info@independent.life
1-800-793-0848
Mosaic for iStructure
Have a life insurance policy insured prior to 2018?
 

Blog

And the Survey Says … Part Three: From Imperatives to Standards: Why Structured Settlements Now Require Defined Professional Standards
Company NewsIndustry NewsSettlement PlanningStructured SettlementsJanuary 20, 2026by Patrick Hindert

And the Survey Says … Part Three: From Imperatives to Standards: Why Structured Settlements Now Require Defined Professional Standards

“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.” – W. Edwards Deming From Evidence to Imperatives, and What Comes Next In Part One of this Survey Series, we examined fifty years of structured settlement research, from the 1977 Lilly Report through the 2025 MetLife Claimant Poll, and identified a consistent finding across...

Share
READ MORE
“And the Survey Says…” Part Two: From Insight to Action — Five Imperatives for a Modern Structured Settlement Profession
Case StudiesSettlement PlanningStructured SettlementsDecember 5, 2025by Courtney Barber

“And the Survey Says…” Part Two: From Insight to Action — Five Imperatives for a Modern Structured Settlement Profession

From Evidence to Imperatives: What Fifty Years of Surveys Require Next Part One of this series traced fifty years of structured settlement research, from the 1977 Lilly Report through the 2025 MetLife Survey, and showed how claimant outcomes depend on when, how, and by whom structured settlements are introduced. Across decades of survey research, one...

Share
READ MORE
And the Survey Says… Part One: Fifty Years of Structured Settlement Research and the Evolution of a Settlement Planning Profession
Industry NewsCase StudiesSettlement PlanningStructured SettlementsOctober 29, 2025by Patrick Hindert

And the Survey Says… Part One: Fifty Years of Structured Settlement Research and the Evolution of a Settlement Planning Profession

Introduction Nearly fifty years have passed since the first structured settlement studies sought to measure how periodic payments could reshape personal injury compensation. In that half-century, the industry has evolved from a defense-side experiment in claims management into a broader settlement planning profession, one that integrates claimant financial security with tax efficiency, government benefits protection,...

Share
READ MORE
Structured Settlements and Medicaid: Building the Legal Framework for Benefit Protection
Government BenefitsCase StudiesIndustry NewsSettlement PlanningAugust 11, 2025by Patrick Hindert

Structured Settlements and Medicaid: Building the Legal Framework for Benefit Protection

By Patrick Hindert & George Luecke I. Introduction: A Growing Market Meets a Shifting Regulatory Landscape In 2024, the structured settlement market reached a historic milestone, generating $9.5 billion in annuity premium, the highest annual volume to date. Some industry experts have suggested the industry could reach an aspirational goal of $15 billion in annual...

Share
READ MORE
The SSA in 2025: What Settlement Planners Must Know About a Changing Benefits Landscape
Industry NewsNewsSettlement PlanningStructured SettlementsJuly 23, 2025by Patrick Hindert

The SSA in 2025: What Settlement Planners Must Know About a Changing Benefits Landscape

Introduction: SSA’s Expanding Role in the Settlement Planning Landscape The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) has drawn national attention for its sweeping changes to federal programs like Medicaid, Social Security, and ABLE accounts. As discussed in our companion article How the One Big Beautiful Bill Impacts Settlement Planning for Plaintiffs, these legislative developments...

Share
READ MORE
Structured Installment Sales: Unlocking Opportunity and Tax Efficiency Through Annuity-Funded Transactions
Structured SettlementsSettlement PlanningMay 20, 2025by Patrick Hindert

Structured Installment Sales: Unlocking Opportunity and Tax Efficiency Through Annuity-Funded Transactions

The Structured Installment Sale (SIS) has emerged as an innovative and practical solution for tax deferral and income security in the sale of appreciated assets—particularly in the business and real estate sectors. For sellers seeking to manage the tax impact of capital gains and create predictable future income, SIS transactions offer a unique blend of...

Share
READ MORE
The Cordero Case – Part 3
Industry NewsSettlement PlanningStructured SettlementsJuly 19, 2023by Patrick Hindert

The Cordero Case – Part 3

Introduction Stephen Harris, who represented defendant Transamerica in the Cordero case, and prominent plaintiff attorney Edward Stone debated the Cordero case during the Society of Settlement Planners (SSP) Annual Conference on March 6, 2023 in Nashville. Their informative and entertaining Nashville presentation occurred prior to more recent decisions by the State of New York Court...

Share
READ MORE

Older Posts

Turbocharge your firm with our free resources

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

      Any discussion of taxes herein is for general informational purposes only and does not purport to be complete or cover every situation. Independent Life, its affiliates, its distributors, and its and their respective representatives do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should confer with your qualified legal, tax and accounting advisors based on your particular circumstances. All guarantees are obligations of Independent Life Insurance Company.