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.

Recent Posts

about

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: Stamford Structured Settlement Investments

Stamford Structured Settlement Investments is a collection of blogs authored by John Darer, featuring commentary about structured settlement investments, which are investments in structured settlement receivables not annuities.

  • 🧭 SmartAsset, Clarity, and the Cost of Terminology Drift

    🧭 SmartAsset, Clarity, and the Cost of Terminology Drift

    SmartAsset does a lot of good work. Their calculators, guides, and tools help millions of people understand financial decisions that would otherwise feel opaque. This post isn’t about criticizing their mission. It’s about strengthening the ecosystem they influence. Because when a platform with SmartAsset’s reach uses terminology that insurance departments do not support, the consequences…

  • Investing in Structured Settlement Receivables | What You Need To Know

    Investing in Structured Settlement Receivables | What You Need To Know

    You or your US clients may be pitched investments in other people’s structured settlements using the false flag claim that they’re annuities. Structured settlement receivables aren’t annuities and bear risks to investors that may make them unsuitable for vulnerable retirees and personal injury victims.

  • A Secondary Market Annuity is a Load of Hooey

    A Secondary Market Annuity is a Load of Hooey

    A Secondary Market Annuity is not an annuity says the NAIC. If you invest in an SMA, you have no insolvency protection in 34 states, with 2 considering it and the NAIC pushing hard for all 50 states to adopt 2017 revision to the Life & Health Guaranty Association Model Act (#520).

  • Avoid Shady Structured Settlement Swaps if U Have a Structured Settlement from the 1990s/2000s

    Avoid Shady Structured Settlement Swaps if U Have a Structured Settlement from the 1990s/2000s

    John Darer warns against structured settlement swaps, which are deceptive sales tactics encouraging individuals to sell their long-term structured settlements for less than worth. He emphasizes that investments from past decades often yield better returns than current market options. Such swaps can jeopardize financial security and incur legal risks. Avoid these schemes.

  • Are Structured Settlement Receivables a Qualified Funding Asset?

    Are Structured Settlement Receivables a Qualified Funding Asset?

    The article, by John Darer, discusses the complexities and potential legal issues surrounding factored structured settlement receivables as qualified funding assets. It raises concerns about misrepresentations of structured settlement payment rights, questioning the legitimacy of these agreements and their tax implications under Internal Revenue Code. The author urges readers to seek clarification and professional advice.

  • What is “Period Certain and Life” or “Period Certain” in an Annuity?

    What is “Period Certain and Life” or “Period Certain” in an Annuity?

    Period Certain in an annuity, means the number of years that the payments will be paid regardless of whether or not the payee of the structured settlement annuity (or retirement annuity) survives the entire payment schedule.