Who Pays Them ?

The cost is shared by the parties, as their compensation is built into the financing instruments used to back the future payments.

In the case of annuity-funded structured settlements, the settlement brokers are paid by the life insurance company who issues the annuity contract. To the extent the broker helps arrange a trust, they may earn a consulting fee for that service, paid to them by the provider of the trust service.

Trusts can add significant value in settlement planning but are complex vehicles in their own right, and they involve several layers of fees that must be examined and disclosed.

If the case fails to settle or settles without a structure, there is no fee due in most cases.