Annuitants can access immediate cash by selling off either a part or the whole of their structured settlement to settlement companies. However, there is a cost involved with the process as companies that companies that pay cash upfront deduct to account for tax and their own profit. In fact, selling a structured settlement should be avoided as the actual amount received is far less than the amount that one would have actually obtained in the normal course of events.
Usually, the seller does not incur any out-of-pocket costs while selling a structured settlement payment. The funding company pays for the legal expenses and any upfront costs incurred. The process of selling a structured settlement payment can take up to two months to complete. In order to ensure a smooth sale, one should conduct the sale in consultation with a tax advisor and a legal professional who has the experience of selling structured payments.