November 21, 2013 – My dad was a claims adjuster.

Thirty years ago, I began my insurance career as claims adjuster.

My wife, too, was a claims adjuster.  We met at work.

One of my brothers was a claims adjuster.

So was his godfather.

All told, my family and our assorted godparents can lay claim (pun intended) to about 150 years of adjusting and insurance experience.

So when, while reading an article entitled “One JFK conspiracy theory that could be true,” I learned that one of the world’s preeminent Kennedy assassination researchers is a retired claims adjuster, I knew this was a guy whose opinion I was going to value.

Dave Perry doesn’t so much set out to prove conspiracy theories as he does to rule out why they can’t be true using simple, good old-fashioned fact verification techniques.

Not unlike a claims adjuster who uncovers an original receipt for an item on a theft inventory for which the insured estimated a different figure, he values only the verifiable.

The world will likely never be satisfied with the Warren Commission report or any of the subsequent theories of “Who Really Killed JFK?”

But with a professionally trained insurance adjuster looking into things, we can at least take comfort in knowing every possible (dare I say, Oliver) Stone is being unturned.

November 20, 2013 – It’s too bad Las Vegas isn’t taking bets on this hypothetical match-up:  Structured settlements vs. stocks.

I’m not much of a gambler myself but if I were and they were, I’d put a whole lot of money on structured settlements coming out on top.

And if yesterday’s CNNMoney article, “Welcome to the 4% return market” is any indication, I wouldn’t be alone since “among a growing group of forecasters, 4% is becoming something of a consensus.”

If you don’t want to read the short article yourself, here’s one of the major take aways:

Since The Great Depression, stocks have risen just 4% a year in the decade following a market where P/E ratios have traded where they are now.

But we’d like to remind you:  When stocks are cashed out, taxes are due on the gain whereas structured settlement payouts stemming from a personal, physical injury claim are paid 100% income tax-free.

In other words, the experts are predicting that the best case scenario for stocks is right about where tax equivalent yields for structured settlements are right now.

So we can’t help wondering:

Who would willingly risk being on the losing end of a bet whose best case scenario equals the guaranteed sure thing?

The worst case scenario for stocks, of course, is something like 2009 all over again even if that scenario seems unlikely.  In poker, they’d call that hand a bust.

So even though nobody’s actually taking bets on the imaginary structured settlement vs. stocks card, we’ve got our phantom money riding on structured settlements all the way.

Every situation is unique, of course, but those who choose the tried and true method of resolving their personal injury claim with a structured settlement always leave the tables with money in their pockets.

And that’s the closest thing to a sure bet as you’re ever likely to see.

Click on the Smiley Face . . .

. . . to be transferred to our November 15, 2013 newsletter where you can learn about two choices you can make that are scientifically proven to make you happier.

November 13, 2013 – Rumors began circulating this afternoon that Johnson & Johnson has agreed to a $4.0 billion products liability settlement to end the litigation of more than 7,500 pending lawsuits in state and federal courts, alleging metal-on-metal artificial hips, manufactured be subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics, were defective.

If this turns out to be true then we weren’t far off on our prediction a few days ago that such a settlement was nigh.  In a game of horseshoes, this would have been called a “leaner” worth two points.

We’ll remained focused on the details of this settlement with great interest (assuming it pans out) as it unfolds over the course of the coming weeks and months and stand ready to assist anyone who can benefit from the unique advantages structured settlements afford them in this type of litigation.

NOTE:  It’s important to stress at this time that the terms of any settlement are said to be confidential so any reports, including this one, should be considered unofficial.

For additional information on how you can benefit from structuring your DePuy hip settlement, please visit our companion website dedicated to this unique class of plaintiffs to learn how we can help and why we feel so strongly about this particular group of lawsuits.

Visit:  ASRHipSettlement.com

Thank you for the opportunity to be of service!

November 7, 2013 – When you follow large, complex class action or mass tort products liability litigation matters, as we have been doing for several years with the DePuy ASR artificial hip lawsuits, it’s hard to predict with any degree of accuracy when things are finally going to end.

But there are signs that things could be coming to a femoral head on this litigation in the not-too-distant future.

From the March, 2009 filing of the first products liability lawsuit against DePuy alleging its ASR artificial hips were defective;

Through the August, 2010 worldwide recall of the device by DePuy Orthopaedics;

Through the December, 2010 multidistrict litigation (MDL) consolidation of a number of cases in Northern Ohio;

Through the $8.35 million verdict in Los Angeles – Kransky v. DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. – in March, 2013;

Through a couple of recent postponements of several bellwether cases scheduled to begin this year and ongoing rumblings that Johnson & Johnson, DePuy’s parent company, has been weighing a $3.0 billion offer to settle more than 11,000 of the pending lawsuits;

Our firm has been monitoring this matter with great personal and professional interest.

And while we’re not taking any wagers on the matter, our tea leaves are leading us to believe this matter could be on the cusp of resolving.

If and when any plaintiffs involved in the DePuy ASR hip litigation do find themselves anticipating any settlements, we hope they’ll let us talk to them about the benefits of structuring their settlement.

We understand.  We listen.  We care.

That’s why three years ago we created a special companion website

ASRHipSettlement.com

to demonstrate to clients why this litigation is so personal to this firm.

We want to make sure everybody involved is aware of their settlement options and how we can help.

So please take a few minutes to watch our video and let us know what questions you have.  We look forward to being of service.

And if the litigation resolves later rather than sooner, that’s OK.  Just call us when it does.  We’ll still be here to help you.

November 5, 2013 – About a decade ago, someone came up with a novel way for people to promote a particular belief or to advance a personal cause or organization about which they felt strongly.

Silicone wrist bands.

Part fashion statement and part statement PERIOD, wearing one was a creative way to tell others how you felt about something without being “too preachy” while also helping you identify kindred spirits along the way with whom you held shared experiences or convictions.

I personally never jumped on that bandwagon (pun intended) even though I appreciated the sentiment behind its creation.  Heck, I rarely ever even wear a watch!

But one particular silicone wrist adornment has really been on my mind quite a bit of late.

Event + Response = Outcome

The Ohio State Buckeye football team is presently the No. 4 ranked team in the nation.  The team currently boasts the longest winning streak in the country going 17 games in a row (two years) without a loss.

If a few more things fall into place for them during  the next few weeks, Ohio State could end up playing for the 2014 BCS National Championship in January.

(Full disclosure:  Ohio State is this author’s alma mater and he wouldn’t mind seeing OSU play Oregon in a Big Ten/Pac-12 match-up at the Rose Bowl for old time’s sake.)

The bigger story that seems to be gaining more traction with every passing week, though, may not be the team’s ranking at all. But rather the E + R = O silicone wrist bands some of the players are boasting and the story behind them.

Second year head coach Urban Meyer is not just teaching football X’s and O’s.  He’s fostering leadership on his team by adopting a simple formula that is a popular topic on the motivational speaking circuit:  E + R = O.

E + R = O stands for for Event + Response = Outcome.

The philosophy goes something like this:

You cannot control an Event that comes your way

You CAN control your Response to that event

Your Response to the Event determines your Outcome

And at Ohio State, one leader’s R becomes another player’s E which then creates a new leadership opportunity.  The cycle continues feeding upon itself as one success begets another success.  And so on.

Next thing you know, the Buckeyes are undefeated and contending for a championship despite having a relatively young group of players.

Beyond Football

Short, sweet and a lot of fun to think about, this formula has implications well beyond the football field, however.  In our practice, we can find applications nearly everywhere we turn.

In mediation:  How will Party A respond to Party B’s “unreasonable” offer/demand (the Event)?  How will the mediator’s Response influence the Outcome?

In settlement discussions:  Will a plaintiff choose a structured settlement if offered (the Event)?  Or reject it (the Response) out of hand despite strong anecdotal evidence that all cash settlements can dissipate very rapidly (the Outcome) leaving them without money after a short while?

In retirement decision making:  Will someone getting ready to retire (Event) roll his/her 401k balance into some type of annuity (Response) that will provide guaranteed cash flows they can never outlive (Outcome)?  Or will they have a different response?

For more than 20 years, I have personally assisted people who Responded to the unplanned Event in their lives (an accident) by choosing a structured settlement when their claim resolved as a means of helping to secure their long-term financial Outcome.

Spend enough time thinking about it and you can see the formula’s impact on almost every facet of your own life.

So whatever your profession or status in life, next time something unexpected comes your way, think about how your response, not the event itself, will ultimately determine what happens next.

And if you’re so inclined, go ahead and yell “Go Bucks!” while you’re at it.  Some of us will get it.

“O – H . . . “

October 25, 2013 – In just about eight more weeks, the 2013 calendar will be ready for the recycle bin.

For contingency fee-based plaintiff attorneys who’ve had a successful year, recycling one of the best-ever tax deferral strategies is also on their minds as 2013 winds down:  Structured Attorney Fees.

Since the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, our firm has experienced an EXPLOSION of requests from attorneys inquiring about structuring their fees.

Add to that the impact of Proposition 30 in California and similar tax increases in other states across the nation and the importance of effective tax planning for successful plaintiff attorneys becomes clearer.

These various tax hikes have combined to affect so many practitioners this year that structured attorney fees account for approximately 36% OF ALL OUR FIRM’S ACTIVITY so far in 2013.

Structuring fees just makes so much sense for those who qualify.

Yet surprisingly, attorneys who would never dream of leaving money on the table during a negotiation for one of their clients do it all the time when it comes to their own finances.

That’s where we can help.

With the right amount of analysis and planning, attorneys can arrange to structure their fee so that they credit the income in a future year (often, when an anticipated tax bracket will be lower) to maximize tax efficiency.

Add some pre-tax interest earned and most conclude that they simply cannot pass up such a money saving strategy.

So don’t leave YOUR money on the tax table.  Put it in your own pocket instead.  Call us for an analysis BEFORE you finalize your client’s settlement.

October 10, 2013 – With all this talk about quantitative easing, shutdowns, debt ceilings and similar esoterica, it’s easy to lose perspective about interest rates.

True, interest rates might seem low by historical standards but it really depends on your frame of reference.

That’s why we created this one-page flyer for you:  Historical Long-Term Interest Rates

Taking a broader view of history, many people are shocked to learn that precedent exists which makes very real the possibility that interest rates probably aren’t going to be heading too far north anytime soon.

Oh, sure, they’ll probably go up.  Then again, they may go down.  But whatever they do, history is telling us there’s a very good chance they’re going to remain in their current range for awhile.  Possibly for an entire generation.  “Bond King” Bill Gross recently said as much. 

Truthfully, though, only time will tell.

But while bond traders may obsess about interest rate changes, making and losing small fortunes along the way, people who have the opportunity lock into one of the most highly secure, tax-advantaged opportunities ever conceived (aka a structured settlement annuity) should ask themselves one very important question:

“What else am I gonna do with this money?”

If your needs are very short term, then choose cash.

But if you’re seeking safety, security and superior COMPARATIVE rate of return for long-term financial stability, nothing can match the benefits of structured settlements.

When put into place for a personal physical injury, all principal AND interest is 100% income tax-free making the comparative yield significantly better than most bonds.

When a structured settlement is chosen for a personal non-physical injury, all proceeds, principal and interest are taxable; however, because interest is earned on pre-tax dollars otherwise lost in the year of dispersal, the comparative yields can be up to 4-times better than anything else the individual can find without assuming significantly more risk.

This is why so many smart attorneys choose to regularly structure their attorney fees, by the way.

So I hope you find our flyer helpful as you plan for your future.  While you’re at it, check out the entire new BROCHURE section of our website where you can find lots of helpful information in easy-to-read pamphlets.

    “Substitute me for him – Substitute my coke for gin – Substitute you for my mum – At least I’ll get my washing done”

– Pete Townshend –

October 4, 2013 – Ever try to find a good substitute for security?

Betcha can’t.

At least not on synonym.com you can’t.  I tried but all I got was this message:

“Sorry, I could not find synonyms for ‘security’.”

I had to smile when I saw the website’s somewhat allegorical response since it contains meaning beyond its literal apology.

After all, when you’re talking about security, whether physical or financial, is there really anything else that can compare to “the state of being free from danger or threat?”

Structured Settlement Security

Individuals who choose structured settlements when resolving their personal physical or non-physical injury claims are choosing one of the most secure settlement options available.

The entire structured settlements industry was founded with safety and security in mind.  Structured settlements add stability to an unsettling process and provide people with the peace of mind necessary to resume as normal a life as possible following an injury or loss of a loved one.

JUST ADDED TO OUR WEBSITE:

Check out the new BROCHURES section of our website featuring a variety of pamphlets touting the security of structured settlements.

Moral of today’s story:  There is no substitute for security.

So don’t fight the truth.  Just call us next time you have a need to secure your financial future.

October 2, 2013 – For years, I have been working hard to help clients temper their enthusiasm about the prospects of interest rates rising significantly anytime soon.

Even though I wish the message were different, it’s somewhat gratifying when a world renowned “bond king” finally seems to agree with what I’ve been saying for some time:

Interest rates are pretty much going to linger in their current comfort zone for some time.

Here’s the headline and link to the article about the bond, not James Bond, king’s views on the subject from today’s CNN/Money:

Bill Gross: Get used to low rates ‘for decades’

You heard the man. For decades!

Regular visitors to our website and subscribers to our newsletter may recall us sounding this bell four years ago in our September 24, 2009 newsletter with the rather straightforward caption, “Historical Interest Rates.”

You’re a little late to this party, Bill.

When I founded Finn Financial Group in 2009 with the commitment to helping clients achieve long-term financial security, I knew I wanted to do more than simply give someone a structured settlement or annuity policy every once in awhile and send them on their merry way.

I wanted to be a source of trusted advice based on sound, quantifiable research and analytics so they could feel confident when making choices about their future.

In truth, I’m no more or less prescient than the next person since nobody can ever really know what the future holds.  Bill Gross has sure been wrong before.  But I do firmly believe more information is better than less information and I work hard to help people plan for a safe and secure future.

Impact on Structured Settlements and Annuities

Though it may seem counter-intuitive, all this actually bodes quite well for the structured settlement and annuity industries.

In fact, here are two important take-aways from today’s lesson as it relates to these two themes if you accept, as I do, rates are in the range they’re likely to remain for awhile:

Lesson One:  Don’t reject a structured settlement or annuity simply because you believe rates are “too low.”  Factoring in safety, security and tax advantage, the rates are superior to everything else out there of comparable risk in most instances.  And anything you’ll likely be able to find as an alternative in the near future.  (“Near” being relative if we’re talking about decades)

Lesson Two:  If you are anticipating a taxable settlement or attorney fee of any meaningful size, you can be EVEN MORE CONFIDENT that structuring makes sense for you.  That is, unless you enjoy giving away money you could easily keep for yourself.

All this, by the way, assumes the only reason to choose a structured settlement or annuity is rate of return.  When factoring in happiness, peace of mind, security and other more subjective benefits, the desirability of these options becomes even more pronounced.

But that’s a conversation for another day.

Meanwhile, Bill, if you’re reading this, maybe you and I can get together for lunch one of these days to compare notes on this and similar subjects?  Since your PIMCO headquarters is walking distance from mine, we could pull it off pretty easily.

Heck, I’ll even spring for the Bill if you agree to get the TIP. 

(All puns in this post inspired by Leonard Pinth-Garnell)