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Society of Settlement Planners

President's Message

May 2012

I am pleased and honored to assume the duties of President of the Society of Settlement Planners (SSP). I congratulate past President Jack Meligan on a year of outstanding service and leadership and will continue the expansion of our organization all in the name of doing a better job for the injured.

Structure brokers under the traditional Claims Management Model have the advantage of access to claims adjusters. However, their single-product sale is frequently dismissed by injury victims and their families for many reasons including low interest rates, lack of liquidity and the defense brokers’ ties to the defendant. As a result, many injury victims and their families make uninformed decisions or resent the limited financial options presented at the time of settlement.

In contrast, injury victims and their families generally welcome the advice of Settlement Planners because of our reputation as trusted advisors, a status earned through years of work with plaintiff or claimants attorneys. By introducing a menu of insurance and financial products and providers, Settlement Planners promote education and information sharing. They encourage the injury victim and his/her family to actively participate in the planning process. From my personal experience, more information and more products equals more structured settlement annuities because the tax free product is generally right in every case at some level of participation as one asset class.

In the last decade as a settlement planner I have placed the focus on making my clients' lives better, constantly seeking the perfect blend of products without regard for my compensation. As President of SSP, I challenge you to do the same. Focus on the betterment of the client exclusively, and ask yourself everyday: "What have I done today to make my client's life better?"

Over the next year, we will engage and work alongside industry leaders and organizations to promote development of suitability standards for the Settlement Planning industry. Your membership helps SSP accomplish these important goals, and I thank you for your support. We will be highlighting SSP members (new and old) on our website and social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter throughout the year, putting a focus on who really keeps SSP running: the members. I welcome your input throughout my term as President of SSP, and I can be reached at any time through the contact information below.



Charles Schell, CSSC, CTEP
President
706-244-0420
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Society of Settlement Planners Announces Open Membership


Portland, Oregon, January 10, 2012 — The Society of Settlement Planners (SSP), whose membership includes both financial as well as legal settlement planning professionals from across the United States, is now opening membership to all individuals currently working as Settlement Planners, and those interested in becoming Settlement Planners, as well as those persons with a genuine interest in the settlement planning field and profession.

This announcement is a marked departure from the SSP’s prior membership requirements, which restricted membership to individuals that could certify that more than 50% of their professional efforts were on direct behalf, and at the request of, personal injury claimants and plaintiffs.

The SSP Membership overwhelmingly approved this change to the SSP’s bylaws in a special meeting and vote held on November 18, 2011.

“In the 10 years since the inception of the SSP, it was high time to make this change,” said current SSP President Jack Meligan.  “Times have changed, and so should we.  I applaud the Membership’s near-unanimous approval of opening up SSP Membership to all professionals working in the settlement planning field, without regard to which side originates their case assignments.  What is important is that ultimately, injury victims are the beneficiaries of professional settlement planning services and advice from trained and certified practitioners that adhere to a strict Code of Ethics.”

The SSP expects this change to result in a membership surge in 2012, as many industry participants had earlier cited the previous membership restrictions as a major obstacle to entry.

SSP Membership applications can be downloaded from http://www.SocietyofSettlementPlanners.com and submitted to any SSP Board Member for consideration.  While Board approval is still required, Meligan commented that, “we expect that most applicants will be accepted.”

About the Society of Settlement Planners —  Since 2001, the SSP and its members have been promoting the practice of Settlement Planning as a more comprehensive solution for the financial issues facing personal injury victims and their families, and the profession of Settlement Planning as the next evolutionary step for members of the financial and legal communities that serve these injured Americans.  For more information, visit http://www.SocietyofSettlementPlanners.com.
 

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