July 12, 2014 – In a world where security means everything and often seems in short supply, it’s reassuring to know the life companies currently offering structured settlements have all retained their “secure” ratings even throughout the dog days of The Great Recession.

And every single one of them is still going strong!

When one’s financial life is turned upside down, the memory of catastrophic financial loss can linger even after portfolio balances rebound.

Who can blame somebody for still feeling anxious about the future?

But for those with promised structured settlement payments from the current crop of life markets offering them, anxiety need not be a concern.

Structured settlement recipients have many reasons to feel secure.

Time, Money and Security

Which makes the current issue of Best’s Review, touted on its cover as “The Leaders Issue” providing its annual rankings of insurance companies in a variety of different categories, so noteworthy.

Of special interest to us and our clients is its cover story “Standing the Test of Time” which highlights the consistency with which several life insurers have maintained an A or better rating from “the world’s oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source” – A.M. Best Company – for a significant period of time.

Three structured settlement life markets have maintained a rating of A or better for more than 75 years (current rating in parentheses).  Listed here alphabetically, they are:

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (A+)

New York Life Insurance Company (A++)

Prudential Insurance Company of America (A+)

These three excellent markets have held their A or better ratings since 1928 and are three of only twelve companies so honored.

In the A or better for at least 50 years category, we pick up two more terrific structured settlement providers:

Pacific Life Insurance Company (A+)

United of Omaha Life Insurance Company (A+)

With A or better ratings since 1959 and 1956 respectively, these two markets have also demonstrated consistency.

Current non-exclusive providers of structured settlements that don’t make either of these lists but are also strong and remain fully committed to meeting their future obligations are:

American General Life Insurance Company (A)

Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Company of Nebraska (A++)

Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston (A)

With tie-ins to major casualty companies and significant financial strength in their own right, these last three are still on our “hot” list of companies we’re proud to represent.

But the good news doesn’t stop there.

When ranked by admitted assets, half of these companies – Metropolitan (1), Prudential (2), American General’s parent AIG Life (4) and New York Life (6) – are in the Top Ten of U.S. Life Insurers.

Put it all together and you’ve got a recipe for major financial safety, security and success.

Only the best of the (A.M.) Best offer structured settlements.

With guaranteed, tax-advantaged future cash flows that are safe and secure, structured settlements have been anchoring our clients’ futures for years.

Congratulations to all our life company partners on their success.  Here’s to the next 75 years and beyond.

July 1, 2014 – Your retirement safety net options just got a whole lot better.

Effective today, 401(k) plan participants now can choose to dedicate a portion of their retirement funds toward the purchase of “longevity insurance,” otherwise known as a deferred income annuity, in an effort to shore up their retirement security.

Here’s a good summary of what’s taken place from today’s New York Times.

These final rules now permit individuals to hedge their bet against one of the greatest risks to their retirement security – running out of money!

Because the road of life is of unknown distance making it critical to prepare for what’s around the next turn, prudent travelers will want to make sure they pack enough money for their journey so they can pay whatever tolls they might encounter along the way.

It’s especially critical to make sure you have enough funds for later on down the road when other cash resources may have been used up.

Social Security helps by providing you with income you can never outlive.

Pensions, once the staple of the American workforce but now nearly extinct, do the same.

But beyond that, conventional retirement planning leaves it up to you to be smart enough or lucky enough to manage your accumulated wealth in such a way that it will sustain you throughout your retirement.

Many financial professionals recommend planning on spending down your wealth over a thirty, sometimes forty, year time period.

There’s one major problem with this approach:

You don’t know how long you’re going to live.

What if you hit the 30-year or 40-year mark and are still kicking?

Wouldn’t having a little extra “just in case” security help you sleep a little bit better at night?

Longevity insurance helps solve this problem and these new Treasury rules make it possible for you to create your own pension-like cash flows you can never outlive.

Let us know how we can help!  We’re happy to assist you with creating your own safety net with any retirement funds you want to set aside to secure your future.

By allocating as little as ten percent of your funds, you can create a future security blanket that will give added assurance that you can take care of yourself in your later years.

Fad soal agat!

June 4, 2014 – When I began my insurance career more than thirty years ago, I started out as a Homeowners Claims Examiner.

Then, as today, the job involved investigating a policyholder’s claim for damages and, once coverage was verified, paying the claim subject to any limitations, policy provisions and company procedures.

If hail damaged a policyholder’s roof, it was fairly easy to ascertain that claim’s value since contractors usually charge the same amount of money for any given job give or take.

Square footage times price per square foot equals value of claim.

If a policyholder had a television set or audio equipment stolen during a burglary, pricing suitable replacements was equally straightforward.

While there might be occasional points of disagreement, generally the insureds were satisfied with their resolution since they had many reference points for valuing tangible items.

They knew what it would cost them to buy a suitable replacement in the marketplace.

When it comes to placing value on human life following a covered liability loss, however, the claims professional’s job is significantly more daunting.

Marketplaces for replacement people do not exist and placing value on sorrow is an infinitely less precise task.

Catastrophic claims involving high profile litigation where large numbers of plaintiffs are involved pose special challenges and often involve the services of a “special master” – an authority appointed by a judge to ensure rules and orders are followed and parity is achieved – to dispense settlement funds.

Today’s CNNMoney article about the recent General Motors Recall highlights some of the challenges the special master can face.

When an accident results in the loss of life, structured settlements are a superior method of providing aid and comfort to the survivors.

While no amount of money can ever adequately compensate someone for the loss of someone dear, structured settlements can, at a minimum, permit some semblance of financial normalcy following the tragedy.

If the decedent was the principal wage earner for the family, arranging for cash flows to replace lost income can help ease some of the stress the family will face moving forward.

Structured settlements can also even help prevent a second catastrophe from occurring.

The dangers of large cash lump sums awards are well documented.  Simply put, when money is available, the temptation to spend it is often too great to resist.

Add to that the guilt many people feel for having money when a loved one was killed and emotions can overwhelm a person rendering sound decision making problematic.

Take the New York Post story from 2005 about Kathy Trant – a 9/11 widow who, in less than four years, burned through nearly $5 million in donations and Victims Compensation Fund proceeds.

Fortunately, most of us will never be in a position to know how we might respond under similar circumstances.

Sadly, though, the world is imperfect and people sometimes die from injuries sustained in an accident leaving behind survivors tasked with the charge of continuing on.

Our jobs as claims, settlement consulting and legal professionals is to do everything possible to ensure survivors are fairly compensated for their losses.

Fortunately structured settlements are available to aid us in helping clients make that difficult transition to life after such devastating losses.

With unique features that provide guaranteed income which is 100% tax-free with no management fees or expenses, structured settlements are the ideal choice for these types of claims.

Structured settlements won’t bring someone back.  But they help honor the memory of those lost and should be considered on claims involving fatalities.

May 16, 2014 – The law firm responsible for filing the very first law suit in the nation against DePuy Orthopaedics alleging an artificial metal-on-metal hip the company manufactured was defective, announced today that the landmark $2.5 billion settlement negotiated last November has been accepted by the required number of plaintiffs and can now proceed.

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger issued a press release today announcing details of this development.

Our firm has been closely monitoring this particular litigation since its inception for a variety of personal and professional reasons.

We established a companion website more than three years ago dedicated to helping this special class of plaintiffs with whom we feel a special connection.

If you or anyone you know is a member of this settling class or to learn more about our interest and ability to help, please visit our companion website at:

ASRHipSettlement.com

With much of the DePuy ASR hip settlement litigation drawing to a close, now is the time to ensure your last step is the one that’s right for you.

For many, an all cash settlement will make the most sense.

But others will want to take advantage of a unique settlement opportunity not available to the general public.

Those who opt for the latter can arrange to structure all or part of their recovery in such a way that guaranteed future income – which is 100% tax-free – will be paid to them according to a schedule they choose.

Many will find this structured settlement method preferable for its safety, security, tax efficiency, competitive relative rate of return and ease of use.

IMPORTANT:   Certain tax code restrictions and limitations exist so it’s vital for clients to understand their options before taking receipt of any settlement funds. 

We’re here to help.  Call today for a confidential, no cost, no obligation consultation about your settlement.

We understand what you’ve been through and look forward to helping you make the right choice about your DePuy ASR hip settlement.

April 7, 2014 – If you’re tired of those boring life expectancy tables that lump everyone into two categories – male and female – to estimate how long you’re most likely going to live, have we got a calculator for you.

The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator is a free online, interactive tool which factors users’ responses to questions about family history, medical data, eating and social habits and so on to formulate a more individualized life expectancy estimate tailored to the input provided.

In addition to helping people see what their present statistical life expectancy might be, the calculator can serve as a “To Do’ list for people seeking to modify their lifestyle choices in hopes of improving longevity.

It can also serve as a wake-up call for those who don’t fully appreciate the longevity risk we all face.

(That’s why the guy in the purple sweater above looks so grumpy.  He failed to plan for the possibility of a long life.)

Only Social Security, pension income and life annuities can assure cash flow throughout life regardless of life expectancy.

You probably will receive Social Security.

You possibly have a pension.

But even if you have both, you almost certainly could benefit from purchasing some additional life annuity longevity protection with your retirement proceeds.

Although it’s been almost a decade since this website landed on Time magazine’s list of “50 Coolest” sites, we think it’s still pretty neat and hope you enjoy trying it out for yourself.

Then, when you realize you’re likely to be around a lot longer than you realized, give us a a call so we can help you analyze your unique situation and plan your transition to retirement so you won’t run out of money.

April 1, 2014 – Five years ago, in the midst of the greatest economic calamity in more than three-quarters of a century, Finn Financial Group opened its doors for business with a pledge to help others “achieve maximum financial success and security through the effective use of structured settlements and other specialty annuity products and services” designed to improve their lives.

Witnessing so many people suffer financial and emotional distress during The Great Recession despite years of following conventional wisdom and “doing everything right” factored heavily into the direction we chose for our company.

In short, we wanted to help people feel safe and secure about their future.

So with over 30 years of structured settlement, insurance and education expertise, Finn Financial Group was born and today we celebrate an important milestone anniversary and reflect upon those we’ve helped along the way by providing:

Structured settlements for physically injured plaintiffs and their families

Tax-advantaged structured settlements for non-physical injury claims

Structured attorney fees

Retirement annuities and 401(k) rollovers

Present value analyses for claims associates and attorneys

Service to the structured settlement, claims and legal communities through volunteerism, publications, educational seminars and webinars

We are most appreciative of those whose ongoing vote of confidence and encouragement has made it possible for our firm to flourish when so many  others didn’t survive these past few years.

We value the opportunity to be of service more than we can ever adequately express and look forward to continuing to serve as your trusted resource for years to come.

Please call anytime we can help you or anyone you know who can benefit from our area of expertise.

THANK YOU for allowing us to help secure your future and Best Wishes for YOUR continued success!

March 25, 2014 – With the reality of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 now coming into focus, families and friends of those lost on that ill-fated flight will begin the long, personal and very painful journey of grief processing.

Nothing prepares anyone for the sudden loss of a loved one.

There are no classes, no books, no training that can easily help anyone come to terms with such a shocking change.

But thanks to AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services (ACCESS), survivors have a resource committed to helping them cope.

Heidi Snow, whose own fiance died when TWA Flight 800 crashed in 1996, founded ACCESS as a non-political non-profit organization which coordinates peer-to-peer grief mentoring services to those who struggle with the emotional aftermath of air disasters.

Click [HERE] to see Heidi’s recent interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo

The Finn Financial Group has been a proud supporter of ACCESS over the years and I am personally very honored to consider this amazing woman a friend.

Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and their families.

Reprinted from our March 5, 2014 newsletter:

Structured Settlements Changing Lives

Looking for proof that structured settlements change lives?

Then please take a few minutes to watch this short video of Robin, a woman whose touching first person account of her journey following the untimely death of her husband underscores why so many people – claims associates, attorneys, mediators, judges, Members of Congress, disability advocacy groups, etc. – passionately endorse the use of structured settlements as a means of resolving personal injury claims:

[Click HERE] for link to video

Two years ago, Prudential Structured Settlements reached out to select industry leaders from across the country to form the Structured Solutions Leadership Council in an effort to help them, as a provider of structured settlement annuities, better understand the challenges our industry faced.

I am honored to have been invited to serve as one of the charter members of the Council and am extremely proud to have played a small role in helping this video move from concept to reality.

While a wealth of exceptional written material about structured settlements exists, there was consensus among the Leadership Council that the industry could benefit from actual “day in the life” video testimonials from structured settlement recipients themselves who could explain how they personally benefited from choosing a structured settlement in ways pamphlets and magazine articles never could.

It had been more than a decade since I received a very heartfelt letter from a young widow, whose structured settlement I helped implement, thanking me for my “sensitivity to (her) broken heart” and for orchestrating something that would “provide financially for (her) family in the years to come” even though structured settlements “seemed too good to be true.”

So when considering potential candidates for this initiative, Robin was the first person who came to mind because I knew her story was so compelling.

Nothing can prepare a person for the unexpected death of a family member or the aftermath of any ensuing claim following such a shocking loss. Such turmoil can embitter even the strongest among us.

But those facing similar grief now have a kindred spirit in Robin and her story can serve as a beacon of hope amid their own sea of wariness, fear and uncertainty. We applaud her bravery for being willing to share such a personal experience.

Thanks also to Prudential Structured Settlements for its vision and support of the structured settlements, claims and legal communities. Along with the many other excellent life markets we are proud to represent, Prudential’s exceptional leadership on this particular initiative deserves special accolades.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of service and best wishes for continued success.

Enjoy the video!

February 7, 2014 – You don’t have to look too hard to find stories about people who are worse off because they completely undervalued the concept of planning for the future.

People who choose today at the expense of tomorrow.

I’m talking about people who opt for a lump sum of cash instead of the periodic payment options available to them when they win the lottery, trigger their pension benefits or settle a personal injury claim.

For many, the allure of “having their money and having it now” is too powerful and they forfeit the overwhelming advantages that accompany guaranteed future income.

As we mentioned in one of our blogs last month, the completely independent, nonprofit, noncommercial National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) estimates that . . .

” . . . 70% of all people who suddenly receive large amounts of money will lose that money within a few years.”

Today, we have another one to add to our list of sources of lump sum misery courtesy of CNN/Money:

“Reverse Mortgages: Safer but far from risk-free.”

A few of our favorite quotes from the article:

” . . . many borrowers have run into problems because they took their payment as a lump sum and spent the cash too freely.”

” Homeowners who choose the lump sum option could see their payouts reduced by 10% to 18% . . . “

” Monthly payments usually work out better anyway, especially for those who live longer.”

Although Fred Thompson, Henry Winkler, and a host of other well-known paid endorsers are convincing when touting the benefits of reverse mortgages, the article does a good job highlighting the risks that remain.

Especially with lump sums.

Our firm does not offer reverse mortgages so we will refrain from advising on them other than to say make sure you understand what you’re getting into if you or someone you know is considering one.

We will, however, go out on a very sturdy limb reinforced by mountains of evidence to suggest that anyone choosing a reverse mortgage will be better off if they choose the lifetime income option instead of a lump sum.

January 21, 2014 – We’re used to reading about Warren Buffett’s sensible, folksy investing philosophy that has made him one of the world’s all-time most successful – and richest – financiers.

But who knew he was such a sports wagering junkie?

And we’re not talking about the few dollars or bragging rights most of us risk when we fill out our NCAA “March Madness” Basketball Tournament brackets.  That wouldn’t make the news.

What did make the news today is the fact that Mr. Buffett’s company is backing the Quicken Loans Billion Dollar prize to anyone submitting a flawless bracket.

Lump Sum or Annual Payments?

Let’s imagine for a moment you submit a bracket and beat the approximate 1-in-9.2 quintillion (or, 1 billion times 9.2 billion) odds and actually pick all winners.

You now have a choice between:

A)  $500 million cash lump sum present value of $1 billion; or,

B)  $25 million a year guaranteed for 40 years?

Which would you choose?

On a weekly basis, our firm comes in contact with people facing the same choice when deciding how to accept their personal injury settlement proceeds.

Although the dollars involved have far fewer zeroes than the billion being discussed here, the choice is similar and the questions they ask themselves are the same:

Do I want/need all this cash up front?

Or will guaranteed future payments make me happier?

If I choose cash, do I possess the financial and emotional acumen to make smart choices going forward?

Structured settlements have been helping secure peoples’ futures for more than 30 years.  Offering safety, peace of mind and a decided tax advantage not available to the general public, those who are offered a structured settlement should think long and hard before choosing all cash instead.

Stories abound about “lottery millionaires” choosing a lump sum of cash over the security of guaranteed future payments only to end up broke in a very short period of time.  In fact, we just wrote about The Real Gamble a few days ago.

So unless your name also happens to be Buffett, we’d strongly urge you to choose the annual payments if you win this particular prize.

And while we don’t know what kind of premium Berkshire Hathaway is charging Quicken Loans to reinsure this contest, it could be a sucker’s bet of epic proportions given its low probability of every paying off.

Regardless, whatever amount of money Mr. Buffett receives for exposing less than 1% of his personal net worth (99% of which he’s pledged to give to charity anyway), we have a hunch he’ll do just fine either way.

Our money’s on Buffett just the same.