Structured Settlements 4Real®Blog 2026

Structured settlements expert John Darer reviews the latest structured settlements and settlement planning information and news, and provides expert opinion and highly regarded commentary. that is spicy, Informative, irreverent and effective for over 20 years.

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The STRUCTURED SETTLEMENTS 4REAL® Blog is a highly regarded source for structured settlement news, information, and commentary, led by structured settlement and settlement planning subect mater expert John Darer CLU ChFC MSSC CeFT RSP CLTC. With two decades of operation, the blog and 4structures.com are recognized as comprehensive resources, offering detailed guides and specialized insights. Established in 2005, the blog caters to a broad audience, including legal professionals, injured individuals, families, and various stakeholders, providing reviews and opinions on settlement planning. John Darer, President of 4structures.com LLC, is a seasoned structured settlement expert with over 40 years of financial services experience and 31 years specializing in structured settlements. Based in Stamford, CT, he is a Certified Financial Transitionist and Registered Settlement Planner, holding insurance licenses in 45 states and the District of Columbia. John Darer is dedicated to transparency and advocacy, he emphasizes the importance of engaging trained and licensed professionals for settlement planning, offering valuable insights through his investigative journalism and professional commentary.

Former Allstate Structured Settlement Payout Specialist Stole $597,038.22 from Allstate, Jailed 4 years

by Structured Settlement Watchdog

One of the “Good Hands” People Had Her Bad Hand in the Till

What was Lisa Sterner thinking? 

  • From October 2007 to March 2013, Lisa Sterner, a former structured settlement annuity payout specialist and since January 2016, convicted Class 1 felon,  diverted returned checks totaling $597,038.22 for her own purposes.
  • Sterner, who is now 55,  used her ill-gotten gains to pay off credit cards, bail out for a family friend, child care and tattoos. 
  • Sterner admitted to her crimes and pleaded guilty.
  • Allstate stopped writing structured settlement annuities in March 2013, when it appears that Lisa Sterner’s crimes stopped. 
  • Sterner’s crimes were discovered when a beneficiary inquired about a missing payment. The payment was deposited into another account under the name Nicole Sterner.

Sterner was incarcerated at Decatur Correctional Center, Inmate Y10390.  Prison records at time of original posting showed that she was sporting the tats.   

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