This evening, John Darer called out the factoring industry to voice their opinion on the following question:

"Do you agree with Rhonda Bentzen who asserts that paying structured settlement brokers and settlement planners a commission actually gets the tort victim more money in a structured settlement factoring transaction?"

OR

"Do you agree with Bracy and Springer who each say that the taking of commissions directly affects the purchase price to the tort victim in a structured settlement factoring transaction?"

To answer John's question: I agree that the taking of commissions does in fact affect the purchase price to the tort victim in a structured settlement factoring transaction.

As a structured settlement factoring broker I cannot see any other way to answer the above question. Logically speaking, if the settlement planner or structured settlement broker is NOT taking a referral on the deal, then that money should be going to the tort victim, Right? Uh huh, I found the answer:

Rhonda Bentzen December 21, 2007: "The referral fee ultimately saves the annuitant money and comes out of my pocket anyway."

Hmmm, that doesn't make much sense but lets try working with an illustration instead.

I would have to say that B is the correct answer.