Blog

Federal Steps to Align Structured Settlements with SSI and Medicaid

I. Introduction – Completing the Series “The Social Security Act is among the most intricate ever drafted by Congress; its Byzantine construction … makes the Act ‘almost unintelligible to the uninitiated.’” — Judge Henry Friendly, Schweiker v. Gray Panthers That observation captures the challenge still facing policymakers and structured settlement professionals. For decades, structured settlements...

The Faces of Innovation – Independent Life Leading the Way

The faces of innovation – From finance to sales, actuarial, strategy and operations, Independent Life stands strong. Together, we’re exploring new frontiers in the structured settlement industry, with the launch of iStructure Select™, and the inclusion of the Nasdaq-100 Volatility Control 12%™ Index. (From left to right) CEO Donald J. Herrema, Senior Actuarial Analyst Joey...

In the News: Independent Life Showcases iStructure Select™ at Nasdaq

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 16, 2025 — Independent Life, the only plaintiff-focused structured settlement annuity carrier, was recently hosted by Nasdaq at its New York City headquarters, highlighting the inclusion of the Nasdaq-100 Volatility Control 12%™ Index into its latest innovative product, iStructure Select™. “Our collaboration with Nasdaq is a powerful validation of the work we...

Structured Settlements, SSI Income and DRA Annuities: Building a Durable Federal Framework

I. Introduction: From System Shifts to Strategic Opportunity This article is the fifth installment in our six-part series on how structured settlements interact with public benefit planning. Article 1 and Article 2 explored system-wide shifts; the One Big Beautiful Bill’s (OBBB) expansion of state authority over Medicaid and the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) 2025 reforms...

Structured Settlements and Public Benefits: How We Got Here And Why It Matters Now

By Patrick Hindert and George Luecke Introduction: Understanding the Path to Today’s Challenges This article is the fourth in a six-part series examining how structured settlements interact with public benefit programs in an era of rapid legislative, judicial, and administrative change. As a reminder: Article 1 introduced the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), explaining...

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...

Understanding Childs: The Cornerstone of Structured Attorney Fee Deferrals

I. Introduction As the IRS’s attorney fee deferral enforcement campaign gathers national attention, legal and tax professionals are revisiting the foundations of fee deferral jurisprudence. At the heart of this discussion stands Childs v. Commissioner, 103 T.C. 634 (1994), aff’d, 89 F.3d 856 (11th Cir. 1996), the seminal Tax Court case that validated the deferral...