You may decide to receive payments for the rest of your life, or for a designated period of time. The payments can start right away, or can be deferred to begin at a time in your life when you will best be able to take advantage of them. Deferred annuities are often used for retirement planning. College funds can be designed to meet future financial needs for your children. In addition to periodic payments, your settlement will generally include an up-front cash payment to satisfy attorney fees and your immediate financial needs.

This is a big decision for you and your family. Your SFA structured settlement consultant can help. SFA consultants are experts in financial planning for those who have been affected by personal injury or death. This service is available to you at no cost.

The primary goal of financial planning for people like you is to steer clear of risky investments, avoid paying high taxes on interest income and capital gains, and prevent management fees from eroding your earnings.

If you have already received advice from a financial counselor, you should be aware that he or she might not be familiar with structured settlements. We recommend you coordinate any financial planning ideas with your attorney and your SFA consultant.