Structured Settlements 4RealStructured Settlements 4RealStructured Settlements, Structured Installment Sales, Structured Attorney Fees, Settlement Planning Articles
What is "Structured Asse"? A Factoring Spy Story
2008-03-18 01:47:00 When the words "Structured Asse" come up in Your Caller ID do you pick up? Apparently Sovereign Funding Group's phone rang today with a call from "Structured Asse", although the caller answered to the name of Josh Wander. Apparently Wander wondered who Sovereign Funding's funding source was. So who is Josh Wander, why is Wander wondering, and who is he an operative for? The easy phone trace saved the careless wondering Wander from Sodium Pentothal. The phone number 954-455-6060 for "Structured Asse" was traced to Structured Asset Funding, LLC (a/k/a "123 Lump Sum", a/k/a "123 Lump Dumb" the company that solicits in web ads that you could sell your structured settlement payment rights for a Ferrari or boat), which explains the dilemma of "Structured Asse". The intrigue builds when one learns that according to public records the owners of "Structured Asse" are also the sole manager members of Bentzen Fundi... More About: Story , Factoring
Offspring of "James Bond Nemesis" Writes About Structured Settlements For S
2008-03-18 00:38:00 Could writer Jacob Malewitz pass for the offspring of the character "Jaws" (from James Bond movie Moonraker) and "Miss Dolly"? Malewitz states on "A Writer's Eye" that he "does know the world of structured settlements". In his "Structured Settlements from StoneStreet.com" he simply shows how little he really knows about structured settlements. Jacob Malewitz confuses the term "structured settlement" with structured settlement factoring transaction both of which are defined terms under the Internal Revenue Code and refers people to Stone Street Capital for structured settlements. Stone Street Capital is NOT a structured settlement company. Stone Street Capital is NOT a structured settlement broker. Stone Street Capital is NOT a member of any recognized structured settlement industry trade association. Stone Street Capital is a factoring company which happens to do structured settlement factoring transactions. If... More About: Offspring , Nemesis
JG Wentworth Continues to Rack Up Awards
2008-03-17 19:52:00 An Austin TX bible thumper has awarded JG Wentworth, the largest member of the National Association of Settlement Purchasers, with the prestigious "Slimeball of the Month" for February 2008. According to the award sponsor... Slimeball of the Month award.This one is for people, agencies, or organizations that: promote zero tolerance steal the rights of citizens take money from the poor by slight of hand destroy our national sovereignty undermine the defense of our nation promote myths about ... Click here for why it chooses to honor JG Wentworth. The astute Texan states "that any financial councilor (sic.) can tell you that giving a lump sum of money to someone who can't manage a cash flow will make them worse off in the end". Congratulations JG Wentworth! As "Kristen" said to "Client No. 9"- "Keep It up!" More About: Awards , Rack
Sovereign "Crowns" Bentzen
2008-03-17 05:59:00 Sovereign Financial Group offers an alternative point of view to factoring broker Bentzen Funding Solutions' latest "lead balloon" that " price is just a price - one that any self-serving individual could claim to have the best of, especially when quoting it to someone who doesn’t truly understand the ins and outs of the business. It’s what comes with that price that makes it all make sense in the end" Sovereign suggests that you ask yourself this question: Would Walmart be the most successful retail store in the World today if while providing excellent service it did not make Price the #1 focus of its attention? Sovereign states that its #1 job is to offer the very best price for the transfer and sale of each structured settlement case on the secondary market. At the same time, it is dedicated to offering the most comprehensive service available in the industry. And THEY don't gossip. Other blog reactions came from Andrew Cravenho at the Settlement Quot... More About: Crowns , Sovereign
When $100,000 Turns Into $1176 in 14 months!
2008-03-17 02:12:00 The Wall Street Journal early edition is reporting that the once venerable Bear Stearns brokerage house has been sold to JP Morgan Chase for $2 a share. At its high in January 2007 the shares were priced at $170 per share. Consider this: Had you invested $100,000 of settlement money in the stock of Bear Stearns at $170 per share in January 2007 and held it to today your investment would be worth approximately $1,176. That's one of an investment! Had you sold your structured settlement for a discounted amount of cash now in January 2007, because someone told you about "a great investment opportunity" (which happened to be Bear Stearns stock) and you sold your annuity payments, bought and held the investment in the stock through today, you would have been a two time loser. You would have effectively destroyed a safe secure program, taken the discounted amount of cash and it would now be worth less than 2% of the amount you subsequently invested! Had you taken t... More About: Months
Is American General the Same as AIG?
2008-02-12 16:14:00 The above question was raised earlier this morning. Answer: American General Corporation, Houston, TX, is one of the many operating companies within American International Group, Inc. (AIG). On August 30, 2001 AIG finalized its acquisition of American General Corporation (American General). In the structured settlement industry AIG Structured Settlements, based in Amarillo, TX, distributes annuities through licensed structured settlement brokers and settlement planners who are appointed with either or both American General Life Insurance Company and American International Life Assurance Company of New York.
Is "Digital Discount Codes" a Hoax?
2008-02-12 04:52:00 It has already been established that Structured Settlement Alliance is an alter ego of JG Wentworth, part of its $43 million plan of annoyance cloaked as advertising. A website called Digital Discount Codes is advertising deals and discount codes, freebies, percent off, dollar off coupons and other special sales for Structured Settlement Alliance, including secret codes and free "shipping offers". Download structured_settlement_alliance_"fant asy"_coupons.pdf Clicking on the Structured Settlement Alliance link brings you to the "standard issue" Structured Settlement Alliance website and no deals and discount codes, freebies, percent off, dollar off coupons and other special sales for Structured Settlement Alliance, including secret codes and free "shipping offers". A quick check shows that the owner of the site has registered through GoDaddy.com but elected to remain anonymous. How is JG Wentworth inveigled with the owners of Digital Disco... More About: Hoax
"Convergence" versus the "Quarterback"
2008-02-12 03:35:00 "Technological convergence" refers to a trend where some technologies having distinct functionalities evolve to technologies that overlap, i.e. multiple products come together to form one product, with the advantages of each initial component. Some would say that there has been an industry convergence...in what Patrick Johann Hindert refers to as "overlapping markets": structured settlements, factoring, special needs planning and life settlements. Is it just a marketing gimmick or is there really a convergence? If there is, is it a new concept? Could this convergence be represented by a series of only 4 overlapping Venn Diagrams or is it more like a full compass rose? The core competencies of a Chartered Financial Consultant are embodied in these 8 courses that one must pass to earn the ChFC designation. HS 300 Financial Planning: Process and Environment*HS 311 Fundamentals of Insurance PlanningHS 321 Income TaxationHS 326 Planning for Retirement Needs HS 32... More About: Convergence , Versus , Quarterback
"Truffle" in Paradise? Does Hindert have "Ned Head"?
2008-02-11 23:42:00 Did S2KM's Hindert wake up with a bad case of "Ned Head " or what ? From 10 podcasts with Ned Arthur on the spin, to none at all, it seems like Patrick Hindert has had it with the abominable quality "phase delay" sound Truffle Media podcasts, or has he? More About: Paradise
DealFlow Media on First Name Basis With Judge or Just Disrespectful?
2008-02-11 16:22:00 Is DealFlow Media a friend of the judge or just disrespectful? In the Structured Settlements wire report concerning the "Financial Vultures" story, DealFlow was quoted "On two instances during the court hearing, "Netti" ordered Stone Street attorney Christopher L. Russo to contact his superiors and see about increasing the offer, which represented...." Perhaps Judge Netti C. Vogel could quote from A Few Good Men (in this case Women) and inform DealFlow that "a judge is to be referred to as judge or your honor"...I'm quite confident she's earned it!
Factoring Brokerage "Charts" Costs Of The Structured Settlement Factoring
2008-02-09 16:37:00 Andrew Cravenho, owner of factoring brokerage Settlement Quotes has put together an informative post which does a nice job of graphically illustrating the component costs associated with a structured settlement factoring transaction and their effect on the "effective discount rate" for such transactions. It's clear from the material presented that the effective "cost of money"for such transactions is likely to be excessive for small amounts (because of those costs) when compared to other potentially available alternatives. This explains why someone who needs a small amount of money often is told by factoring companies to sell a multiple of that amount in order to net out at the sum required. To his credit, Cravenho explicitly states that his company DOES NOT recommend that a tort victim sell more payments simply to obtain a lower discount rate. The logical question inspired by Cravenho's charts is how can companies like Peachtree Settlement Fundin... More About: Charts , Brokerage , Costs , Factoring
Hindert Lauds Opening of Secondary (Factoring) Market For Executive Life an
2008-02-08 21:34:00 It seems that author and "factoring promoter" Patrick J. Hindert lauds the the December announcement of a solution to the Executive Life of New York shortfall as the impetus for the "reopening of the secondary (read factoring) market in Executive Life annuities". Source: DealFlow Media's 02/06/2008 Structured Settlement Report (page 7 bottom right corner). During a January presentation to the NSSTA by Wayne Mehlman of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), who spoke about the solvency requirements and regulatory oversight of the Life Insurance Industry, Hindert cynically questioned Mehlman and was heard to be, and seen as visibly to be, emotional about the interests of the factoring companies in these situations. Hindert will make the rounds "promoting the factoring market" first as featured speaker at the upcoming Society of Settlement Planners annual meeting in Washington, DC and then March 28-29 at the Academy of Sp... More About: Market , Opening , Factoring
Dark Cloud Revisited in Illinois Courtroom
2008-02-08 20:48:00 A legal malpractice trial in Edwardsville, Illnois courtroom has reopened old wounds about the area's most notorious swindler James Gibson "who stole millions from children and widows by making off with their structured settlement funds". In the case plaintiff's attorney Rex Carr is trying to convince the jury to take pity on another victim in the "debacle," his client, Magna Bank ( which is now Regions Bank). According to The St. Clair Post, Carr opened the trial with "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, yesterday when you took your oaths, you became part of a Judicial Hellhole" and proceeded to tell the assembled members, including two alternates, that all of the judges, attorneys and juries in Madison County are corrupt.Two months ago the American Tort Reform Association, for removed St. Clair and Madison from the 2007 "Judicial Hell Hole" county list because of various local reforms.The Gibson scandal, which hit in the terrible time period... More About: Illinois , Dark , Cloud , Courtroom
New Factoring Exchange Announced by SQ
2008-02-07 15:26:00 Settlement Quotes, a factoring brokerage out of Rhode Island has just started an online factoring exchange according to a February 5, 2008 press release. A factoring exchange is an auction, where those who have exhausted all other alternatives and have no other alternative but to sell the rights to part of their structured settlement payments for a discounted amount of cash now. The advantage of an auction is that tort victims in this predicament can avoid the likes of Peachtree Settlment Funding and their 19% plus discount rates. The press release states that in some cases discount rates as low as 7% have been possible. Thousands more can be put in the pockets of tort victims instead of factoring companies. The factoring industry now has two factoring exchange/factoring auction sites, Settlement Quotes and Quote Me A Price. I've long believed that there is no reason for factoring companies to be charging big bucks to tort victims on AA or AAA rated paper just to satisfy inve... More About: Exchange , Factoring
Why Blow $1,195 or $1,500 on DealFlow Media's "Structured Settlements Repor
2008-02-07 03:42:00 Having now read the sample copy of the First Edition of The Structured Settlements Report, a new publication of DealFlow Media, I am unimpressed. First, the DealFlow Media publication Structured Settlements Report has to be Patrick Hindert's wet dream come true. The publication's tag line is News, Information and Analysis of the Primary and Secondary Markets. Like a kvelling uncle, HIndert has been trying to pair these two up for SOOOOO long. Structured Settlements Report main story is clearly about highlighting the negatives of the primary and the "phenomenal growth of the secondary". According to DealFlow Media, the segment of the factoring industry that purchases structured settlement payment rights (which are referred to as the secondary ) does $350MM per year and the structured settlement industry does $6B plus per year. By my calculations that means that only 5.8% of the annual premium volume of structured settlements written annually is being factored. Bu...
When Feathers Fly
2008-02-06 16:39:00 There is a story frequently included in Yom Kippur sermons, about a gossipy woman who felt guilty about her behavior and told her rabbi that she wanted to make amends. The rabbi told her to take a feather pillow to the top of a hill, cut it open, and let the feathers fly. She did as he asked, and upon her return asked the rabbi if she was now forgiven. He told her there was one more step: she had to go back to the hill, and gather up all the feathers. The Internet is a powerful tool, which, like any invention, can be used for good or evil purposes. With a click of a button, truth or lies can be disseminated to literally millions of people, spreading much further than the feathers of a pillow. Think about it! More About: Feathers
Man of a 1,000 Posts!
2008-02-06 03:12:00 It took a little less than 26 months but Structured Settlements 4Real has hit the 1,000 post milestone. This is 1,001. Let's dance baby! When you've written the most, chances are that someone searching is going to hit on one of your posts. It's been fun. It's been informative, controversial, provocative, door opening, and very effective. It's also been a learning experience. You learn a tremendous amount when you write. It is rewarding when I receive thank yous on a regular basis from tort victims who have been wading through the mistaken identity quagmire on the Internet and finally found relief, or from people both within and outside our industry for attempting to make a difference with my words. This type of difference doesn't cost much money. Just a little time and an active mind. Thank you readers and critics alike for the inspiration to reach this milestone. More About: Posts
State Insurance Guaranty Funds
2008-02-06 02:29:00 The question often comes up in a discussion of structured settlements and other financial products, "what insurance is available or what happens if the annuity issuer goes belly up?" It's a great question but one which many state laws preclude the licensed insurance agent or broker from answering. It's not a flim flam, it's designed to disincent a salesperson from making a recommendation to a customer for an inferior product or company with the reasoning that it's covered by such insurance. So how does one find out information? 4structures.com, LLC has compiled a list of State Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Funds , including their contact numbers as a starting point for your research. Click here to access the list. The National Organization of Life and Health Guarantee Assocations (NOLHGA)is another useful resource. NOLHGA was founded in 1983 when the state guaranty associations determined that there was a need for a mechanism to help them coordinate their efforts t...
"Geeks Gone Wild"...Beware Spamatazoa!
2008-02-06 00:33:00 Supposedly it's the case of "geeks gone wild", or at least that's Bob Shapiro of Woodbridge Investments excuse for why his factoring company Woodbridge Investments ("the carnival kings") is spamming all manner of structured settlement industry and factoring industry weblogs. Andrew Cravenho reports Shapiro's canard in this story The idea behind the spamming is that the geeks spread their spamatazoa on unsuspecting websites, each embedded with a link back to the Woodbridge website. By sprinkling this "fertilizer" the geek hope is that it will metastasize. The extent to which it is able to do that is a function of the actions of the object of the unwanted "advance. The geek prays that the web site owner will accept the message is legitimate or is ignorant to the problem (a la the Hindert "Comment Spam Farm" before Hindert finally wised up after being repeatedly flamed for his errant till.) I don't think that a business owner like Bob ... More About: Geeks , Wild , Beware
Ben Having Too Much Fun..Missing Details
2006-08-08 19:57:27 Rhonda Bentzen of Bentzen Fun ding Solutions, former structured settlement broker and Chairwoman of the Society of Settlement Planners ("The SSP") has started a New Blog. While a new voice in the blogosphere is always welcome one of her early posts about The Society of Settlement Planners is devoid of some crucial details and the record needs to be set straight. Ben Fun: "It started a number of years ago by a small handful of this industries (sic) key players "feeling a need to separate themselves from the NSSTA" Structured Settlements 4Real: Part of the solicitation letter I and others received dated January 16, 2002 stated the "SSP?s plans are to seek out an educational institution that will administer an accreditation program culminating in a professional designation. Emphasis in this program will be given to the full range of settlement planning needs of injury victims and survivors, and the appropriate strategies, products and services to me... More About: Miss , Sing , Missing , Much
TheStreet.Com acquires assets of Weiss Ratings, Inc.
2006-08-08 19:57:27 It was reported today on the Business Wire that that certain assets of Weiss Ratings , Inc. ("Ratings") a wholly owned subsidiary of Weiss Group, Inc. have been acquired by TheStreet .com a leading provider of financial commentary, analysis and news. Ratings is an 18 year old company that provides independent financial evaluations in industries where it believes investors are at risk. Ratings tracks the risk-adjusted performance of more than 16,000 mutual funds and more than 6,000 stocks. In addition, Ratings uses proprietary quantitative computer models to evaluate the financial strength of more than 13,000 financial institutions, including and of interest to structured settlement brokers, structured settlement payment recipients and attorneys, life, health and annuity insurers; property and casualty insurers; HMOs; Blue Cross Blue Shield plans; banks and savings and loans. According to the report "TheStreet.com believes the Ratings acquisition is ... More About: Sets , Tree
Others Using Your Trademarks a No No?
2006-08-06 19:54:29 A number of advertisers are buying Google Adsense keywords of the registered and unregistered trademarks and service marks of structured settlement brokers and settlement consultants. Enter the following into the Google Search engine and "caught naked in the spotlights" is another structured settlement broker and/or a well known factoring company in the pay per click ads. Halpern Group Ringler Associates EPS Settlements Forge Summit Settlements Understand that the advertiser actually bought these words in order to appear in the Google search. Any advertisers that click on those ads mean the pay per click advertiser is potentially making money by drawing in customers who are looking for you on the Internet! An interesting discussion on the subject appears on Pimpmyadrank.com (yeah...I know) which represents that Dell Computer Australia used the names of Acer and Toshiba in Pay Per Click Ad. The 10/3/2001 issue of Search Engine Marketing reported the case ... More About: Other , Others , Your , Trade , Sing
Is United States Government a member of Settlement Planners
2006-08-06 19:54:29 In its Search Member function on its web site, the Society of Settlement Planners lists "Government of the United State s " among the choices of members to search! Is the Society of Settlement Planners now representing that our government is a member of the Society? More About: Men
Structured Settlement Advertising Wall of Shame 7-30-06
2006-08-06 19:54:29 Strategic Capital (a/k/a Stratcap), a factoring company is still advertising in a manner that brings it to the top of the Google search engine results when one types in "Structured Settle ment Quote" or "Structured Settlement Quote CT". The law is clear, a structured settlement can be funded with an annuity (an insurance product the sale of which requires a license) or obligations of the United States government. Strategic Capital is not a licensed insurance agent or broker in the state of Connecticut. For this reason Strategic Capital should not be permitted to title a web page "Free Structured Settlement Quote" and use it in connection with the State of Connecticut or any other state in which it does not hold a life insurance license. It is an unfair trade practice that hurts licensed insurance agents, brokers and confuses consumers, all of whom are registered voters. More About: Advertising , Men , Wall , Sing
Maxicash Deserves Maxi Smash
2006-08-06 19:54:29 Structured settlements are a well established stable solution to the future needs of physical injury and wrongful death claimants plaintiffs, offering among other things a customizable series of payments, free of income taxes and automatic spendthrift protection. A company or individual doing business as Maxi cash.com advertises "Annuities Structured Settlements Quote" on the Internet and even provides a form for "Annuities Structured Settlement Quote". This can be found on the first page of a search in Google for "Structured Settlement Annuity Quote". The meta tag title in the Maxicash.com web page source code reads "Annuities Structured Settlements Quote", the description of content on the web page source code reads "Annuities Structured Settlements Quote" and the meta keywords content reads "annuities, structured settlements, payments, attorney, insurance" Maxicash is not in the business of giving structured... More About: Cash , Smash , Icas , Serve
Estate Taxes and Structured Settlements
More articles from this author:2006-08-06 19:54:29 How Does the Estate Tax Affect Structured Settlements? What is the Estate Tax? The Estate Tax is a tax on your right to transfer property at your death. It consists of an accounting of everything you own or have certain interests in at the date of death. Of interest to structured settlement recipients is that Estate Taxes are due on the present value, as of date of death of any remaining guaranteed or certain periodic payments. IRC Sec. 2033 provides that the value of the gross estate shall include the value of all property to the extent therein of the decedent at the date of death. IRC Sec 2039(a) provides that the gross estate shall include the value of an annuity or other payment receivable by any beneficiary by reason of surviving the decedent under any form of contract or agreement if, under such contract or agreement, an annuity or other payment was payable to the decedent, or the decedent possessed the right to receive such annuity or payment, either alone or in conjunctio... More About: Men , State 1, 2, 3, 4 |
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