What's all the fuss about?

So, there are a few blogs out there, namely, http://www.structuredsettlements.typepad.com/ , http://s2kmblog.typepad.com/rethinking_structured_set/, and http://thesettlementchannel.squarespace.com/blog-archive-of-past-topics/ that have all at one time or another made comments with regard to the factoring industry.  One site in particular http://www.structuredsettlements.typepad.com/ has made a career out of, what appears at first glance, to be factoring bashing.  This is actually not the case.  My take on this persons opinions is that he is fed up with spending thousands of dollars each year attempting to be an expert in the structured settlement arena by doing aggressive web advertising, etc., only to have those efforts stomped on by the old time factoring companies that can be seen advertising on T.V.  When an annuitant types in "structured settlements" for instance in an internet search, all the factoring co's web-sites come up, leaving the real structured settlement people way down on page 100.  As a structured settlement broker myself for over 15 years, I understand only too well how frustrating that would be!  And to think that I didn't even know these folks knew how to spell structured settlements!! Who knew?!

So, what can we understand from this aggressive advertising by these factoring companies on "structured settlement" searches?  Could it be that your average Joe Annuitant only knows that he has a "structured settlement"?  He knows he needs to cash out some or all of it, but what would be his logical word choice then?...."cash out" (cash out what?)....no, that wouldn't do.....hmmm....."money from structured settlement?"....but there we go again with that structured settlement word. 

Perhaps the best way to deal with this would be to inform annuitants, when you are putting the structured settlement together for him, that if at any time in the future he finds himself in a time of financial stress, he should contact you, the broker, and you will forward him to reputable factoring companies so that they won't be left watching Jerry Springer and falling prey to the TV advertisers.

With sec. 5891, it's now legal.....so, as I always say to people....if an annuitant is going to cash out his structure, he will do it with or without your help.  So, inform him!  Make sure he calls you first.  You just may find your web-site on page 48 one day instead of 100!!