chosen mutual funds perform. While the variable annuity is a higher risk it can offer higher interest rates and better periodic payments over the safer fixed annuity plan.

Depending on the annuity payment options chosen by the annuitant the payment may be immediate or deferred. Obviously within an immediate annuity agreement the lump sum payment or structured payments start straight away while with a deferred annuity payments a lump sum annuity is paid at a pre-determined time in the future.

A single premium type annuity is when the payment is made in one lump sum and it is referred to as a regular payment annuity if the payments are made over time.

 

2 comments - What do you think?  Posted by admin - April 22, 2010 at 12:03 pm

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Annuity Buyouts

What are annuity buyouts?

Annuity buyouts by structured settlement companies    JG Wentworth and Peachtree financial two leading Note Buyers is when they purchase the full amount of your structured settlement at a discounted price.They make annuity buyouts from individuals and other companies who have been awarded a substantial settlement in a court case such as a personal injury lawsuit or a lovely big lottery win.

If you are the recipient of a big lottery win and you originally took your winnings as payments made over several years you could if you wanted to sell the balance left of your win for a cash now lump sum payment.A structured settlement company would negotiate to buy your remaining winnings (at a discount of course). The annuity buyout would offer a large lump sum now as opposed to the installment payments over time. It is a great solution if you require an immediate lump sum of cash.

In the case of a lawsuit Structured settlement both parties in the case benefit from this type of structure.The
plaintiff receives their compensation and the defendant doesn't get hit with a huge payment to be made immediately.
While although discounted the annuity buyouts offer another option to the person receiving the structured settlement
payments
.If you to sell your annuity for a large lump sum it is reassuring to know that there are structured settlement
companies
available.

A buyer of structured settlements makes their return on investment over a long period of time and they may too decide to sell off the annuity enabling reinvestment in other more profitable investments with their  annuity buyout payment.Your annuity payments may be a legal structured settlement, a private mortgage note or even an inheritance tied up in probate. It pays to look around for a good structured settlement company that specializes in lump sum payments for  structured settlements, annuities and real estate notes. As with all business competition is fierce so don't bite at your first offer and shop around.Let them know you are shopping around and bargain for a good deal.It may be worth using a structured settlement broker to help in the negotiations.

Structured settlements are financed by annuities, they are bought to make payments in installments over time to the payee. Structured settlements while very much like investment annuities they are different in nature with regard to  the actual owner of the note. Before you look for a structured settlement company make sure you do have the right to sell your annuity settlement.Some annuities are owned by an insurance company and you cannot sell them. Research your settlement with a structured settlement attorney or broker first.
 

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Annuity Settlement Options

Annuity settlement options explained

Annuity settlement options can be confusing and a little tricky. Many individuals have bought annuities of all kinds for the benefit of deferring taxes.Many people in retirement decide that it is time to cash in and contact structured settlement annuity companies  to take an annuity buyout for their structured settlement.

Here are some things you should consider before you decide on your annuity settlement options.The most common annuity settlement options people go for is annually  to take incremental payments over a period of time that you choose which may even be for your lifetime.Annuity payments come monthly,bi-annually or once yearly in exchange for surrendering your annuity to the annuity insurance company.Your annuity options usually include Lifetime Income,Period Certain and Period Certain Plus Life

Lifetime Income Option

Imagine you have $150,000 in an annuity and the insurance company figures that, due to your age and gender,they will pay you $1,600 a month for as long as you live. You collect $1,600 the first month, $1,600 the second month and another $1,600 the month after that THEN Oh oh you die unexpectedly in a freak accident.You basically made a wager with the insurance company that you would live long enough to get your $150,000 but you lost. $4,800 is all you got and due to your unfortunate demise they keep the remainder. This doesn't sound like a very good deal now does it?

Period Certain Option

This allows you to take your money out over a time-frame of 5,10,15 or 20 years. The insurance company guarantees to pay every penny of your money plus interest over that time. If as with the example above you are unfortunately killed your beneficiaries would get the remainder of the money in your annuity.So if you were to die unexpectedly at least your family would still get your money.

Period Certain Plus Life Option

With this annuity settlement option the insurance company guarantees to pay you a check each month for a certain period
of time, plus with the life option if you live beyond the agreed term of the annuity you will receive a monthly payment
for the rest of your life.

The options are not easy to choose and the different paths will suit different people. If a person was in a demographic expected to live to an old age may be better with a Lifetime Income whereas Somebody with health problems may be better off with a lump sum settlement or a 5 year Period Certain.Assess your health situation and that of your spouse along with your respective ages, what other sources of income you have and your tax obligations when choosing the right settlement option for you.

For a more flexible option you could elect to go for Systematic Withdrawals. with this option you would get a fixed percentage of the account value or a fixed monthly amount.You would be able to end this option at any time and  withdraw your remaining balance if you so wished.While Systematic Withdrawals may sound more advantageous than annuitization there are two distinct differences to note.

1)With an annuitization as your annuity settlement option, you can lock in a guaranteed monthly income regardless of
the performance of your annuity
2) Annuitization increases the tax deferral period as only a part of each payment is taxed. The IRS considers considers
the other part of your payments a return of principal.

A last option

You may want to consider keeping the annuity letting it grow and not take payments at all. Some annuities  don't allow this as an option and  withdrawals must be made by a certain age.You could opt for a tax-free exchange to another annuity that  may have more lenient withdrawal requirements, but beware of surrender charges on your policy.

Who would have thought receiving a check could be so darn confusing. It's really not as complicated as it sounds though and there are annuity brokers in every town who help people with their annuity settlement options.
 

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Selling Structured Settlements

When someone has received a structured settlement from their personal injury case or workers comp claim the thought often crops up as to whether it is best to sell structured settlements for a lump sum payment. This idea may have been triggered by a commercial or an ad online that got their attention with the appeal of a "cash now" proclamation grabbing their attention.Selling structured settlements for a lump sum however may also come from a genuine need for cash now to pay for living expenses. Selling a structured settlement is not actually always possible and it is often not a good financial decision.

 

Making Your Structured Settlement Work For You

The ideal time to decide if a structured settlement is not the right option for you is before you agree to such a settlement. You may want to push for a lump sum payment or maybe for a periodic lump sum payment in conjunction with smaller annual payment.Maybe you want a lump sum to be paid at a time in the future when you are anticipating a certain need. Working out out a structured settlement that satisfies your needs right from the start you will enable you to maximize the value of your settlement and get the best tax benefits from the structured portion of your settlement.

Structured settlement companies that buy structured settlements hope to make money from the purchase of your settlement. Their profit comes from the payments you would otherwise receive.If your abillity to earn an income in the future is in any way diminished due to the nature of your injury, you should take this into consideration when thinking about selling your structured settlement. when you are making any decision

Restrictions on Selling Settlements

Laws in many states restrict or even prevent the selling of structured settlements, and may impose federal regulations to any sale of structured settlements.You should be ready to have to get court approval for the sale and most states have regulate the transfer process within their statutes. An insurance company issuing annuities for the structured settlement may not go along with the sale of a settlement and claim that payments cannot be assigned.

Tax Consequences of selling structured settlements

A standard annuity settlement is structured to give significant tax advantages to an injured plaintiff.There may be severe tax consequences when selling a structured settlement part or in it's entirety.While payments may be tax exempt under the structured settlement a lump sum payment from the sale of the settlement will be taxed.


Look Around For Good Deals

If you are thinking about selling your settlement and are searching for a buyer don't accept the first offer you receive, shop around. Furthermore You may do far better if you first consult with a structured settlement broker or annuities attorney to find the best deal and settlement company. Be sure to deal with an established, reputable buyer and consult with an attorney.An  attorney can make sure you are entering into a fair deal and protect you from any pitfalls.A key one being that if the company purchasing your settlement is unable to collect payments from the insurance company issuing the annuity in yoursettlement you are not left being responsible for those payments. An attorney can make sure the terms of the purchase agreement are fair and can tell you if the offer made for your settlement is a reasonable amount.

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Sell Annuity

How to Sell annuity

The Sell annuity option is one many people never consider.Whether it be a fixed, indexed or variable annuity many people don't know that they can possibly sell annuity for a lump sum payment and that investors do this all the time. So why would one consider selling annuities and using structured settlement company   JG Wentworth and the like? Well with a lump sum one could invest the money for better yields or just a better rate of interest.Or one might need money for other financial endeavors like investing in  buying a home, going to college or buying a business etc.

Restrictions when selling annuities

There may be restrictions in place when it comes to selling your annuity, usually some sort of time restriction. Also to be considered is associated charges involved in a withdrawal made before the decided date.When selling annuity payments you have the option to limit withdrawal fees which helps get more from your annuity money. Many companies buy annuities as an investment so look around for the best deal if you are considering selling your annuity.Different annuity contracts contain different options and not all annuities can be sold. Structured settlement companies offering to purchase your annuity will review the settlement contract to determine if Selling annuity is indeed an option for you. If it is and they proceed to buy your annuity then they will be given the right to the annuity and all future payments.

There are various ways to sell Annuity

It is possible to sell a portion of your future payments without selling your whole annuity.Another option for selling annuity payments is to sell the whole thing for a lump sum payment.Be sure to consult with a tax professional before you do anything. It is clearly imperative to know the tax repercussions before opting for an annuity buyout.Many annuity investments offer tax advantages with  deferred payments. It is important therefore for you to weigh up the tax benefits and disadvantages before selling your annuity. Many people make the mistake and sell their annuity before reviewing all of their options and lose money because of it.

selling annuity tips

Examine your reasons for originally having the annuity to begin with.Was it to provide for you as you got older? If it was then the long term security of your annuity should be considered.You can structure your annuity to pay you for your entire life no matter how old you live to.Great security.

If you die prematurely your annuity can be paid to your beneficiaries such as a surviving spouse or children who will not incur any probate taxes.There are no continuation fees or costs involved with your annuity you carry on earning the interest.

Annuities are fully guaranteed,offering security and protection.This means the money invested is generally not money lost although you should check that the company is well established and has a good reputation.Annuities offer a double guarantee. That of the insurance company holding the funds and your state of residence .Annuities provide tax deferral. As the funds accumulate there are no taxes to be paid.You also get an exclusion ratio with annuities.

When financial hardship hits you a quick temptation may  be to sell your annuity. Wait! before selling your annuity consider all the ways to get access to your funds. Contact the company from where you bought your annuity and find out what other options you have.

Alternative options to selling annuity payments

Consider taking a 10% withdrawal of your account annually. Earned interest is usually available for withdrawal. Withdrawing your funds without surrendering the penalty over five years is also another possible option.Changing your annuity to a fixed payout can be done without any penalty. In a situation where you need to use all or a major part of your annuity fund there would be the contractual surrender penalties.This would still be less than selling your annuity to another company.

Before considering  annuity buyouts review all the options available to you.Don't be rash in your decision making process

Buyers of annuities get all or part of the remaining monthly payments.You can sell installments from your annuity for a lump sum payment. You can sell your annuity through a shared structural settlement plan.This helps make the current financial payments,
as only the necessary monthly installment will be bought. Finally, a lump sum deferred payment from a structured settlement offers instant cash now.

Hopefully this information has enlightened those people who did't realize their annuities could be sold. The bottom line is you need to first find out if selling annuity payments is an option available to you.Next you must do the math and decide if selling your annuity is a financially viable thing to do.If you need cash now consider every option before completely selling your annuity investments.

 

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Cash for Structured Settlement

If you are looking for a cash for structured settlement lump sum payment you would be wise to seek out the a well established Structured Settlement Company to deal with. Avoid the less respectable,slick,salesy type lawsuit loan funding companies.You  may even want to use the services of a structured settlement broker to help you negotiate the deal.

There are plenty of good annuity companies out there that will work with you to get you your structured settlement company loan.They are not all created equal however so here is what to look out for;

Research  the company's background and make sure they are in good standing within the financial community. Knowing who you are dealing with can save you time and money.Make sure you are not liable for payments to them for your lump sum should their annuities not come in.

As the  the recipient of a structured settlement you may not be permitted to settle for cash. You may find the reasons to hold on to what you have out-weigh selling for cash.In taking a lump sum cash payment you will probably get less value for your money. Here are more questions to ask structured settlement companies when looking to cash out.

1. Can my taxes be deferred?

2. What if I need more in the future? (When taking payments)

3. Can I get other benefits worked into the structure?

4. What options are best for my situation?

5. Which payment option offers me the most money?

Contracts can be complicated and using a structured settlement attorney or a an annuities broker to negotiate your agreement is advisable. With so many options the structure of your settlement is what is important. Do you want annual payments or a lump sum?
You can opt for annuity payments with small lump sums paid incrementally. There is the choice to take a large payment at certain times or an annual lump sum. You want a deal that offers the most money with the least amount of taxes to be paid. As with anything shop around amongst the respectable structured settlement companies.

When we suffer injury and our future is irrevocably altered we need to know what options we have. Finding the right company is crucial to help you through this difficult time and ease your worries about the future.
Structured settlement companies are in this to make money and will earn from your structured settlement payout.This is why you need to choose the right company to get cash for your structured settlement.

US State laws vary with regards to structured settlements and annuities. Some states do not allow structured settlements to be bought and sold.It is important to understand the taxation payouts also. With a  structured settlement you can limit your taxation when a lump sum requires the full payment for instance.

Don't sign on the dotted line until an attorney has explained to you the terms of your agreement. Ask if the amount seems fair and if it is going to be an adequate amount to sustain your lifestyle in the future.

Make sure your annuity attorney explains

what happens if the settlement company does not get their money?
If they can recommend a good structured settlement company. What will happen to your money if you die?
Is there an option to forward the balance to your estate?
(When no options are specified or declared the the balance will transfer to the Insurance Company)

Finding the right structured settlement company takes effort and due diligence but the pay off is worth it.
Find the right company,negotiate a fair deal then enjoy your cash for structured settlement payment.
 

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