When creating the terms for the structured settlement payments that one would receive to help deal with the aftermath of an injury, many factors are going to come into play. Some of the things that you are going to have to determine while coming up with the settlement include the date the settlement will begin, the duration of the payments and the periods at which the payments come due. Determining the amount of the payments is important as well, and considers other things, such as the current age of the claimant, all monthly expenses, retirement plans, and more.

In some cases, the payments are going to be tax-free. Payments made to an estate might be free of income tax, for example. However, they will have an estate tax associated with them. If you have a payment plan in place and it is currently tax-free, then you are not going to want to change the plan, at least not without consulting with a specialist. In fact, making changes to the settlement agreement once it is in place is not always an easy task.

The terms for the settlement will often vary slightly from case to case. Some might have monthly payments, and others will only receive a payment once per year. Some individuals might try to choose a lump sum, although that might not always be the best decision. With the lump sum, you may have to worry about fees and penalties. However, those who need money may find that selling annuities at some point is a viable option that they want to consider.

While they will not be getting the full and true amount for those payments, it can be a relatively easy way to receive a larger sum when having the money in your hand now is imperative. You can find some good companies that can help.