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: Shasta County Structured Settlements

  • Backed, Based On, Linked: A Clear, Carrier‑Neutral Guide to Index Terminology in Structured Settlements

    Backed, Based On, Linked: A Clear, Carrier‑Neutral Guide to Index Terminology in Structured Settlements

    by John Darer CLU ChFC MSSC CeFT RSP CLTC As more structured settlement designs reference external indices such as CPI‑U, the terminology used to describe them has expanded. Words like index‑linked, index‑based, and occasionally index‑backed appear in product materials and industry discussions, sometimes without clear differentiation. This brief guide provides a neutral, carrier‑friendly framework to…

  • Discover Pacific Life’s Payout Plus: Index-Based Growth

    Discover Pacific Life’s Payout Plus: Index-Based Growth

    Payout Plus is a new structured settlements annuity option from Pacific Life that enhances financial stability and growth opportunities for claimants. By offering indexed-based payments, it provides a guaranteed minimum with potential fluctuations, catering to those receiving personal injury or workers’ compensation settlements, while promoting financial resilience and flexibility.

  • Taxable Equivalent Yield Explained for Structured Settlements

    Taxable Equivalent Yield Explained for Structured Settlements

    The article discusses the misleading nature of high “rate of return” claims in structured settlement proposals, often characterized by terms like “tax-free rate” versus “taxable equivalent yield.” It emphasizes the importance of accurately understanding Internal Rate of Return (IRR) calculations, noting that different cash flows may yield varying results.

  • Fact Check | Can Structured Settlement Annuities Be Sold?

    Fact Check | Can Structured Settlement Annuities Be Sold?

    People with structured settlements don’t actually own the annuities funding them; these annuities are typically owned by qualified assignment companies. However, individuals with structured settlements do have the option to sell their structured settlement payment rights if a judge approves..

  • Structured Settlement Annuities Where You Live | Certain vs Guaranteed

    Structured Settlement Annuities Where You Live | Certain vs Guaranteed

    The words “certain” and “guaranteed” are terms used in settlement documents to describe payment obligations in a settlement agreement and in structured settlement annuities and other income annuities. Both are often used in a way that suggests the terms are synonymous, but are they?

  • Qualified Assignment Paragraph 9 | Getting Comfortable With IRC Section 130(C)

    Qualified assignment paragraph 9, the IRC 130(c) unwind clause has from time to time given some defense lawyers “twisted blood” . An unwind of the qualified assignment might hurt the payee as well, if a qualified assignment release and pledge agreement ia used to give the payee a security interest