Trusted Structured Settlement Annuity Professionals
A structured settlement annuity is a tool that ensures that a plaintiff's settlement proceeds will grow and be available for future needs.
Financial Security You Can Rely On
A structured settlement annuity allows a settlement recipient to receive all, or a portion, or a settlement in a stream of future, income tax-free periodic payments.
How Our Structured Settlement Annuity Services Can Help You
At Amicus Settlement Planners, we specialize in turning legal settlements into secure, long-term financial solutions.
Our structured settlement annuity services empower you to preserve your settlement's value, ensure tax-free income (if you're receiving a personal injury settlement), and tailor payouts to your unique needs.
Whether you're planning for retirement, major life events, or desire steady monthly income, our team of experts guide you through every step to maximize your financial future.
Our Proven Planning Process
We've created a streamlined, client-focused process designed to simplify structured settlement planning:
Initial Consultation
We meet with you and assess your financial needs and goals.
Custom Annuity Design
We work with you to tailor a structured annuity payment schedule that fits your needs.
Annuity Setup
You can sit back while our team handles the heavy lifting and coordinates with your attorney and the annuity company to establish your annuity.
Ready to design a payment schedule around your life?
We will model the structure and timing that fit your goals, then handle the setup with your attorney and the annuity company.
Free, no obligation. Or call (801) 683-7362.
Why Choose Amicus Settlement Planners?
For 20+ years, our team of attorneys, Certified Financial Planners, settlement planners, and CPAs have focused exclusively on helping plaintiffs plan for legal settlements.
Every client receives a personalized strategy built around their goals.
We collaborate with industry-leading annuity companies to secure the best annuity rates and terms.
Oftentimes, plaintiffs need more than just a structured settlement annuity. Our team can also help you create a trust to preserve government benefits or invest your funds for liquidity and growth potential (and much more!). We've built our firm to be the one-stop stop for all the services a plaintiff might need when receiving a legal settlement.
Who We Are
Amicus Settlement Planners is a team of attorneys, Certified Financial Planners, settlement planners, and CPAs dedicated to helping individuals make the most of their legal settlements.
With 20+ years of experience in structured settlements, settlement trusts, government benefits preservation planning, and investment management, we bring clarity and confidence to complex decisions.
Our mission is to provide reliable, customized solutions that empower clients to thrive long after their settlement.
We are Structured Settlement Annuity Experts
Greg MaxwellJD, MS, CFP®
Daniel MaxwellJD
Bryce MaxwellCPA, MACCHow Do Structured Settlement Annuities Work?
Structured settlement annuities transform settlement funds into guaranteed, periodic payments tailored to your financial needs. Here's how they work:
Funding: A portion of your settlement is allocated to purchase an annuity through a qualified insurance company.
Design: Payments are structured according to your preferences, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually, or in lump sums for future needs like tuition or retirement.
Tax Benefits: For personal injury cases, annuity payments are received entirely tax-free, including both principal and interest, under IRS Sections 104(a)(2) and 130. For non-personal injury cases, such as employment, defamation, breach of contract, or punitive damage awards, the annuity provides tax-deferred growth, meaning taxes are paid only when payments are received.
Reliability: Payments are guaranteed by top-rated insurers, ensuring peace of mind.
Structured settlement annuities provide security, flexibility, and unmatched tax advantages, making them an excellent choice for preserving your financial future.
Not sure a structured settlement fits your case?
Tell us about the settlement and your goals, and we will give you a straight read on whether an annuity is the right tool.
30 minutes, no obligation. Or call (801) 683-7362.
What is the Process of Setting up a Structured Settlement Annuity?
At Amicus Settlement Planners, we understand that receiving a settlement is just the beginning of a new financial journey.
Here's the step-by-step process when you work with Amicus to set up a structured settlement annuity. As you'll see, your role is to work with us to pick the annuity structure and payment schedule that works best for you, and we'll take care of the rest.
Step 1: Together, We Finalize the Annuity Payment Structure and Schedule
The first step in the process is to work closely with our team of settlement planners to finalize the annuity payment structure. We'll help you determine the best payment plan tailored to your specific needs and goals.
Whether you're planning for future medical expenses, funding a child's education, or securing lifelong income, we will design a flexible payment schedule that works for you. Payments can be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually, or in lump sums, with timing that suits your financial priorities.
Once we've settled on the structure, we'll select a trusted annuity provider, such as Pacific Life, MetLife, USAA, New York Life, or Independent Life, to ensure that your future payments are backed by a reputable company.
Step 2: Amicus Drafts Language for Settlement Documents
Next, our team will ensure that the settlement documents reflect the details of your structured settlement annuity. We will provide your attorney with the necessary language to be included in the settlement agreement and the defendant's release agreement.
If you're a minor or legally incompetent, we'll also coordinate the court approval documents with your attorney, ensuring the annuity is clearly outlined and ready for the judge's review.
Step 3: Amicus Prepares and Coordinates the Qualified Assignment Document
One of the critical steps in establishing a structured settlement annuity is the execution of the Qualified Assignment document. This legally transfers the defendant's responsibility for making future payments to the annuity provider.
At Amicus, we handle the coordination of this document, making sure it's signed by the defendant or their insurer, as well as by the annuity company. This step ensures that your payments will be managed securely and efficiently by the annuity provider.
Step 4: Amicus Ensures Funding and Policy Issuance
Once the Qualified Assignment document is signed, the defendant or their insurer will transfer a lump sum to the annuity company. This payment funds your structured settlement and enables the annuity company to begin making future payments directly to you, based on the agreed-upon schedule.
With everything in place, your structured settlement annuity is officially set up, ensuring that you'll receive the financial security you need, exactly when you need it.
You'll receive a copy of the final structured settlement annuity policy for your records.
Key Benefits of Structured Settlement Annuities
Benefits of structured settlement annuities include:
To learn more about the pros (and cons) of structured settlement annuities, please view the video on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a Structured Settlement Annuity?
A structured settlement annuity is a financial tool that allows settlement recipients to receive their funds in tax-advantaged, periodic payments instead of a lump sum. Designed for long-term security, these annuities can provide consistent income over a set period or for life. For personal injury cases, payments are completely tax-free; for non-personal injury cases, they grow tax-deferred and are taxed only when payments are received in the future.
Who Owns the Annuity in a Structured Settlement?
In a structured settlement, the annuity is owned by a qualified assignment company, which ensures the payments are made as agreed. This arrangement protects recipients from market volatility and ensures compliance with tax rules, particularly for personal injury settlements.
What Fees Are Associated with Setting Up a Structured Settlement Annuity?
There are no out of pocket fees or costs associated with setting up a structured settlement annuity. Some annuity companies charge a small setup fee (called an "assignment fee"), but that amount is paid for directly from the settlement proceeds, so it's never an up front or out of pocket cost.
Any other costs of the annuity are "baked into" the guaranteed rate of return. This means that any other costs have been accounted for in the rate of return guaranteed by the annuity.
How Do I Know if a Structured Settlement is Right for Me?
A structured settlement may be ideal if you:
- Prefer guaranteed income over time (that isn't subject to market volatility) rather than managing a lump sum.
- Have long-term financial goals, such as retirement, education, or ongoing medical expenses.
- Want to enjoy tax-free growth in personal injury cases.
- In personal injury settlements, there's a special tax subsidy that allows for structured settlement annuities to be received completely tax-free. In other words, you'll never pay any taxes on payments from a structured settlement annuity in a personal injury case.
- Want to spread a settlement in a non-personal injury case over several years to reduce the overall taxes due on your settlement.
- Distributing the settlement over time in a non-personal injury case (discrimination, employment, breach of contract, etc.) helps avoid a large tax bill in the year you receive the settlement and can keep you in a lower tax bracket, resulting in a lower total tax liability on the settlement.
- Need dissipation protection to avoid overspending your settlement funds.
Consulting with a settlement planner is the best way to assess your unique needs.
Is a Structured Settlement Safe from Market Risks?
Yes. Structured settlement annuities are not tied to the stock market, so their value and payments remain fixed and stable regardless of market conditions. You know exactly how much you'll receive from the annuity regardless of what happens in the financial markets. This provides plaintiffs with tremendous peace of mind.
Payments are backed by highly rated insurance companies, like MetLife, USAA, New York Life, Independent Life, Pacific Life, and other highly rated companies.
How is Amicus Settlement Planners' Process Different from Other Advisors?
Amicus Settlement Planners provides a truly comprehensive approach:
- Multi-Disciplinary Expertise: Our team includes attorneys, Certified Financial Planners, registered settlement planners, and Certified Public Accountants to address every aspect of your settlement.
- Personalized Solutions: We tailor each plan to your unique financial goals and circumstances.
- Unbiased Advice: We work with a wide range of top-rated insurers to secure the best terms for your annuity. We request quotes from all of the annuity companies to make sure you get the absolute best rate of return possible.
- Integrated Services: From government benefits planning to settlement trust creation to financial planning and investment management, we handle all of these in house. Our goal is to be your one-stop solution for any legal, tax, or financial planning needs related to your legal settlement.
Learn More About Structured Settlements
To view more blogs and videos on structured settlements, click the button below.
Let Us Help You
Our goal at Amicus Settlement Planners is to be the premier, comprehensive resource for plaintiffs and plaintiff attorneys nationwide for all of the financial and legal issues that arise at the time of settlement.
We'd love to explore how we can help you and your clients.