Structured settlements are an alternative way for defendants in personal injury cases to pay damages awards. Once an injured party wins in court and is awarded damages, the defendant must make payment in a lump sum. The injured party has the option to accept installment or periodic payments instead of a lump sum to satisfy the court judgment.
It may seem counterintuitive for a person to agree to receive money owed under a judgment over time, rather than all at once. The benefits of structured settlements to injured parties include the ability to manage the federal and state income tax obligations associated with the money and the safety inherent in receiving a guaranteed periodic ...
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Structured settlements are an alternative way for defendants in personal injury cases to pay damages awards. Once an injured party wins in court and is awarded damages, the defendant must make payment in a lump sum. The injured party has the option to accept installment or periodic payments instead of a lump sum to satisfy the court judgment.
It may seem counterintuitive for a person to agree to receive money owed under a judgment over time, rather than all at once. The benefits of structured settlements to injured parties include the ability to manage the federal and state income tax obligations associated with the money and the safety inherent in receiving a guaranteed periodic payment for many years. The Internal Revenue Code and many state tax codes make special provisions for structured settlements that may allow the recipients to exclude the amounts from gross income or defer paying income taxes in the near term.
Defendants fund structured settlements by purchasing annuities. These annuities can feature flexible terms that guarantee future payments with a range of stipulations. Once injured parties accept structured settlements, they cannot change their minds. However, injured parties can borrow against the guaranteed income stream if a lump sum is needed at any time. Read more about structured settlements from the links on this Business.com page.