Cash for Your YDC Settlement: How to Sell Your NH Youth Development Center Payments
📅 Updated Sept 2026
⏱ 8-10 min read
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What's in this guide
- NH YDC fund facts at a glance
- How much can a YDC award be?
- How are YDC awards paid?
- Does New Hampshire’s structured-settlement transfer law apply?
- What does selling payments mean?
- Can you sell only part of the payments?
- If RSA 408-G applies, what happens next?
- What should you compare?
- Taxes and privacy
- When might a transfer be worth exploring?
- Frequently asked questions
- The bottom line
Getting an award through New Hampshire’s Youth Development Center (YDC) claims fund can bring relief, and a new question: what if your award is scheduled over time, but you need money sooner?
Before looking for a buyer, there’s one important thing to check:
Not every YDC payment schedule is automatically a sellable “structured settlement.
The YDC law lets the administrator set an award as a lump sum or as annual installments for up to 10 years. It separately describes a formal, annuity-backed structured settlement. Those are not automatically the same thing.
If your payment rights do qualify for transfer under New Hampshire’s structured-settlement law, the transfer needs advance court approval. This guide explains what the law says, what to check in your paperwork, and what questions to ask before signing anything
This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. An independent New Hampshire attorney should review your specific award documents before you rely on a buyer’s view of eligibility.
NH YDC fund facts at a glance
The Legislature established the fund under RSA 21-M:11-a. The latest report listed on the YDC Claims Administration reports page covers activity through May 31, 2026.
| Question | What the law or latest report says |
|---|---|
| How many claims were filed? | 2,269. The filing window is closed. |
| How many were resolved with awards? | 425 |
| What was the total of those awards? | About $239.3 million, including scheduled future payments. This is not a cash-on-hand figure or the amount already paid. |
| How many claims were pending? | 1,689, with about $1.83 billion requested after applying statutory caps. |
| When did the claim window close? | June 30, 2025. |
| How long does the fund remain in law? | It is nonlapsing and continually appropriated through June 30, 2032, subject to other funding rules in the statute. |
These numbers are a dated snapshot, not a live count. The law also says award payments depend on sufficient appropriations or spending authorization. It limits the administrator to authorizing up to $75 million in claims payments per fiscal year unless the required state approvals allow more.
That doesn’t erase an approved award: if the state defaults on a final payment and does not cure it within 30 days, the decision can become an enforceable New Hampshire judgment.
Cash Your YDC Payments With MySettlement
How much can a YDC award be?
The maximum depends on the claim category. The $2.5 million cap does not apply to every claim.
| Claim category | Maximum under RSA 21-M:11-a |
|---|---|
| Sexual abuse, alone or with other abuse | $1,500,000 total per claimant |
| Egregious sexual abuse | $2,500,000 total per claimant |
| Other abuse only | $250,000 total per claimant |
| Isolated confinement | $300 per day, up to $100,000; subject to, and not added on top of, the other limits |
This does not promise an individual award. The administrator considers the facts of the claim under the statute and approved guidelines.
How are YDC awards paid?
The law does not require that every award be paid in 10 annual installments. The administrator may decide that an award will be paid as a lump sum or in annual installments over a period of up to 10 years. The administrator must consider the claimant’s overall circumstances, including health and finances, and work within available appropriations.
For installment awards, the decision must add 5% interest per year to the remaining unpaid amount, compounded annually. You must have the opportunity to review the payment schedule before accepting the decision or signing any releases.
The statute generally directs payment within 30 days after the administrator receives acceptable, executed settlement documents, but also makes payment contingent on sufficient appropriations or expenditure authorization.
There is a separate option for someone receiving a lump-sum award: the claimant may request periodic payments through a formal structured settlement funded by a qualifying life insurance annuity and a qualified assignment under Internal Revenue Code §130. The statute says the administrator shall accommodate processing that request.
That distinction matters if you’re considering a sale.
Does New Hampshire’s structured-settlement transfer law apply?
Maybe, but the paperwork matters.
RSA 408-G defines a structured settlement as periodic payments of damages for personal injuries or sickness established by settlement or judgment resolving a tort claim. The chapter covers payment rights when the payee lives in New Hampshire, or the structured-settlement agreement was approved by a New Hampshire court.
The YDC statute, meanwhile, authorizes the administrator to set a fund award as annual installments and separately describes the formal annuity and qualified-assignment option.
It does not say that every YDC installment award automatically qualifies as transferable payment rights under RSA 408-G. So the payment schedule—or a company calling it a “structured settlement”—doesn’t settle the legal question.
Have an independent New Hampshire lawyer review:
- Your accepted settlement documents,
- Payment schedule
- Any annuity or qualified-assignment papers.
Ask for a clear written answer about whether the specific rights are covered by RSA 408-G and whether any term or order restricts a transfer.
What does selling payments mean?
If the payment rights are legally transferable, a sale exchanges the right to receive specific future payments for a lump sum now. The lump sum is generally lower than the total scheduled payments because money paid today is worth more than money paid later. The offer may reflect the payment dates, discount rate, transfer expenses, and other terms.
There is no reliable one-size-fits-all price. Don’t rely on a sample offer or a headline number. Compare the actual payments you would give up with the net amount you would receive.
| Choice | What changes |
|---|---|
| Keep all scheduled payments | You keep the future payment stream and do not take a transfer discount. |
| Transfer specific future payment rights | You receive an agreed lump sum, but give up the rights covered by the transfer. |
| Borrow money | You take on a debt and repayment terms; this is different from selling payment rights. |
Can you sell only part of the payments?
Possibly, if the actual payment rights and court order allow it. A transfer might cover specified future payments rather than everything, but don’t assume you can sell a percentage of every check.
Under RSA 408-G:4, neither the payment obligor nor the annuity issuer has to split an individual periodic payment between you and a buyer.
A partial transfer is not automatically easier to get approved. The court applies the same best-interest standard and must consider the welfare and support of your dependents. The terms need to say precisely which payments are changing hands and which remain yours.
If RSA 408-G applies, what happens next?
The basic process is more than signing an offer and waiting for a check.
1. Gather the actual documents.
Start with the final YDC decision, accepted settlement and release papers, the complete payment schedule, and any annuity or qualified-assignment documents. A general brochure or estimate is not enough to prove what rights exist.
2. Get the transfer terms in writing.
At least three days before you sign a transfer agreement, the buyer must provide a separate disclosure. It must show:
- The payment amounts and dates
- Total payments being transferred
- Discounted present value and rate
- Gross amount
- Transfer expenses
- Estimated legal expenses
- Effective annual rate
- Net amount
- Any penalties
It must also explain your right to independent professional advice, the right to negotiate and compare offers, and the right to cancel by the third business day after signing.
3. Compare offers and get independent advice.
New Hampshire law specifically says the court shall consider whether you compared competing offers. The buyer must advise you in writing to seek independent professional advice; the court’s findings must show that you received that advice or knowingly waived the opportunity. If you can, speak with an adviser who does not work for the buyer.
4. The buyer files in Superior Court.
The application is generally filed in the county where you live. The buyer must file and serve the required notice and documents at least 20 days before the hearing. You normally have to appear in person unless the court finds good cause to excuse you.
5. The judge decides whether to approve it.
Before approving a qualifying transfer, the court must find that it is in your best interest, taking your dependents’ welfare and support into account; that you received independent professional advice or knowingly waived in writing the opportunity to get it; and that the transfer does not violate an applicable law or court or government order. The transfer is not effective until there is a final court order.
The 20-day notice is the minimum before the hearing, not a promise that the entire transaction will be completed in 20 days. Missing documents, court scheduling, and eligibility questions can affect timing.
Federal law can matter too.
Under 26 U.S.C. §5891, the person acquiring structured-settlement payment rights may owe a 40% excise tax on the factoring discount unless the transfer has advance approval in a qualified order.
What should you compare?
For any offer with a viable path forward, focus on the documents and the net amount.
| Ask this | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which exact payments and dates would transfer? | You need to know what future income you are giving up. |
| What is the total value of those payments? | It gives you a baseline to compare the offer against. |
| What are the discounted present value and effective annual rate? | The required disclosure explains the time-value discount. |
| What is the net amount I would actually receive? | This accounts for disclosed transfer expenses and estimated legal costs. |
| Who pays filing and legal expenses? | Costs can change the amount you keep. |
| What happens if the court does not approve the transfer? | Read cancellation, refund, and penalty terms before signing. |
| Can I get independent advice and compare other offers? | Both rights are built into the disclosure rules. |
Separate from transfer expenses, RSA 21-M:11-a caps approved attorney fees for representation in the YDC claims process at 33.33% of the award, with fees paid from the claimant’s award. Ask your attorney to explain any fee agreement and how it affects your net recovery.
Taxes and privacy
Tax treatment depends on what the award compensates for and how the payment is documented.
The IRS explains that damages received for personal physical injuries or physical sickness may be excluded from income under 26 U.S.C. § 104. Punitive damages are generally taxable, and damages for nonphysical injuries, including emotional distress not tied to physical injury, may also be taxable.
Interest may have separate tax treatment. Because YDC claims can involve different types of harm, ask a qualified tax professional to review your award and any transfer documents.
YDC claim records are protected by confidentiality under RSA 21-M:11-a and RSA 91-A:5, XIII. But don’t assume that protection automatically seals a separate transfer case.
RSA 408-G requires the court filing to include details such as the payee’s name, age, county, and information about dependents. Ask your lawyer what may appear on the court docket and what privacy protections are available.
When might a transfer be worth exploring?
If a lawyer confirms that your specific payment rights can be transferred, a lump sum may be worth considering when it would address an immediate, important need, such as stable housing, medical care, or high-cost debt, and you understand what future payments you would give up.
Keeping the schedule may be a better fit if you rely on the future income, the offer is unclear, you do not have a plan for the lump sum, or someone is pressuring you to act. Once the court approves a transfer and the transaction closes, you generally cannot take back the payment rights you sold.
Pause if a company:
- Says every YDC award can be sold without reviewing the documents
- Guarantees court approval or a specific payout
- Will not show you the net amount, rate, and fees in writing
- Discourages you from talking to your lawyer
- Pushes you to transfer every payment before discussing a narrower option
- Claims that no court order is needed for a transfer covered by RSA 408-G
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my NH YDC settlement payments?
Only if the specific rights qualify for transfer and the required court order is granted. An annual YDC installment schedule alone does not establish eligibility under RSA 408-G.
Does every YDC award get paid over 10 years?
No. The administrator may set a lump-sum award or annual installments for up to 10 years, based on the claimant’s circumstances and available appropriations. A formal annuity-backed structured settlement is a separate option described in the statute.
Is court approval required?
If the proposed sale is a transfer of structured-settlement payment rights covered by RSA 408-G, yes: it needs advance approval in a final court order. First, confirm that your YDC award actually falls within the law.
Can I sell only some payments?
Possibly, if the documents and the court allow a transfer of selected payment rights. The obligor or annuity issuer does not have to split an individual payment, so do not assume you can sell a percentage of each check.
Can I sell a pending claim?
A pending claim is not the same as an approved payment schedule. The structured-settlement transfer process concerns existing rights to periodic payments, not cash in exchange for an unresolved YDC claim.
The bottom line
The safest first step is not to ask, “How much cash can I get?” It is to ask, “What kind of payment right do I actually have?”
Read the final award and schedule. Have an independent New Hampshire attorney check whether RSA 408-G applies. If it does, compare the net offers, understand the hearing and disclosure rules, and get tax advice before signing.
If you contact MySettlement or another company, ask what documents it needs and how it handles sensitive records before sharing them. No buyer can guarantee that your specific award is transferable or that a court will approve a sale.
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