The Society of Settlement Planners (SSP) is a national nonprofit educational and public policy association of professional structured settlement producers and others who assist injured claimants in the settlement process. Its members support the furtherance of the SSP mission statement:
“To assist injury victims, claimants and attorneys in resolving their legal financial claims, and to advocate the injury victim’s right to choose settlement planning advisors and financial and guarantee providers.”
Settlement planning is a process that integrates immediate and periodic payments by planning for the timely use of funds by using annuities, trusts, taxable investments and other vehicles. It strives to preserve assets through coordination with other benefits such as Medicaid and Medicare and by prudent estate planning.
SSP members include settlement planners, structured settlement specialists, attorneys, product providers and other professional associations. Members seek to elevate the profession of settlement planning by promoting ethical industry standards, providing education and certification and knowledge transfer among its members. Members strive to assist personal injury claimants by providing information to them, their attorneys, guardians, conservators, judges, other advisors, product providers and general public.
The SSP professional member has a fiduciary duty to the claimant and is obligated to provide information and programs which are in the best interests of the injured person and their attorney. This is achieved by complete financial disclosure and by using by using their experience, strategies and financial tools to create a program that best meets the needs of the claimant. These elements may include the use of daily quotes, jumbo case discounts, lock-ins, mortality or rated age improvements. Those representing the defendant of their insurer do not have such a duty, and expect a release when the case is settled. |