# Pacific Structured Assets

> Pacific Structured Assets (PSA) sells Secondary Market Annuities (SMAs) to individual investors. These are generally factored structured settlement payment rights, not new annuity contracts or insurance policies: guaranteed and life-contingent structured settlement payment rights, assigned insurance annuities, and lottery payment rights, purchased at a discount through a court-approved transfer and typically yielding 4-7%. Founded 2011. Based in La Crescenta, CA.

Important terminology: "Secondary market annuities" is an industry term for factored structured settlement payment rights and similar assigned payment streams. It does not mean you are buying an insurance annuity contract. Factored structured settlement payment rights are NOT annuities, NOT insurance products, and NOT securities, and they are not covered by state insurance guaranty associations. Assigned annuities (a separate product line) ARE existing insurance annuity contracts transferred to a new owner.

Independence: Pacific Structured Assets, Inc. is an independent company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise connected to any insurance company, annuity issuer, state lottery, or other payment obligor named on this website. Issuer and carrier names are used solely to identify the entity obligated to make the scheduled payments on a particular payment stream. All company names, trademarks, and service marks are the property of their respective owners; their appearance here is for identification purposes only and does not imply any partnership, agency, sponsorship, endorsement, or other business relationship. No issuer named on this website has reviewed, approved, or endorsed any of its content.

## Products

- [Guaranteed Structured Settlement Payment Rights](https://www.pacassets.com/guaranteed-structured-settlements): Guaranteed Structured Settlement Payment Rights - fixed, court-ordered payment schedules that do not depend on any life.
- [Life-Contingent Structured Settlement Payment Rights](https://www.pacassets.com/life-contingent-structured-settlements): Life-Contingent Structured Settlement Payment Rights - slightly higher-yield streams hedged with a life insurance policy so the investor's estimated yield is preserved if the original payee passes before the schedule completes.
- [Assigned Annuities](https://www.pacassets.com/annuities): Assigned Annuities - in-force insurance annuity contracts (for example SPIAs) reassigned through a change of ownership or irrevocable change of payee.
- [Lottery Payment Rights](https://www.pacassets.com/lottery-payments): Guaranteed and life-contingent state-lottery prize payment streams assigned by court order, funded through instruments such as U.S. Treasury securities or insurance annuities.

## Key pages

- [Home](https://www.pacassets.com/): what PSA offers, current featured inventory, and how buying works.
- [Live Inventory](https://www.pacassets.com/inventory): 16 listings currently available. Every listing shows the issuer, rating, payment schedule, and available pricing; join the email list for new inventory.
- [What Is a Secondary Market Annuity?](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities): definitional hub explaining the industry term and the underlying assets.
- [Current Rates](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/rates): live effective yields by asset category and what drives them.
- [Are They a Good Investment?](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/is-it-a-good-investment): the honest verdict, the case for and against, who a secondary market annuity fits and who it does not.
- [Yield Calculator](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/calculator): free tool that solves the effective annual yield and weighted average life from a purchase price and payment schedule, with a year-by-year amortization.
- [Taxes and Your Advisor](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/taxes): PSA does not provide tax advice and does not give guidance on how these assets are taxed; what to review with your own tax advisor and what to bring to that conversation.
- [Rate Report](https://www.pacassets.com/rate-report): live benchmark report comparing secondary market annuity yields to Treasuries, CDs, and corporate bonds, with the spread over the 10-year Treasury.
- [Fixed Annuity Rates](https://www.pacassets.com/fixed-annuity-rates): best fixed annuity and MYGA rates by term set against secondary-market yields.
- [Immediate Annuities](https://www.pacassets.com/immediate-annuities): how single premium immediate annuities (SPIAs) work and the secondary-market way to buy immediate income.
- [MYGA Rates](https://www.pacassets.com/multi-year-guaranteed-annuities): multi-year guaranteed annuity rates by term against the live Treasury curve.
- [Fixed Income Alternatives](https://www.pacassets.com/fixed-income-alternatives): live yield ladder (Treasuries, investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds, payment streams) with credit and liquidity trade-offs.
- [Municipal Bonds Compared](https://www.pacassets.com/municipal-bonds): tax-equivalent yield of tax-free munis vs a higher-yielding payment stream, and how account location differs between them.
- [Are Annuities a Good Investment?](https://www.pacassets.com/are-annuities-a-good-investment): honest when-yes / when-no, plus the higher-yield alternative.
- [CD Ladder](https://www.pacassets.com/cd-ladder): what a CD ladder is, how the staggered maturities work, and when to use one.
- [CD Ladder Rates](https://www.pacassets.com/cd-ladder-rates): live FDIC national average CD rates by term and the blended rate on five common ladder shapes.
- [Treasury Bill Ladder](https://www.pacassets.com/treasury-bill-ladder): every T-bill tenor (4, 6, 8, 13, 17, 26 and 52-week) at the high investment rate awarded at its most recent auction, with real day counts and maturity dates, from U.S. Treasury auction results rather than the interpolated par curve.
- [How to Build a CD Ladder](https://www.pacassets.com/how-to-build-a-cd-ladder): the six steps, from choosing the reach to rolling maturing rungs.
- [Investments That Pay Monthly Income](https://www.pacassets.com/investments-that-pay-monthly-income): twelve monthly-income options compared honestly, including the ones PSA does not sell.
- [Good Monthly Retirement Income](https://www.pacassets.com/good-monthly-retirement-income): what retirees actually spend vs. Social Security, and the gap worth planning around.
- [Investor Tools](https://www.pacassets.com/tools): free calculators (yield, CD ladder builder, income gap), no sign-up required.
- [CD Ladder Builder](https://www.pacassets.com/tools/ladder-builder): price a ladder against the live FDIC curve and Treasury auction data.
- [Income Gap Calculator](https://www.pacassets.com/tools/income-gap): work out the monthly income your savings must produce.
- [$50,000 Annuity](https://www.pacassets.com/50000-annuity), [$100,000](https://www.pacassets.com/100000-annuity), [$250,000](https://www.pacassets.com/250000-annuity), [$500,000](https://www.pacassets.com/500000-annuity): what each amount pays as a new annuity vs. what it buys in live secondary-market inventory.
- [High-Yield Annuities](https://www.pacassets.com/high-yield-annuities): why newly issued annuities cap out and where 6-7% effective yields actually come from.
- [Annuity Alternatives](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-alternatives): CDs, Treasuries, bond ladders, dividends, and payment streams compared honestly.
- [Is an SMA an Annuity?](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/is-an-sma-an-annuity): the regulator-grounded answer (NAIC SIP No. 160, IRC section 5891, guaranty-association coverage).
- [Buying in a Self-Directed IRA](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/ira): four-step walkthrough for holding payment streams in an IRA.
- [SMAs vs. CDs, Treasuries & New Annuities](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/vs-cds-treasuries-annuities): side-by-side on yield, backing, protection, and liquidity.
- [SMAs vs. Dividend Stocks](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/vs-dividend-stocks): fixed court-ordered income versus variable, growable dividends, on yield, volatility, and backing.
- [SMAs vs. a Bond Ladder](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/vs-bond-ladder): a higher locked yield with no reinvestment risk versus a ladder's liquidity and diversification.
- [SMAs vs. Rental Real Estate](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/vs-real-estate-income): truly passive court-ordered income versus a rental's leverage, appreciation, and landlord effort.
- [How to Choose a Company](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/how-to-choose-a-company): broker versus direct funder, carrier quality, disclosure, and continuity after the sale; how to vet a secondary market annuity company.
- [Glossary](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/glossary): plain definitions of key terms (effective yield, weighted average life, factored payment rights, court order, SSPA, rated age, guaranty association, chain of title, and more).
- [For Retirement Income](https://www.pacassets.com/secondary-market-annuities/retirement-income): using fixed structured settlement payment rights to build a dependable retirement income floor, laddering start dates, and the trade-offs.
- [For Advisors](https://www.pacassets.com/for-advisors): for brokers and independent advisors placing clients into these assets; direct access, in-house underwriting (most inventory originated by sister company Catalina Structured Funding).
- [How It Works](https://www.pacassets.com/how-it-works): the five-step purchase process from browsing to court approval to funding.
- [Carriers](https://www.pacassets.com/carriers): the top-rated insurance carriers whose annuity obligations back the payment streams (Berkshire Hathaway, New York Life, MetLife, Prudential, and others), with a page per carrier.
- [FAQ](https://www.pacassets.com/faq): common investor questions on safety, yields, taxes, and process.
- [Disclosures](https://www.pacassets.com/disclosure): what these assets are and are not.
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.pacassets.com/privacy-policy) and [Accessibility](https://www.pacassets.com/accessibility): site policies.
- [About](https://www.pacassets.com/about): company history and team.
- [Editorial Standards](https://www.pacassets.com/editorial-standards): how content is researched, sourced, and reviewed; who writes it.
- [Contact](https://www.pacassets.com/contact): (800) 928-7680, cwhitman@pacassets.com.

## Annuity types decoded

- [Annuity Types](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types): every major annuity type decoded, with the quoted number explained honestly.
- [Single Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA)](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/spia): A lump sum handed to an insurer today in exchange for income that starts within a year — often for life.
- [Deferred Income Annuity (DIA)](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/dia): A SPIA with a waiting period: pay now, income starts years later — the longer the deferral, the higher the quoted payout.
- [Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC)](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/qlac): A DIA bought inside an IRA or 401(k) with a special tax status: the money it holds is excused from RMDs until income begins (as late as 85).
- [Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA)](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/myga): The CD of the annuity world: a guaranteed interest rate for a set term, tax-deferred, with surrender charges for leaving early.
- [Traditional Fixed Deferred Annuity](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/fixed): A tax-deferred savings annuity where the insurer declares the rate each year — guaranteed never to fall below a floor.
- [Fixed Indexed Annuity (FIA)](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/fixed-indexed): Principal-protected crediting tied to an index's performance — through caps, participation rates, and spreads that the insurer can usually reset yearly.
- [Registered Index-Linked Annuity (RILA)](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/rila): An FIA's aggressive sibling: higher caps in exchange for absorbing part of the losses — a securities product with real downside.
- [Variable Annuity (VA)](https://www.pacassets.com/annuity-types/variable): Market subaccounts inside an insurance wrapper, with optional income riders — flexible, and carrying the family's heaviest fee stack.

## Insights (blog)

- [Insights](https://www.pacassets.com/blog): plain-language guides on secondary market annuities, written and reviewed by named team members.
- [How to Buy a Secondary Market Annuity](https://www.pacassets.com/blog/how-to-buy-a-secondary-market-annuity): How to buy a secondary market annuity: what you are purchasing, how to read a listing, how the court-approved transfer works, and how to reserve.
- [Are Secondary Market Annuities Safe?](https://www.pacassets.com/blog/are-secondary-market-annuities-safe): What backs secondary market annuity payments, where the protections come from, the risks you take on, and how they compare to insured products.
- [The Types of Payment Streams You Can Buy](https://www.pacassets.com/blog/payment-stream-types): Secondary market annuity payment streams: monthly to annual schedules, level or increasing, plus lump sums — how each works and what a servicer does.
- [How to Title Your Secondary Market Annuity](https://www.pacassets.com/blog/how-to-title-your-investment): How to title a secondary market annuity: individually, jointly (JTWROS), trust, LLC, or self-directed IRA — and why the carrier decides what is allowed.
- [What a Secondary Market Annuity Costs](https://www.pacassets.com/blog/what-it-costs-and-why-were-not-just-a-broker): What a secondary market annuity costs: no separate fees — everything is priced into the effective yield, optional servicer charges passed at cost.
- [Structured Settlement Payment Rights vs. an Annuity](https://www.pacassets.com/blog/structured-settlement-payment-rights-vs-annuity): A new annuity is a contract bought at today's book rate; payment rights are an existing schedule bought at a discount — yield, backing, liquidity.

## Team

- [Greg Saber](https://www.pacassets.com/about/greg-saber): Principal. Attorney; graduate of George Washington University Law School. Licensed in seven states and the District of Columbia; has presented structured settlement transfers before judges in dozens of jurisdictions.
- [Evan Chait](https://www.pacassets.com/about/evan-chait): Senior Vice President, Operations. Attorney; graduate of Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, where he was an editor of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review. Licensed in seven states.
- [Connor Whitman](https://www.pacassets.com/about/connor-whitman): Investor Relations Liaison. More than ten years at Pacific Structured Assets; graduate of Occidental College in Los Angeles.

## Facts

- Founded: 2011
- Typical effective yields: 4-7%
- Most inventory is originated by PSA's sister company, Catalina Structured Funding, and every file is underwritten in-house (court order, assignment, carrier obligation, chain of title).
- These are specialized payment streams made available to individual and self-directed IRA investors and their advisors; PSA opens direct access with no minimum, rather than through a traditional brokerage menu.
- Every transfer of structured settlement payment rights is completed through a court-approval process.
- Payment obligations are backed by the issuing insurance carrier or state lottery, not by PSA.
- These are long-term holdings with limited liquidity (resale or reassignment may be possible with PSA's assistance, not guaranteed as to availability or price); not FDIC-insured; not securities. PSA is not registered with the SEC and is not licensed to sell insurance.