You may have heard the benefits of hiring structured settlement consultants. These consultants can advise you on how to sell or purchase your structured settlements, give you advice on tax implications resulting from lump-sum settlements, and can even assist in managing your future finances. But what are the benefits of structured settlements and why do you want to sell? There are several benefits of selling your settlements and one of the most important is that the proceeds from the sale of the annuity can be tax-free.

Your structured settlement was probably set up as an investment in your future. If interest rates were good, you would have received a substantial amount of money over a reasonably long time frame. In today’s economy, the unemployment rate is very high and many people have lost their jobs or seen their hours cut back. The sudden loss of income coupled with the rising prices of goods and services has put a big strain on people’s income streams.

Since the sale of a structured settlement is essentially a sale of your future income stream, you will have to undergo some very difficult considerations. Your lump sum will be small, but if you live for a long time, it adds up to a substantial sum. The payments will not be available during retirement, so you will have to wait until you are no longer employed before you receive the full value of your settlement.

Some individuals opt to sell their structured settlements early in life to free up some cash for major expenses. This is especially true for those who have a house and mortgage payments that need to be made. Other people have to make major life changes such as changing jobs, buying a car, or starting a family. These life changes require more than just a lump sum. Sometimes it takes years to recoup the costs from structured settlements. You can avoid this problem by having your annuity payments converted into a simple annuity.

Another great benefit of selling your structured settlements is that you will not have to wait to get a large lump sum. Even if you are guaranteed a large lump sum, you might not have all the capital available at the time. Some cases may call for more than one lump sum. If you are guaranteed only a lump sum, you could run out of cash before you have a chance to get the rest of the money.

Once you understand the benefits of hiring structured settlement consultants, you should make sure you do your research. A reputable and honest company will be willing to provide information about its services. Be sure to ask for a written quote, as well as a free consultation. A good company will explain the details of its fee structure and work history with clients.