News and Tips on structured settlement transfers.

Posts Tagged: annuity

25
Dec 11

Buy My Annuity Payments

There are lots of different ways to fall into an annuity. Some people receive them as compensation for years of work. Others receive them through settlement plans from some lawsuit or potential lawsuit. Others still purchase annuities as a means of investment. When you get the annuity, you almost always think that you will be fine with collecting the money slowly over time. But circumstances can change. Life is such that things are almost always changing and you might need the money right away instead of over the course of time. If I wanted someone to buy my annuity payments, I would need to weigh the decision and make a proper determination first and foremost.

Should I get someone to buy my annuity payments?

This is largely a loaded question. My situation and your situation are likely to be different. If you find yourself in a place where a lump sum of cash would do a great amount of good, then it can make sense to sell your annuity payments to a company that is willing to offer an acceptable lump sum. If you have some investment idea or some pressing need for the money, then you would be wise to get someone to buy your annuity payments for cash right now. Before you make this decision, you need to analyze whether or not it makes sense to you.

In order to do that, one must first understand the time value of money. The basic fundamentals of economics tell us that money right now is better than money in the future if the amount is the same. This is because of all the things that you can do with the money. Inflation is such that the same amount of money now will be worth less in the future. Likewise, if you have investment possibilities, then you could potentially make the money grow at a rate that makes sense. These are things that you will need to think about as you decide whether or not to sell your annuity payments.

Selling your annuity payment rights

You might have guessed by this point that the company that buys your annuity payments will pay a discounted price for them. That is how they make money. Whether or not it makes sense to make this sacrifice ultimately depends upon the price you are getting. You will have to sacrifice something to get the money up front, but you shouldn’t give up too much value. A smart consumer will shop around and settle on the best possible annuity buyer. Some companies are very good at giving you a lump sum quickly. Do your research and work with a reliable, reputable company if you are going to sell your payment rights.

If you need help selling your structured settlement, annuity or lottery payments,
contact us today. We are here to answer your questions and help you obtain the
highest possible price for your payments.

23
Jan 11

Who Wants Your Annuity?

Someone who has a structured settlement and is considering a sale of it may wonder who would want to buy. And why?

The purchase of structured settlements as an investment opportunity is getting more play in the media. It’s new (not really)! It’s different (well, OK)! It gives a great return (correct)! The allure is understandable: for an up-front infusion of cash, an investor can take over an existing stream of payments. Because structured settlement buyers use a discount rate to figure how much they’ll pay, they can control their profits – and rate of return. With discount rates often in the double digits, the return on a structured settlement can easily beat any stock or bond available in today’s markets.

The current recessionary economy has also created a boon for settlement buyers. With the economic downturn, structured settlement annuitants are highly motivated to sell. They need cash to pay medical bills, to survive unemployment, or to hold off foreclosure. The more desperate the seller, the more likely they’ll accept a highly discounted settlement, and take the deal fast.

Another reason investors love structured settlements: security. Most annuities are created when a lawsuit defendant takes a lump sum to an insurance company and purchases it. The insurance company is able to invest that cash and earn enough interest to make the payment stream to the plaintiff. These investments are locked in, and usually protected. As a result, the payment stream is relatively secure. As long as the insurer stays in business, the payment stream is a certainty. The only thing the buyer has to do is sit and wait.

But getting into this business can be tough. Of course, you’ll need access to cash in order to make those initial purchases. You’ll also need a reserve of cash to meet operating expenses while you’re waiting for those first settlement payments to come in. You’ll need help navigating the regulatory environment surrounding the sales of structured settlements. All states have a strict process and timeline for sales, and all of them include a “cooling off” period in which the seller could change his mind. You might invest a lot of time and resources into a purchase, only to have the seller back out at the last minute.

Finally, there are a number of very big players in the market who do a high volume of structured settlement buys. In order to get noticed in a bidding environment like QMAP, you’ll have to make your bid stand out – this may mean taking a lower profit.

21
Jan 11

Why a FA is an Annuitant’s Best Friend

So, you’re thinking about selling that structured settlement. Hoping to get a big cash payout. Got big plans for that money. So, what next?

Your state may require you to consult with an attorney and/or financial advisor (FA) before you finalize the sale of your settlement. Even if it doesn’t, finding some good advice is a great idea, even if it costs you a few bucks.

What am I really getting? A good financial advisor can look at the details of the deals being offered to your by competing buyers (if you haven’t shopped your annuity to more than one buyer, do it now – QMAP offers a free and easy way to get competing bids) to give you a good idea which one is best for you.

Should I Sell at All? A financial advisor will ask you about the reasons why you’re looking to sell your settlement. A good FA will try to find alternatives to selling. Remember that an annuity is designed to ensure you can cover your expenses for a fixed period of time, so you should be sure you’ve exhausted all other possibilities before you sell. A good FA might find something that you haven’t yet considered.

Dirty Tricks. When you seek out a financial advisor for help, find one who’s had recent experience in selling structured settlements. Chances are, he’s seen what buyers try to do to bump up their profits: change the deal midstream; introduce new “processing,” “legal,” “administrative” fees; or something similar. The buyer’s costs should be met as part of the deal, so if you’re asked to pay in additional fees, consider this a red flag.

Details of the Deal. A financial advisor can look at what’s being offered to you, and figure out how you’ll really come out in the end. The discount rate is what buyers use to scale back the total amount of your annuity and figure out what they’re willing to pay. A good FA can figure competing discount rates. The lowest discount rate – although it means the best lump sum payment for your annuity – can be a sign of trouble if the prospective buyer tends to float a favorable offer, only to pull it back later.

Who Are You? Still, don’t just trust anyone who hangs a “Financial Advisor” shingle outside his door. All those letters after his name should mean something, and a few quick Internet searches will tell you what. Ask him specifically about his experience with structured settlements, and find out how recently he’s handled one.

19
Jan 11

Structured Settlement Concepts – Annuities

If you’re the owner of a structured settlement, you may hear the term annuity a lot in connection with your settlement. What does it mean, anyway?

An annuity is defined as a financial product sold by financial institutions that is designed to accept funds and then pay out a stream of payments to the individual at a later point in time. Annuities have lots of uses, but in the case of a structured settlement, they allow a defendant in a lawsuit to set aside an amount of cash less than the court-ordered amount. The amount that goes into the annuity is invested, allowing the amount to grow until it is sufficient to make payments to the plaintiff over the course of several months or years.

So why would a settlement be arranged like this? Why doesn’t the defendant just pay you what he owes? Most likely, the defendant doesn’t have that kind of cash on hand to pay the total lawsuit award, so the structured settlement allows him to satisfy your claim with the cash he has. Typically the defendant will purchase the annuity through an insurance company. The defendant pays in enough to be invested and make the future payments, and he’s done.

But there’s another purpose to the structured settlement annuity, and it’s meant to protect you. If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be disabled and unable to work. The structured settlement ensures that you will have a steady stream of cash to pay your living expenses for a fixed amount of time. It prevents you from spending everything right away, and because the payments come in intervals, there’s no chance the money will burn a hole in your pocket. The structured settlement protects you from you.

However, you may be facing unforeseen circumstances, such as medical or legal expenses, or tuition, and need access to the full amount of your settlement now. So, you may sell all or part of the structured settlement payment stream for a lump sum of cash. Just remember:

You will get less in a lump sum than you would have received over time. The buyer of your settlement will use a discount rate to reduce the amount of your total settlement to today’s dollars.
Structured settlement buyers are companies looking to make an investment and turn a profit. They are not in business to help you, so make sure that selling is your best and only option.
The sale of a structured settlement will take some 45-60 days, or even longer depending on your state. If you need money sooner than that, selling your settlement won’t help.
Selling is forever. Once the payment stream is sold, you will never have access to it again. If living without your annuity is an unpleasant thought, don’t sell.

24
Dec 10

The Downside of Annuities (part 2)

This is the second post in a series discussing the pitfalls of annuities, specifically variable annuities. Regulators and the media have given increased attention to these products in recent years, as more cases have surfaced showing they have been sold to people who were unaware of the terms and risks involved.

Risk. A fixed annuity pays a fixed, and stated, rate of return throughout the annuity term, and so is likely invested in very safe, low-return investments. A variable annuity, by contrast, is usually invested in mutual funds or other products that have a higher return but are definitely riskier. While there is certainly a place for higher-return investments as part of an overall financial planning strategy, this could be disastrous if a substantial portion of your retirement savings – money you can’t afford to lose – is parked there. Take a hard look at the underlying investments for any annuity. A sales rep will emphasize attractive returns, but don’t stop there. Find out where, exactly, your money will be invested. Will it be invested in mutual funds based on untested industries or uncertain emerging markets? Will it be invested in high-risk, high-return “junk” bonds?

Death Benefit. Variable annuities often feature a death benefit that guarantees your heirs will receive the full value of the annuity in the event of your death, even if the annuity has lost value. This may sound like a good deal, but it isn’t free. Usually, there is a charge, perhaps one or two percent per year, for this benefit. That doesn’t sound like much, but calculate what this percentage means in real dollars, and then compare this amount to going rates for life insurance. You might be able to buy a life insurance policy outright for the same amount or less, providing exactly the same benefit to your heirs.

Hefty Fees. Variable annuities have notoriously high fees. Why? Because everyone involved needs to make their money. The mutual funds underlying your investment have fees, and those fees have to be passed on to you. The insurance companies want to cover their costs – particularly the commissions they pay on the sale of variable annuities – and so they pass on fees to you, as well. Unless you’re earning above-average returns that cover all of these fees, you would almost assuredly be better off investing your money outright and managing it yourself.

Other than keeping a large sum of money that you could spend too quickly out of your hands, most of what a variable annuity offers could be done on your own. Consider any variable annuity with a skeptical eye.

23
Dec 10

The Downside of Annuities (Part 1)

While an annuity can be a useful part of a retirement plan, the term “Variable Annuity” has become a dirty word in regulatory circles in recent years. There have been thousands of cases of people, particularly seniors, being talked into variable annuities that were completely inappropriate for them.

In 2009, a class action lawsuit against nationally-known insurance company Allianz alleged that some 340,000 people were sold risky variable annuities, and were misled by slick sales reps about the underlying terms and penalties of these annuities. They earn fat commissions on the sales of these products, so the incentive to sell – and the pressure they put on you to buy – is huge. Here are some things to watch out for if you’re being pitched this kind of product.

Surrender Penalty. The insurance companies who sell annuities don’t make any money if you’re able to pull the funds out whenever you want. So they tack on a “surrender penalty,” a percentage that the company deducts from your account if you close your account sooner than they would like. Read the fine print – you may have to wait three, five, seven years or more before you can take your money out without giving up a big percentage of it to do so. That means, if you’re unsatisfied with the annuity company, or if you have a financial emergency and need cash, you lose out big time. And depending on your age and life expectancy, what are the odds that you will outlive that surrender period?

In the Allianz case, the annuitants alleged they were promised an “upfront” bonus for purchasing the annuity that would offset the surrender penalty. The annuitants claimed, however, that Allianz was not on the hook for this bonus for fifteen years, and for some annuitants, the bonus never materialized.

Taxes. Annuity salesmen emphasize that these products grow tax-deferred, and that’s true. While your money is locked up in the annuity, you pay no taxes at all. Once you begin taking withdrawals, you pay taxes on the earnings portion of your annuity. But these earnings are taxed as income at your income tax rate. By contrast, were you to put your money in a mutual fund on your own, the earnings would be taxed each year as capital gains at just 15%. If you’re in a tax bracket higher than that, having your money in an annuity has actually cost you more in taxes.

The next post will address further red flags of variable annuities.

22
Dec 10

Annuities – The Basics

An annuity is, simply, a promise to make a series of regular payments over a period of time. The annuity contract spells out the terms of this promise.

There are various types of annuities, but this discussion centers on those used for retirement or income planning. An annuity can be a great way for someone to guarantee an income for himself and prevent himself from blowing his savings too early.

An immediate annuity is created when someone uses a lump sum of cash, such as accumulated retirement savings, to purchase an annuity. The annuity will consist of payments usually made over the life expectancy of the retiree. A deferred annuity occurs when someone makes periodic payments into an annuity; when all of the payments are made, the annuity begins making periodic payments to the annuitant.

Annuities can be fixed, that is, they pay a fixed interest rate over the life of the payments. This is a very safe and conservative option, but deprives the annuitant (that’s the person receiving the payments) the opportunity to reinvest the annuity funds into an investment with a higher rate of return.

A variable annuity does not provide that guaranteed rate of return, but also allows the annuitant more control over the investments underlying the annuity – and therefore a greater chance at earning more money. Generally the annuitant (and probably his investment advisor) will choose an allocation of investments designed to generate the desired return. The annuity may also call for reallocation at periodic intervals, where the annuitant can change the underlying makeup of his investment portfolio. One downside of this more active management of the annuity funds is the fees involved with buying, selling, or reallocation of the investments.

The structure of your annuity depends on the initial investment, interest rate, underlying investments, your life expectancy, and the beneficiary arrangements on your annuity. Obviously, the longer your life expectancy, the smaller the regular payments must be. If your annuity provides for distributions to your heirs in the event of your premature death, this changes your payments too.

Also important is the financial health of the company who issues your annuity, often an insurance or investment company. If this company becomes defunct, your annuity could be at risk, so you should research and be satisfied with the issuing company’s financial stability prior to buying in.

While an annuity can be an excellent retirement planning tool, there are plenty of investing and tax issues you should consider before deciding if one is right for you. significant risks and tax issues associated with them. Shop around, and talk to a competent financial and tax planning professional before you choose an annuity.

20
Aug 10

Getting the Best Price for your Annuity or Structured Settlement

Life often takes unexpected turns. Financial crises happen to most people and cash flow problems can snowball to a financial catastrophe. For example, if you’re behind on mortgage payments, it could mean losing your home. If you lose your home, you would still be required to pay rent at another residence.

If you have a structured settlement or other type of annuity, should you sell it? It depends on a number of factors, including other assets or sources of income, the risk you stand to lose if a financial crisis is not averted, and what you stand to gain if sold.

Fortunately, if you decide to sell your annuity, there is help available. There are some useful tips on selling your annuity.

Finding a marketplace to sell your annuity

As with any other commodity, you need to find a marketplace for your annuity. Unlike selling a car, you probably will not find many buyers through Ebay, your local newspaper or Craigslist. Most financial companies interested in purchasing it won’t be looking at those sources.

There are companies that advertise to purchase your annuity, and some may offer you a decent price. But in those cases, you are often given a take it or leave it offer. The more companies that know you are selling an annuity the better, and the more offers you receive, the higher price you will be offered.

QuoteMeAPrice.com provides a marketplace for your annuity or structured settlement. It brings ready, willing and able buyers together with those who need to sell, and are ready to offer cash for either a full settlement or partial settlement. QuotemeaPrice.com does the legwork of finding these buyers for you.

Knowing the worth of your annuity

If you decided to sell your car, you wouldn’t attempt to put a price on it without obtaining a blue book value. Though the selling price of the car may or may not be equal to the blue book value, you at least obtain an informed price as to the marketplace. Understanding what your annuity is potentially worth will allow you to make an informed decision on whether to sell, and if so, the offer you are willing to accept.

With an annuity, the price you receive is not simply a matter of adding up all remaining payments. This is because the remaining payments will be paid out over a number of years. Companies willing to purchase annuities will apply a discount factor against the price of the annuity, taking into consideration the interest they would be earning if their money was invested elsewhere.

There are annuity calculators available for getting an estimate of the present value of your annuity. If you need assistance in determining the value, consider contacting your attorney, accountant, or tax preparer. Or better yet, contact Quotemeaprice.com to get an idea of the present value of your annuity.

Require full disclosure of the sale terms from any buyer

Most states have enacted the Model State Structured Settlement Protection Act in one form or another. First and foremost, the Structured Settlement Protection Act requires full disclosure of all terms of the proposed sale, including the number of payments, the discount rate used by the company and any charges applied for breach of the agreement.

In some cases, independent legal or financial advice is required. Insist that any buyer comply with the Structured Settlement Protection Act

Selling your annuity or structured settlement may be able to protect other assets of yours and may be able to stop a financial crisis before it begins. Knowing your rights as a seller and obtaining the most bidders available through Quotemeaprice.com are invaluable tools to insure the best price in the marketplace is obtained.

3
Aug 10

Sell Annuity Payments to Competing Buyers

Have you ever considered selling annuity payments? Are you currently searching for a buyer? The financial arena can be a tricky business and the last thing you would want is to lose valuable capital in a bad deal. Hasty or uneducated choices can be costly. When it comes to these matters it is important to find a reputable and easy to navigate mediator to assist you to make the best possible decision.

Quote Me a Price is proposing to be just the assistance to come to the rescue. The appeal of Quote Me a Price is varied. When you are in the process of Selling Annuity Payments you can visit Quote Me a Price’s website and seek out quotes from a number of institutions. You will not be forced to make a rushed decision but you can browse through the offers you receive and make an informed decision. Quote Me a Price will not only save you time but it may even save you a multitude of problems and costly disappointment.

The option of Selling Annuity Payments has not always been available. Previously you were stuck with the annuity structure you had or you had to fork out a sizeable amount to the insurance company. Now there are companies who make it their business to purchase annuities and other structured settlements. So it is possible to avoid being trapped in an annuity or liable for unreasonable sums of money to escape.

You may be interested in Selling Annuity Payments because you are no longer in need of the money or you prefer to have one large cash payout. Whatever you reasons, you will find the information you need at Quote Me a Price. They are aware of this emerging need and market so they aim to provide a useful and comprehensive service. It is beneficial to you as the seller, as well as the institutions that are offering to buy from you.

The whole process is quite simple and hassle-free. All you need to do is go online to Quote Me a Price and fill in the necessary information. You will receive a response in two working days so you can begin comparing quotes and start the process of selling annuity payments. The firms will make cash offers and you can avoid sending your information to companies from which you have already received a quote. From the comfort of your own home you can handle all your financial business with efficiency.

In addition to selling annuity payments, you can also sell a life insurance policy. You can get quotes for other structured settlements at Quote Me a Price so it is truly an all-inclusive service. When you are in the market to sell this kind of financial policy there is no better place to look for assistance. They guarantee quotes from fine funding firms who will take into account all the most crucial information. Pay Quote Me a Price a visit and watch as your worries disappear.

3
Aug 10

Get Cash for Annuity Payments Today

If you are in a position where you have gotten rid of your form of income and you need to a settlement funding company that will offer you the best quote then you will be glad you found us. We will find you the company that will offer you the best deal giving you more cash than you expected because you were smart enough to let us find you the top rated company. Reasons for getting different quotes vary from one to another that is why we ensure that when you are trying to get enough cash from Selling An Annuity you get the best deal we can find for you.

If you are Selling An Annuity and you would like to get the most from the deal then let us find you the financial company that will pay you more than you expected. We are associated with companies that are in different financial situation therefore when we find you a settlement company that will give you the best deal you can find. Because we understand that finding so many companies takes a lot of time, and you might just give up looking before you find the company that will give you the amount of cash you deserve, we take the time to do it for you.

We have so many companies that we deal with and we are in a position to ensure that you compare your quotes with so many companies before finding the ideal company that will offer you a reasonable good amount of cash. Our service to you when you have decided to Selling An Annuity is to ensure that when you find a company you shop around before you close the deal. After years of research we realized that you do not always have all the information and the contacts of the company that will give you the best so we undertook to assist you in comparing quotes.

Should you currently be in a position to have already started and you have a few quotes in you possession then fill in our online form and indicate which quotes you have already. We might actually be associated with the company that you already have a quote for meaning that we will offer you better perspective on why you were offered the amount of cash you were offered. Because of our vast experience we also ensure that when we compare the quote for you the amounts are worth you considering and our reasons for this vary.

Some companies will offer you the best deal if they are small because they are in a better position. Some companies will offer you a better amount because they are bigger. The reasons for this also vary also so when you are Selling An Annuity do not make a move before coming through us first because you just might be missing a big chance to get more. If you need to compare the best quotes and you are running out of patience then we will do the looking for you and we will find you a better deal than you thought.

Let Companies Compete to Buy your Structured Settlement!

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News and Tips on structured settlement transfers.

Posts Tagged: annuity

Should I get someone to buy my annuity payments?

Selling your annuity payment rights

Let Companies Compete to Buy your Structured Settlement!

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