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: Why SMAs Are Not Same as Annuities

SMA is an inaccirate and inappropriate name for structured settlement receivables acquired in the secondary or tertiary market. Structured settlement receivables do not meet the definition of annuity under the laws of most states and are expressly excluded from statutory protections in the 80% of states that have adoped the 2017 Revisions to the L&H Guaranty Associations Model Act

  • 🧭 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…

  • Brooklyn NY Suit Sought to Recover Stopped Payments for Structured Settlement Investors

    Legitimate structured settlement transfer order by one judge in Kings County NY (2014) but another judge’s denial of another petition resulted in restraining order that hurt investors in the 2014 factored structured settlement payment streams and were in limbo for hundreds of thousands for 6 years..