Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Anything you share with us stays between you and our team. We are here to help you plan. Your story, your situation, and your finances are all confidential.
There is no charge to start a conversation with us, and we will walk you through exactly how we are compensated before you commit to anything. If a Trust is part of your planning, any fees would be presented to you in advance and often are paid directly from your settlement funds.
Our role is to advise and help you organize, not to take over. You decide what happens with your funds and you have access to them. (For minor survivors, the court may put certain protections in place until the child reaches adulthood — we will explain what those mean for your situation.) For those who are advised to utilize a trust to retain benefits, you will be required to comply with the HEMS standard (Health, Education, Maintenance, and Support.) It limits a trustee’s discretion to distribute trust assets solely to these four specific categories, heavily impacting taxation, asset protection, and beneficiary flexibility.
It can, if it is not planned for. The good news is there are well-established tools — Special Needs Trusts, ABLE accounts, and others — that let you receive a settlement without losing the benefits you rely on. Helping you plan for this is one of the most important things we do.
Most financial advisors have never worked with survivors of abuse, and many have not dealt with settlement funds at all. We have. We understand the trauma, the pacing, the privacy, and the specific planning tools that come with settlements. Our entire focus is on helping survivors — nationwide — make their settlements last and make their lives better.
There is no clock running. Some survivors want to plan everything in a few weeks. Others take months. Either is fine. We will move at the pace that is right for you.