What changes at 18
If you were injured as a child, the settlement was likely placed in a structured settlement annuity with payments scheduled to start (or increase) when you become an adult. At 18 the payments come to you: no guardian, no court supervision of your spending. Many schedules pay lump sums at 18, 21, and 25, with monthly payments in between.
First: find out exactly what you have
- 1. Ask your parents or guardian for the settlement agreement and annuity policy (the insurer's name is on it: MetLife, Pacific Life, Berkshire Hathaway, and similar).
- 2. Call the insurer and request a benefits letter: every payment, amount, and date left on your schedule.
- 3. Keep those documents. Every real decision you make later starts from that schedule.
Can you sell payments at 18?
Yes: once you are the adult payee, you can sell some or all of your future payments through a court-approved transfer, and a judge must find it in your best interest. Being young cuts both ways in court: judges look harder at an 18-year-old's petition, and they approve when there is a real plan (school, housing, a vehicle for work) rather than just wanting the money sooner. Selling a small portion and keeping the rest is the pattern courts like most.
The two mistakes to avoid
- Anyone who wants a fee upfront. A legitimate buyer pays you; you never pay to unlock, verify, or release your money. That request is a scam, full stop.
- Selling everything for one number. Compare written offers and demand the discount rate on paper. We put it there by default, and if another buyer beats our qualifying written offer, we pay you $1,000.**
* Cash advance availability, amounts, and timeframes vary based on individual circumstances (typically up to $1,000, within 24 hours of qualifying, where offered). Cash advances are offered and made solely by Genex Capital Corporation at its sole discretion and are subject to its underwriting requirements, including: (1) execution and return of a payment purchase contract and all documents required to begin the purchase process; (2) confirmation that you receive periodic settlement payments; (3) a determination that you may enter into an agreement to sell all or a portion of those payments; (4) a determination that the purchase transaction is likely to receive court approval under applicable state law; and (5) satisfaction of underwriting guidelines. Available only to U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents who have reached the age of majority in their state of residence.
** Genex Capital Corporation will pay you $1,000 if it cannot beat a qualifying offer from another payment purchasing company. To qualify: (1) you must provide a written quote from another payment purchasing company, signed by an authorized representative and dated within three business days of the date you submit it ("Qualifying Quote"); (2) if Genex Capital is unable to beat the Qualifying Quote's purchase price, you will receive written notice within three business days of receipt; and (3) the $1,000 is due and payable upon written confirmation that the transaction funded at the quoted purchase price, and that funding must occur within ninety days after you receive written notice that Genex Capital cannot beat the Qualifying Quote. Quotes issued under an annuity issuer's own buyback or hardship program (including the Berkshire Hathaway Hardship Exchange Program) are not Qualifying Quotes. Limit one offer per customer. Not available where prohibited.
This website is operated by Genex Capital Corporation. All offers to purchase settlement payments, all purchases, and all cash advances are made by Genex Capital Corporation and its affiliated companies (A+ BBB rating). We are not a lender or a law firm, and we do not provide legal, tax, or financial advice; consult independent professionals before selling. Every transfer of settlement payment rights requires approval by a judge under applicable state law, and no transaction is final without that approval. Since 2003, $1.2 billion in payments transacted, 50,000+ clients served, and 95% approval success are figures reported by Genex Capital Corporation.
