Each year, Small Business Saturday highlights the innovators and business owners who strengthen local communities through perseverance and hard work. Among them are individuals who became entrepreneurs following life-changing personal or workplace injuries. Their path forward is often made possible by the stability of structured settlements—a financial foundation that supports both recovery and the pursuit of new opportunities.
For many people with disabilities, especially those rebuilding after serious injuries, structured settlements offer more than income. They create long-term stability that can support education, retraining, adaptive equipment, and the early stages of self-employment. That stability becomes the bridge between recovery and entrepreneurship.
A Financial Bridge to Independence
Structured settlements provide secure, tax-free income designed to meet long-term medical, living, and family needs. These payments help claimants avoid the risks associated with managing a lump sum and offer protection from market volatility and economic shifts.
Structured settlements:
- -- Deliver guaranteed income with no investment or management requirements
- -- Are backed by highly regulated life insurance companies with strong financial reserves
- -- Protect individuals from running out of funds during long recoveries or lifelong medical treatment needs
For injured individuals who hope to return to work or start a business, this guaranteed income helps stabilize day-to-day expenses so they can confidently build new skills or launch small ventures.
Advancing Financial Equity Through NSSTA Partnerships
NSSTA’s long-standing work with partners such as the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the National Consumers League (NCL) strengthens financial equity for people with disabilities.
AAPD has recognized structured settlements as “a proven way to ensure that families of accident victims live with dignity and economic independence.”
These partnerships reinforce a shared commitment to:
- -- Ethical financial protections
- -- Long-term stability for injury survivors
- -- Consumer-first advocacy
- -- Expanding access and economic opportunity
Structured settlements play a quiet but critical role in supporting individuals who, after injury, rebuild their lives through entrepreneurship, community engagement, and small business ownership.
New Data Shows Structured Settlements Improve Stability and Confidence
The 2025 MetLife Personal Injury Settlement Study provides updated insights into financial outcomes following injury settlements.
Key findings include:
- -- 79% of structured settlement recipients report their standard of living improved.
- -- 96% say monthly structured payments make it easier to manage their budget.
- -- 92% feel more financially secure than they would have with a lump sum.
- -- Lump-sum recipients are twice as likely to experience regret related to early spending or financial depletion.
These findings reaffirm that structured settlements offer more than predictable payments — they strengthen financial confidence, reduce stress, and support long-term planning.
Resilience in Action
For many small business owners living with disabilities, a structured settlement was more than compensation … it was the foundation that allowed them to regain independence, rebuild careers, and launch new ventures.
This Small Business Saturday, NSSTA recognizes:
- -- Entrepreneurs who have rebuilt after personal or workplace injuries
- -- Disability-owned small businesses making an impact in their communities
- -- The role structured settlements play in supporting long-term stability and opportunity
Structured settlements remain one of the most effective tools for helping people move from recovery to resilience, and, in many cases, into entrepreneurship.
For more information, visit our resources here: https://nssta.com/structured-settlements/public-resources
