Structured settlement answers for the decisions ahead.

A structured settlement is an arrangement in which some or all settlement proceeds are paid over time according to a schedule established in the settlement documents. Payments may be recurring, deferred to future dates, or designed around anticipated milestones. In a qualified assignment, federal law generally requires the payment amounts and timing to be fixed and determinable. Read 26 U.S.C. §130.

Section 104(a)(2) generally excludes from federal gross income compensatory damages—other than punitive damages—received on account of personal physical injuries or physical sickness. The statute applies whether qualifying damages are paid as a lump sum or as periodic payments. With a properly established structured settlement, qualifying future payments remain part of the settlement payment stream; earnings generated after investing a lump sum are generally a separate tax matter. Tax treatment depends on the claim, settlement allocation, prior medical-expense deductions, and other facts. Review the IRS guidance.

No. Punitive damages are generally taxable, and damages not attributable to personal physical injury or physical sickness may be taxable. Amounts related to previously deducted medical expenses may also be taxable to the extent the deduction produced a tax benefit. A tax professional should review the claim and settlement documents. See IRS Publication 4345.

Periodic payments can create predictable income at agreed times, reduce the amount that must be managed immediately, and align portions of the settlement with expected needs such as care, housing, education, or household income. A lump sum offers more immediate control but also leaves the recipient responsible for investment, spending, tax-on-earnings, and depletion decisions. The tradeoff is flexibility: structured payments are generally difficult to change after settlement. Some claimants choose a combination of immediate cash and future payments.

Before the settlement is finalized, proposed schedules can be modeled around the available settlement amount and anticipated needs. A schedule may include immediate funds, recurring payments, deferred payments, or future lump sums on specified dates. Once a qualified structure is established, the recipient generally cannot accelerate, defer, increase, or decrease the agreed payments. Read the qualified-assignment rules.

The conversation should begin before settlement terms and documents are final. Early planning gives the plaintiff, counsel, broker, and other advisors time to identify future needs, compare schedules, review tax and benefits questions, and coordinate documentation. Waiting until after the claimant has an unrestricted right to receive the money may eliminate structuring options.

Ramtin helps plaintiffs and attorneys understand structured settlement concepts, identify future payment needs, compare potential schedules, and coordinate the selected approach with the settlement process. A licensed broker can obtain and explain structured settlement illustrations and help the parties communicate about timing and implementation. Ramtin does not replace legal, tax, investment, benefits, or trust advisors.

Rockpoint works directly with counsel and the client to gather planning priorities, prepare payment illustrations, explain timing and tradeoffs, and support coordination before the settlement documents are finalized. Ramtin is the direct Rockpoint broker contact. As a member of Ringler & Associates, Rockpoint combines personal broker access with broader structured settlement resources. Counsel remains responsible for legal advice and settlement documentation, while tax and other specialized advisors address their respective areas.

Yes. Ramtin can join a client conversation to explain the role of a structured settlement, walk through proposed payment timing, and help identify questions that belong with legal, tax, benefits, trust, or financial professionals. Attorneys can involve him early or bring him in when a specific proposal needs to be explained.

No. Rockpoint provides structured settlement education and brokerage support. The plaintiff’s attorney, tax advisor, financial professional, benefits specialist, and trust counsel should advise within their respective areas.

A structured settlement is part of resolving a claim: it establishes how settlement proceeds will be paid after an agreement is reached. A legal funding advance is financing provided during pending litigation by a third party in exchange for repayment and a return from a successful recovery; nonrecourse arrangements generally are not repaid if the case is unsuccessful. Funding can reduce the plaintiff’s eventual net proceeds and does not itself create a structured settlement or Section 104(a)(2) treatment. Rockpoint Settlements is a distinct company and does not provide legal funding advances. Read the U.S. GAO overview.

No. Rockpoint Settlements is a separate structured settlement company focused on settlement education, payment planning, and brokerage support. It is not Rockpoint Legal Funding and does not offer pre-settlement or lawsuit funding advances.

A structured settlement may be worth evaluating when a claimant wants predictable future payments, has ongoing care or household needs, is planning around significant future dates, or prefers not to manage the entire settlement at once. It is not automatically the right choice for every claimant. The decision should reflect liquidity needs, the case, settlement terms, and qualified professional advice.