How to Get Money from a Structured Settlement

Woman making a sassy face points to a fan of cash in her other hand

Like many Americans, you're probably feeling the squeeze on your finances lately. For many, having some extra cash on hand would make a huge difference in fighting factors like inflation, high rent, medical costs, and more.

 

If you have a structured settlement, it’s likely that you’ve encountered the frustrating issue of having money that rightfully belongs to you trapped in a future annuity payment. You know the money is there—but it’s just out of reach.

 

But it’s possible to get a lump sum for your structured settlement payments. In fact, you have the right to sell some or all of your future payments for funds now. If you need money now, not later, then selling might be the best solution for you!*

 

How selling your structured settlement works

 

A hand holding money reaches out to another hand, which is empty

Selling your structured settlement payments isn’t just a business deal—it's also a legal process. That’s why there are a few steps you’ll have to take to sell your structured settlement payments, the most important being finding a buyer and getting court approval for the sale.

 

Finding a buyer for your structured settlement payments

 

The first step you’ll want to take to sell your structured settlement payments is to find a willing buyer!

 

You could find a buyer in any of the same ways you’d find any type of service: searching on the internet, getting a word-of-mouth referral, reading company reviews, seeing a commercial on TV, and so on. In fact, potential buyers may have even reached out to you directly to inquire about purchasing your payments. This is because structured settlements are often a matter of public record when they are entered into as a part of court proceedings.

 

But not all buyers are created equal. You may hear from companies (like JG Wentworth), or you may be scouted out by people who hope to broker a deal between you and a buyer.

 

Selling to a company vs. using a broker

 

A woman smiles as she talks on her phone, holding a baby in her other arm

When looking for someone to purchase your structured settlement payments, you’ll encounter both companies and individual brokers who can make offers to purchase your settlement payments.

 

The process of selling your payments through a broker goes like this: the broker works on your behalf to find someone who might be interested in purchasing your future payments; they facilitate the sale and court approval process; and then they take a cut of the payments you sold to the purchaser.

 

There are a few major cons to working with a broker to sell, though:

 

  • They might not be able to find a buyer who is willing to purchase your payments
  • They might rope you in by saying that your payments are worth a certain amount, but there's no guarantee that potential purchasers they work with will buy for that price
  • They may not be able to get you your funds quickly after you sell

For that reason, it’s often a better option to sell directly to a purchaser rather than to sell through a broker. When you sell your structured settlement to JG Wentworth, for example, you’re selling directly to us—so the price we quote you for is the price you get.

 

Getting court approval to sell your structured settlement payments

 

A person in judge's robes signs a paper

Federal law requires that all sales of structured settlement payments be approved by a court of law. The court must determine that the payment’s sale is in your best interest. The court approval process is designed to ensure that the potential seller has a legitimate need for the funds and that the sale is in their best interest.

 

Great reasons for selling your structured settlement might include:

 

  • Purchasing a home
  • Paying off debt
  • Buying a car
  • Completing a degree
  • Starting a business
  • Investing money

It can also be helpful to work with a purchaser who has already completed purchases in your state or county because they're familiar with the rules specific to your jurisdiction and can make the process smoother.

 

Related Article: 5 Future-Minded Ways to Use Your Structured Settlement Payments

 

What JG Wentworth does differently

 

JG Wentworth is the largest purchaser of structured settlement payments in the U.S., and it’s because we strive to offer sellers the best experience possible.

 

Our team of representatives has experience working with customers from all walks of life and in all corners of the country, meaning there’s basically nothing we haven’t seen in the 30 years we’ve been in business. If you want to sell your payments, you can count on us to anticipate any hurdles in the sale process and help you overcome them.

 

Plus, because we purchase payments directly, we’re able to get you your funds fast in whatever way works best for you, be it by direct deposit or by check.

 

All of this is not to mention that we guarantee the best price for your payments!**

 

In short, JG Wentworth didn’t become the name you associate with structured settlement sales for just any reason. We’ve got the most experience, and we help a lot of people get the cash they need when they need it most. If you’re interested in hearing a quote, give us a call today at (877) 227-4713!

Sources cited

 

  1. Benefits of the secondary market. National Association of Settlement Purchasers. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.nasp-usa.com/benefits_of_the_secondary_mark.php

Want to learn more?

Fill out your info and one of our trained representatives will be in touch!

By clicking "Submit" you consent to allowing JG Wentworth to contact you as described below.

By submitting this form, I am providing JG Wentworth, with express written consent to contact me regarding product offerings by SMS/text messages or by using an auto dialer (or automated means) at the phone number(s) provided and such consent is not a condition of a purchase. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt-out of this service at any time by replying to our last message with “STOP”. For assistance, please call any number listed on this website. I also consent and agree to JG Wentworth’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

*Sales of Structured Settlement and Lottery Payments are subject to Court Approval and other conditions which can take 60-90 days to complete. Annuity payment sales are also subject to certain conditions. All transactions are at Peachtree’s sole discretion.

 

**Best Price Guarantee: We will provide you with a check for $1,000 if we cannot beat an offer from another payment purchasing company. In order to receive the $1,000, the following conditions must be met: 1. you must provide us with a quote in writing from another payment purchasing company, signed by an authorized representative, and dated within three business days of the date submitted to us “Qualifying Quote”; 2. if we are unable to beat the competitor’s quoted purchase price, we will provide you with written notice within three business days of our receipt of their Qualifying Quote; and 3. the $1,000 check shall be due and payable to you upon our receipt of written confirmation, satisfactory to us, of the funding of the transaction at the quoted purchase price, and that funding must occur within ninety days after you receive written notification from us that we cannot beat their Qualifying Quote. Limit one Best Price Guarantee offer per customer. This offer is void where prohibited and all transactions are subject to federal, state and local laws. This offer is not available in Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. This offer is not available to residents of Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, or Nevada that have a transaction pending with JG Wentworth or any related or unrelated structured settlement payment purchasing company.