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: Structured Sales

  • Allstate International Assignments, Ltd. is a new name for NABCO

    Allstate International Assignments, Ltd. was a special purpose corporation formed in Barbados, for the purpose of accepting periodic payment obligations by way of non qualified assignments. It stopped takin new cases in early 2013.

  • Proposed Private Annuity Regs Enhance Allure of Structured Sales

    Today Allstate issued a memorandum to clarify confusion over the regulations recently issued by The United States Department of Treasury and the IRS over Private Annuity Trusts. Some, who have misinformed, thought the regulations applied to structured installment sales . I discussed third party issues and concerns over Private Annuity Trusts in an earlier blog…

  • Before You Spend That Lump Sum!

    I often receive solicitations from the California Institute of Finance at California Lutheran University about its Financial Planning program. Today an excerpt from a Steve Vernon book caught my eye "Don’t consider your lump sum as money you can spend in retirement. I know this sounds weird, but stay with me for awhile. My worry…

  • Structured Sales facility now in place with Pruco Assignment Corporation

    Back on May 1, 2006 I wrote a post to introduce Pruco Assignment Corporation, a new facility to take on non qualified assignment obligations. I learned at the NSSTA Regional meeting that Pruco Assignment Corporation will now accept non qualified assignments for Structured Installment Sales. The company plans a formal announcement shortly. A new entrant…

  • Most People Have Trouble Estimating Appropriate Spending Levels

    by John Darer Most people have problem determining appropriate long term spending levels. Lack of education on the subject is clearly the root of the problem. Yet if left uncorrected, the long term ramifications of this deficiency could be a devastating impact on retirement, critical care or survivor financial security. According to a survey** conducted…

  • AICPA gives Press to Structured Sales

    A great article on Structured Sales by San Francisco tax attorney Robert Wood "The Advantages of Selling Appreciated Assets via a Structured Sale" has been published in this month’s Tax Advisor.  The Tax Advisor is published by the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants), the largest national professional organization for Certified Public Accountants in…

  • Growing Senior Use Of The Internet Justifies Need For More Protections!

    For those of you, including structured settlement brokers, settlement planners,  accountants, lawyers, judges,claim adjusters and regulators, who think that the Internet is not an important space for the education of structured settlement and settlement planning prospects and clients, think again!  Some eye catching statistics worthy of your consideration: 28% of Americans 65 and older use…

  • Structured Sales Are A Safe Secure Way To Defer Capital Gains

    Rachael Emma Silverman's article in the June 4, 2006 Wall Street Journal is an informative piece that covers many of the ways that owners of properties or businesses can dispose of such property. Read more about structured installment sale on The Structured Sales Authority I have covered the article with some additional commentary that may be…

  • New Non Qualified Assignment Facility from Pruco

    More details have emerged concerning Pruco Assignment Corporation, a partnership with which enables Prudential Financial, through us and other appointed structured settlement brokers, to offer non qualified assignments. As I announced in my post about Pruco late Friday afternoon more details would be forthcoming and here they are: Like the NABCO (Allstate) and BARCO (Liberty) facilities,…

  • A Tsunami of Bad Information

    In my opinion the Structured Settlement Authority blog is a tsunami of bad information… here’s yet another direct excerpt: "Have you ever considered getting cash from your structured settlement to use for investment purposes? People try to save money for the future and invest in various ways. Liquidating a settlement could be an alternative source…