Warning: Recently, phony structured settlement blogs and other forms of websites have been illegally and unethically using our corporate and domain names to attract internet traffic to their websites for profit. These illicit individuals have "pay per click" advertising revenue sharing arrangements with companies such as Google and Yahoo, etc. and they are using our high profile and sterling reputation to attract people to other websites for the so-called "buyers" of structured settlement payments.

Not only does The Halpern Group condemn this marketing practice but also, more importantly, we are publicly opposed to the entire concept of plaintiffs selling their payments. We have seen many examples of this practice wherein the plaintiff only receives 25% to 40% of fair market value when they sell their periodic payments. A properly designed plan for the management of the plaintiff's recovery would eliminate the need to liquidate the fixed periodic payments (in case of an emergency) while making it impossible for the plaintiff to imprudently squander their recovery.

No Halpern Group Structured Settlement would be vulnerable to this type of attack by vultures who prey upon the human weaknesses of already injured people.

 
 
 


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Cost vs. Present Value Or, 
"Figures Don't Lie (But Liars Figure)"

On November 23, 1997, the cost of an annuity producing income of $1,000 per month for 50 years ($600,000) was $198,395. This annuity had an internal rate of return of 6.015%.

Discount factor is the same as rate of return, except working backwards from the income stream. You use the rate of return to determine what X amount of money will produce in income over the next 50 years; you use the discount factor to determine what needs to be invested today to produce Y amount of income over the next 50 years.

  1. Using the same variables (discount factor, desired income, and time span) the present value of this annuity will equal the cost.
     
  2. But ... if you assume a discount factor of 0%, the present value on November 23, 1997 becomes $600,000 (equal to the total payout).
     
  3. And if you assume a discount factor of 100,000% per month, the present value is $1.00.
     
  4. The cost is still $198,395 on November 23, 1997.
     

You see? Present value can be anything the presenter wants it to be!
 
 
     
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