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.

Category: Ezell v Lexington

  • The Truth Behind Plaintiff Broker Commissions in Structured Settlements

    The Truth Behind Plaintiff Broker Commissions in Structured Settlements

    In January 2017, Dick Risk and Steve Berman filed a lawsuit against AIG regarding broker commissions, but it was dismissed in September 2018. They appealed, with arguments heard in March 2019. The analysis critiques Risk’s theory on Qualified Settlement Funds, questioning their effectiveness and highlighting issues with commission practices for plaintiffs.

  • The Mean Monkey Illusion in Structured Settlements

    The Mean Monkey Illusion in Structured Settlements

    Notwithstanding their lack of accounting for anti-rebating laws, Plaintiffs have selectively omitted in their prosecution certain large contributors to trial lawyer associations, who have made claims that undermine the plaintiffs’ arguments, so that they could paint their “mean monkey illusion”.