How to Get a Structured Settlement Quote

What Is a Structured Settlement Quote?

A structured settlement quote is a written offer from a buyer for some or all of your future payments in exchange for a lump sum today. The quote tells you three things: how much cash you would receive, what discount rate the buyer is applying to your payments, and what costs or fees (if any) are deducted before funding. A reputable quote includes all three in writing on the buyer's letterhead or as part of a disclosure statement required by your state's Structured Settlement Protection Act (SSPA).

A quote is not the same as a calculator estimate. Our online structured settlement calculator uses the present-value formula and a generic discount-rate assumption to produce a ballpark. A real quote runs your actual payment schedule against the buyer's current pricing model, including any state-specific cost adjustments and the issuing insurance company's transfer policies. Two buyers can produce different quotes on the same payment stream because their pricing models, capital costs, and risk preferences differ. The way to find out which buyer is offering the most is to compare written quotes from at least two of them on the same payment stream.

What Information You Need to Get a Quote

To get a structured settlement quote, you need three categories of information: identification, payment details, and your sale preferences. Most buyers can produce a same-day or next-day written quote with the basics.

Identification:

• Government-issued ID (driver's license or state ID)
• Proof of current address (utility bill or bank statement within 60 days)

Payment details:

• A copy of your original settlement agreement or annuity policy
• The name of the issuing insurance company (MetLife, Prudential, etc.)
• Your payment schedule: amount, frequency, remaining payments
• Whether your payments are guaranteed or life-contingent
• Any prior court orders related to your structured settlement

Sale preferences:

• Whether you want to sell all of your future payments or just a portion
• A specific dollar amount you need, or specific payments you want to sell

You do not need to commit to anything to get a quote. A reputable buyer will produce a no-obligation written offer based on the information above and walk you through what the lump sum would be after court costs and any disclosed deductions. We see customers ask the buyer to run two or three scenarios (sell all vs. sell half vs. sell specific years) so they can compare the trade-offs side by side. Most buyers will do this at no charge. If you do not have your original settlement agreement, the issuing insurance company can typically provide a benefit letter on request. Call us at (800) 317-3769 and we can walk you through what you need.

How Structured Settlement Quotes Are Calculated

Every structured settlement quote comes down to one calculation: the present value of your future payments at the buyer's discount rate, minus transaction costs the buyer chooses to itemize. The present-value formula is standard across the industry; the discount rate is where buyers differentiate.

The math:

1. Identify each future payment and its date
2. Apply the buyer's discount rate to each payment to bring it to today's dollars
3. Sum the discounted values
4. Subtract any costs the buyer deducts (court costs, document prep, IPA fees) if those costs are not absorbed into the rate

Worked example: A 10-year stream of $5,000 monthly payments has a total face value of $600,000. At a discount rate of 9 percent, the present value works out to approximately $380,000. At a discount rate of 12 percent, the same stream is worth around $338,000. At 15 percent, it falls to around $302,000. The 6-point spread in discount rate translates to roughly $78,000 in cash to you. That is why the discount rate matters more than any other variable.

The discount rate itself is built from four inputs:

1. The buyer's cost of capital (what they pay institutional investors to fund deals)
2. The risk profile of your specific payments (guaranteed vs. life-contingent, payment timing, issuing insurance company)
3. State-specific costs (some states have higher court filing fees, mandatory Independent Professional Advisor fees, or registration requirements that get absorbed into the rate)
4. The buyer's required return (their margin for taking the deal)

Different buyers weight those inputs differently, which is why two reputable buyers can quote $15,000 apart on the same payment stream. The seller who shops the deal across two or three buyers consistently gets a better number than the seller who accepts the first offer.

Two technical points worth knowing: discount rates in 2026 typically run between 9 percent and 18 percent depending on the payment type, the state, and the buyer. Rates above 18 percent are unusual outside of small or unusually risky deals. Rates below 9 percent are unusual outside of pristine guaranteed payments with short remaining terms from top-rated issuers. The discount rate must be disclosed in writing before you sign anything. Every state SSPA requires it. If a buyer refuses to put the rate in writing during the quote stage, that is the moment to walk away.

How Long It Takes to Get a Quote

Most structured settlement buyers produce a written quote within 24 to 48 hours of receiving your basic information. CSF aims for same-day on most quote requests, depending on the time of day you call and the complexity of your payment schedule.

The quote turnaround is fast because the math is fast. Once a buyer has your payment schedule, the issuing insurance company, your state, and your sale preference (full vs. partial), the pricing model runs in minutes. The slower part is the back-and-forth on what specific payments you want to sell and whether you want the buyer to run alternative scenarios.

For a more detailed look at the entire timeline from quote to funding, see our guide on how long it takes to sell a structured settlement. The quote stage is days; the court process is weeks.

How to Compare Structured Settlement Quotes

The best structured settlement quote is the one that delivers the highest net amount into your account on funding day, after every court cost, attorney fee, and miscellaneous deduction the buyer applies. The headline lump sum is the starting point, not the answer.

How to compare two quotes apples-to-apples:

• Make sure both quotes are for the exact same set of payments. A quote for 60 monthly payments and a quote for 72 monthly payments are not comparable.
• Confirm the discount rate in writing on each. If one buyer will not provide the rate, you cannot compare meaningfully.
• Read what is and is not deducted. Buyer A may quote $42,000 and deduct $1,800 in court costs before funding. Buyer B may quote $40,500 with court costs absorbed. Buyer B is the better offer.
• Ask each buyer how long the quote is valid. Some quotes expire in 48 hours. A quote that pressures you to sign within hours is a yellow flag.
• Verify each buyer is the entity that will sign the purchase agreement and fund the transaction. A quote from a referral site or aggregator may not match what the actual funding buyer will pay.

What should be in every reputable quote:

• The lump sum you would receive (the net, not just the gross)
• The discount rate being applied
• Any deductions itemized in writing
• The buyer's full legal entity name
• A 48-hour minimum validity window (no pressure to sign in minutes)
• The buyer's BBB rating and physical address

If a quote is missing any of those elements, ask for them in writing before you compare it to anything else. A buyer who refuses to provide them is not worth comparing to. For depth on which buyers reliably provide complete written quotes, see our comparison of the top structured settlement buyers and our overview of how to choose a structured settlement buyer.

Red Flags in Structured Settlement Quotes

Four patterns in a quote should make you walk away.

Undisclosed fees. If a quote does not itemize court costs, attorney fees, IPA fees, or other deductions, ask for that disclosure in writing. If the buyer refuses, the answer is not “they have no fees.” The answer is “they will tell you later, after you sign.” Walk.

Pressure to sign within minutes or hours. Reputable buyers know you should compare offers. Operators who pressure you to sign on the same call you receive the quote are pricing the deal poorly and counting on you not finding out.

Refusal to put the quote in writing. The state SSPA requires written disclosure before signing. A buyer who will only quote verbally is hiding the price.

Vague discount-rate language. “Industry-standard rate” or “competitive rate” with no specific number means the rate is high. The discount rate goes on the disclosure statement. Ask for it during the quote stage.

Get a Structured Settlement Quote From CSF

CSF produces written quotes within 24 hours on most payment streams. We put the discount rate, the lump sum you would receive, and every cost in writing before you sign anything. There is no obligation, no cost, and no pressure. Request a quote online or call us at (800) 317-3769. We will run two or three scenarios for you if you want to compare a full sale to a partial sale on the same payment stream. The amount we quote is the amount you receive at closing. Not a penny less.

Frequently Asked Questions