YDC Settlement Fund Update 2026: New Administrator, $239M Paid, 1,700 Claims Pending

If you have a pending YDC claim or you are already receiving annual payments, you are probably watching for any sign that the process is moving again. It is. The New Hampshire YDC settlement fund has paid $239 million to 425 survivors as of January 2026, a new administrator is in place after a nine-month gap, and two active bills in the 2026 session could shape how the remaining 1,700 claims are handled. Below is what we know and what it means for you.

Where the YDC Settlement Fund Stands in 2026

The NH YDC settlement fund has resolved 425 of the more than 2,200 claims submitted since the fund was created in 2022.

Here are the numbers as reported by WMUR in January 2026:

Category	Number
Total claims submitted	2,200+
Claims resolved	425
Total paid to survivors	$239 million
Claims still pending	~1,700
Requested by pending claimants (with cap)	~$1.8 billion
Claims withdrawn	75
Claims dismissed	79
Statutory cap per claim	$2.5 million

The fund was created to compensate survivors of physical, mental, and sexual abuse at the New Hampshire Youth Development Center, a state-run juvenile detention facility in Manchester that operated for more than 50 years. The fund was established under NH RSA 21-M:11-a as an alternative to individual lawsuits, which would have no statutory cap on damages.

New Administrator Confirmed After Nine-Month Gap

Former Concord Circuit Court Judge Gerard Boyle was unanimously confirmed as the new YDC fund administrator by the Executive Council on March 25, 2026.

Boyle replaces former Chief Justice John Broderick, who served as administrator from the fund's creation in 2022 until July 2025. Broderick's departure followed a legislative change that shifted the administrator's role from an independent judicial branch appointment to one subject to attorney general oversight. Under the new structure, the administrator's settlement award determinations must be approved by the attorney general. Gov. Kelly Ayotte can also remove the administrator at any time for any reason.

We hear from YDC survivors regularly, and the frustration over this nine-month gap comes up in nearly every conversation. No new claims were decided during that period. For survivors with pending claims, this added months of waiting on top of what was already a long and difficult process. Attorneys representing claimants, including Mark Knights of Nixon Peabody LLP, have said many of their clients are considering taking their cases to court instead.

With Boyle now in place, the claims process is expected to resume. How quickly the backlog of 1,700 pending claims gets addressed remains to be seen.

SB 481: Property Sale Could Fund Survivor Payments

Senate Bill 481 directs the sale of the former YDC property on South River Road in Manchester. If the sale closes after June 30, 2027, the proceeds go directly to the YDC settlement fund.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Rosenwald (Dist. 13) and several co-sponsors, instructs the Department of Administrative Services to take possession of the property, find a buyer, and negotiate the sale at not less than market value. The sale must be approved by the governor and council.

The timing matters for survivors. If the property sells before June 30, 2027, the proceeds go to the state general fund. After that date, the money flows to the settlement fund that pays survivors directly. The property currently houses remaining YDC facilities and Manchester Police Department horse stables, both expected to vacate by the end of fiscal year 2026 when the replacement facility in Hampstead is completed. Maintenance costs while the property sits unsold are estimated at $500,000 to $1 million.

SB 558: Proposal to Move the Administrator to the Judicial Branch

Senate Bill 558, introduced in the 2026 session, would transfer the YDC claims administrator from the executive branch to the judicial branch. Under current law, the governor with consent of the executive council appoints the administrator. Under SB 558, the Supreme Court would make the appointment.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Altschiller (Dist. 24) along with Sen. Rosenwald, Sen. Watters, Sen. Long, Sen. Perkins Kwoka, and Rep. Ebel, has a proposed effective date of July 1, 2026. It was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Beyond the branch transfer, SB 558 would roll back three changes made in 2025 HB 2:

• Attorney fee installments. Current law, added in 2025, requires that when an award is paid in periodic payments, the claimant's attorney fees are also paid in equal installments across the same schedule, with 5% compound annual interest on the unpaid balance. SB 558 would remove that requirement.
• 30-day acceptance window. Under the 2025 changes, the administrator's decision is not final until both the AG designee and the claimant affirmatively accept it within 30 days. SB 558 would make the decision final and non-appealable on issuance, subject only to a 10-day reconsideration request for mathematical or scrivener's errors.
• Monthly reporting. Current law requires the administrator to submit an itemized monthly report to legislative leaders. SB 558 would change this to a quarterly report.

If you have an attorney handling your claim on a periodic payment structure, the installment-fee provision is the change most likely to matter to you. Attorneys under current law have a financial incentive to prefer lump sum awards because periodic awards mean their fees are stretched over the same payment schedule as the client's award. SB 558 would remove that incentive and pay attorney fees up front regardless of how the underlying award is structured. The bill's status can be tracked on the New Hampshire General Court bill tracking system.

RSA 21-M:11-a: Amendment Timeline

The statute creating the YDC fund has been amended every year since it was enacted. Here is the full timeline, which matters if you are reading older coverage and wondering whether it still applies.

Year	Chapter	Effective Date	Key Changes
2022	122:2	May 27, 2022	Original enactment. Established the fund, administrator position, claim window, compensation caps, and reporting requirements. A companion section amended RSA 91-A:5 to add a Right-to-Know exemption for claim records.
2023	79:487-489	July 1, 2023	Multiple administrative refinements enacted as part of the state budget.
2024	92:1	June 14, 2024	Single-section amendment.
2025	141:437-440	July 1, 2025	Added assistant administrator authority (subject to joint fiscal committee approval), attorney general memoranda of understanding with judicial branch, installment attorney fees with 5% interest, 30-day mutual acceptance window, and related changes. Took effect the day after the claim window closed.
2026	SB 558 (proposed)	July 1, 2026 (if enacted)	Shifts administrator from executive to judicial branch. Removes installment attorney fees, the 30-day acceptance window, and monthly reporting requirements.

Privacy of Claim Records

YDC claims administration records are exempt from the New Hampshire Right-to-Know Law under RSA 91-A:5, XIII. This means claim submissions, supporting materials, and the administrator's working files cannot be released through a public records request.

Settlement agreements themselves remain publicly accessible as governmental records under RSA 91-A:4, VI. After a claim is finally resolved, the administrator may release other records only if disclosure would not violate other law or constitute an unwarranted invasion of the claimant's privacy. The legislature built this framework alongside the original 2022 fund statute as a deliberate balance between survivor confidentiality and transparency in how state funds are spent.

What This Means If You Have a Pending Claim

If your claim is among the 1,700 still pending, the confirmation of a new administrator is the most significant development in nine months. That said, nobody can predict how quickly the backlog will move.

Some survivors may choose to pursue their cases in court rather than continuing to wait. In court, there is no $2.5 million cap on damages. That is a decision to make with your attorney based on the specifics of your situation.

If you have already received an award and are collecting 10 annual payments, you have a separate option worth knowing about. You can sell some or all of your remaining future payments for an immediate lump sum through a licensed structured settlement purchaser. CSF has closed more than 4,000 structured settlement transactions and works with YDC survivors specifically. This process is separate from the claims fund and does not affect other survivors' claims or the fund's operations.

Options for Survivors Receiving Annual Payments

YDC settlement awards are paid in 10 annual installments. Survivors who need access to their money sooner can sell future payments for a lump sum.

This is not a loan. It is a sale of your future payment rights, governed by the New Hampshire Structured Settlement Protection Act (NH RSA 408-G). A judge must review and approve the transfer. You choose how many payments to sell and keep the rest. Good credit is not required, there are no monthly payments, and no out-of-pocket cost.

We strongly recommend consulting with an independent attorney before making any decision about your settlement payments. Your compensation represents something deeply personal, and you deserve qualified advice that is independent from the company purchasing your payments.

If you want to understand what your payments would be worth as a lump sum, call us at (800) 317-3769 for a confidential, no-obligation quote. Our team provides respectful, confidential assistance for YDC survivors. The amount we quote is the amount you receive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much has the YDC settlement fund paid out?

As of January 2026, the fund has paid $239 million to resolve 425 claims. Approximately 1,700 claims remain pending, with a total requested amount of about $1.8 billion when the statutory cap is applied.

Who is the new YDC settlement fund administrator?

Former Concord Circuit Court Judge Gerard Boyle was unanimously confirmed by the Executive Council on March 25, 2026. He replaced former Chief Justice John Broderick, who served from the fund's inception in 2022 until July 2025.

What is the maximum YDC settlement award?

The statutory cap is $2.5 million per claim. Awards are paid in 10 annual installments rather than a single lump sum. The actual amount depends on the nature and severity of the abuse documented in each individual claim.

What is SB 481 and how does it affect YDC survivors?

SB 481 directs the sale of the former YDC property in Manchester. If the sale closes after June 30, 2027, the proceeds go to the YDC settlement fund under RSA 21-M:11-a. If it closes before that date, proceeds go to the state general fund.

Can I sell my YDC settlement payments for a lump sum?

Yes. If you are receiving your YDC award as 10 annual payments, you can sell some or all of those future payments for an immediate lump sum through a licensed structured settlement purchaser like Catalina Structured Funding. The transfer requires court approval under the New Hampshire Structured Settlement Protection Act.

Why was there a delay in the YDC claims process?

The fund went without an administrator for approximately nine months after John Broderick stepped down in July 2025. During that period, no new determinations were issued on pending claims. The process resumed when Gerard Boyle was confirmed in March 2026.

What is Senate Bill 558 (2026)?

SB 558 is a 2026 bill that would shift the YDC claims administrator from the executive branch to the judicial branch, with the Supreme Court making the appointment. It would also remove three 2025 HB 2 provisions: installment attorney fees with 5% annual interest, a 30-day acceptance window following the administrator's decision, and monthly itemized reporting. Proposed effective date is July 1, 2026.

What are the compensation caps under RSA 21-M:11-a?

The statute sets tiered caps: $1.5 million for sexual abuse (alone or with other abuse), $2.5 million for egregious sexual abuse, $250,000 for other abuse only, and $300 per day capped at $100,000 for isolated confinement. The fund cannot authorize more than $75 million in claims payments per fiscal year without joint fiscal committee and governor and council approval.

When will the YDC settlement fund close?

The claims filing window closed June 30, 2025. The fund itself is nonlapsing and continuously appropriated through June 30, 2032, after which any remaining balance lapses to the state's revenue stabilization reserve account under RSA 9:13-e.