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Tuesday, January 21st
In the structured settlement market since 2009, CBC Settlement Funding is a Pennsylvania based company that operates as part of the 777 Partners hedge fund investment portfolio. While not the top on our list, we think that in a field dominated by unscrupulous players, CBC Settlement Funding is one of the better companies out there.
Informative and helpful
We appreciate that CBC Settlement Funding offers helpful information about structured settlements, the selling of structured settlements, and your protections as a seller. As the field of structured settlement buyers is rather infamous for its high-pressure tactics, and has been the subject of many consumer protection laws through the years, it reflects well on CBC that they disclose this information.
A deceptive calculator
While CBC Settlement Funding does provide a "calculator” to determine how much your annuity is worth, this tool actually does not work. Instead, no matter what you input into this calculator, you are taken to a webpage to enter your contact information and invited to call a representative. In addition, while they state that they offer "competitive rates”, they do not give any indication as to what those rates are, or what a seller might expect before calling. We think that offering a broken calculator that leads to a phone call is deceptive at best, and reflects poorly on CBC Settlements.
A commitment to ethics
CBC Settlement Funding is one of the only companies on our list that states they won't pursue the purchase of your structured settlement if they feel it is not in your best financial interest. In addition, they recommend exactly what we also advocate: that you should consult with an attorney, accountant, or financial planner before selling your settlement. While little more than a line on a website, we still appreciate that it seems CBC Settlement Funding takes ethical concerns into consideration, especially in a field as fraught as the purchase of structured settlements.
Good BBB rating, complaints addressed
While CBC Settlement Funding has an "A+” with the Better Business Bureau, there are multiple customer complaints on their Better Business Bureau profile (which, to their credit, they have responded to). But, ratings with the Better Business Bureau can be a bit tricky when dealing with structured settlement buyers, and the number of complaints can be a better indicator than their overall letter grade. While we appreciate that CBC Settlement Funding is responsive, all the complaints ranging from late payments to simple miscommunication reflects somewhat poorly that they were made in the first place.
Not the best, but one to consider
We appreciate the informative and easy to navigate website provided by CBC Settlement Funding, and we value the care they take in informing their potential customers to seek out financial professionals. Even so, we don't like steering customers into sales calls such as through their fake rates calculator. In any case, CBC Settlement Funding is likely worth your consideration, and could be a good company to talk about with your financial advisor.
Well, it's a critical question, and one that should be explored with care. Many receive a structured settlement as an annuity paid over a long period of time in compensation for injury or malpractice. While the stable income of a structured settlement can be a necessary key to financial security, many people are often left in a bind when they need money for a sudden expense or emergency, and are unable to procure the collateral for a loan.
That's where structured settlement buyers come in. These companies offer a single lump sum of cash in exchange for your monthly payments, giving you the up-front capital you need to manage a crisis, or make a needed purchase/investment.
It almost goes without saying that you should take care when you sell your structured settlement. While there are reputable buyers out there, many companies appear out of nowhere, or engage in less-than-reputable business practices. As the sale of a structured settlement is a major decision, a bit of careful investigation to determine the quality of the buyer can go a long way towards a transaction you'll be happy with.
Typically the sale of a structured settlement requires that you appear in court to talk to a judge in order to determine that you understand the particulars of the sale of your structured settlement, and that the sale is in your best interest. While potentially annoying, your court appearance is a critical step in the process, and something that directly protects you as a consumer.
Before this step, companies are required to advise you in writing that you can hire independent legal counsel to review your sale in court with you. This is strongly recommended, as legal counsel and financial advice can give you power and leverage in your structured settlement sale, making it so you get a better deal, and potentially earning multiple-thousands more from the sale of your settlement. If you sign this away to another person or a company, they may represent their own best interests, rather than yours.
So, which structured settlement buyers are worth your time? As you investigate the options, here are some tips for you to keep in mind:
At Top Consumer Reviews, we want to make sure that our readers are well-equipped to navigate the sometimes murky waters of the structured settlement industry. We've gathered the best companies we could find, and ranked them based on their overall reputation and business practices. As you shop around for the best deal in the sale of your structured settlement, you should feel comfortable using our curated list as a starting point for finding a fair and honest buyer.
Select any 2 Structured Settlement Buyers to compare them head to head