Individuals with a Claim

Are you an individual or claimant in a lawsuit where you are negotiating a settlement? Learn more about the benefits of MetLife’s Structured Settlement solutions.

What Is a Structured Settlement?

A structured settlement is an agreement between a claimant and a defendant where the claimant can receive a settlement in the form of a stream of periodic payments.

A Qualified Assignment (QA) settlement is designated for personal physical injury, physical illness or workers’ compensation claims and disputes. A Non-Qualified Assignment (NQA) is designated for cases that fall outside of personal physical injury claims like employment litigation and contract disputes.

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Benefits

If you are looking to keep more of your settlement and are seeking a solution that turns your settlement into a guaranteed stream of income, protected from market volatility – then a structured settlement may be for you.

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Benefits of a Structured Settlement

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Tax- Advantaged Income

For physical injury and wrongful death cases, settlement proceeds are tax-free. With a structured settlement, those tax-free benefits extend to future periodic payments. By contrast, if a lump sum is received and invested, any earnings or investment gains may be subject to taxation.

For non-physical injury cases, settlement proceeds are generally taxable. A structured settlement can help spread payments over time, allowing recipients to defer and manage their tax obligations rather than receiving the full taxable amount at once.

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Predictable Income Stream

Structured settlements provide a steady stream of income over a specified period, offering financial security while protecting a settlement from being depleted too quickly. The payment schedule can be customized to meet the individual's needs, allowing for future expenses and cost-of-living adjustments.

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Flexible Payment Options

When setting up a structured settlement, claimants have a one-time opportunity to choose their payment options. They can opt to receive some of the settlement up front and put the rest of the settlement into a structured settlement annuity for a stream of payments.

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Payments to the Beneficiary

If an annuitant passes, certain annuity contracts will allow for beneficiaries to receive any remaining guaranteed payments, using the same tax treatment. If a claimant accepts their settlement in a lump sum, however, there is no guarantee that there will be money available for their loved ones if they predecease their family members.

Compare the benefits of Structured Settlements

When deciding what to do with your expected settlement funds, it's important to understand the options, including taking a lump sum cash payment, choosing a structured settlement or selecting other financial solutions. Learn more about the key differences, benefits and considerations of your options with our easy-to-understand investment product comparison.

Exploring Structured Settlement Options

Comparing Insurance Companies

It is important to carefully evaluate the insurance company that would be guaranteeing your structured settlement and find the one that best meets your needs. You want to make sure the insurance company is financially stable and has a long history in managing structured settlement payments.

Five Questions to Ask About an Insurance Company

About to structure your settlement? Here are five key questions to ask about the insurance company you are considering to guarantee your settlement payments.

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Why MetLife

Deciding on your structured settlement provider can be a complex process. You want an experienced company that you can count on to make your payments. As a structured settlements provider, we are a financially strong company with diverse lines of business, and we provide best-in-class service to our customers before and after the annuity purchase.

Find a Broker

This is an informational website. We encourage you to contact one of our experienced, licensed and appointed Structured Settlements Specialty brokers to learn more about your options.

For Claimants:

Structured Settlements Brokers

Visit National Structured Settlements Trade Association (NSSTA) to connect with a broker in your area.

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