In recent times the value of the US currency has decreased considerably due to several internal and external factors such as the real estate market crisis due to irresponsible lending and war, respectively. The value this currency has gained is all based on trust and by loosing "international trust" the currency has suffered greatly.

Foreign governments and companies realize this fact and according to recent trends they have decided to cash their investments in the fund of US treasury bonds in order to avoid any looses due to the declining dollar. This all sounds correct, in terms of macro-economies but as we have learned, in the world of economy big decisions and country-wise financial problems always affect financial systems at a lower scale, whether it is small businesses, banks and even individual investments.

Since the future value of the USD is quite uncertain, investors have decided to cut their loses and reinvest on different currencies, within the US we see a similar trend with investment accounts, whether they are CDs, retirement accounts (IRA, 401k), structured settlements, annuities, bonds, etc.

All of the investment instruments mentioned above rely on an appreciating currency in order to gain considerable interests but due to its recent fall the future value of these investments is uncertain, the value of these investment funds might even be worth less in the future than they are right now, that is why several investors and individuals have opted to cash these instruments and reinvest it somewhere else, here is where factoring companies such as J.G. Wentworth come into play, what this company does is buy structured settlements, annuities and such, at a discounted rate (which is still a good amount) in exchange for a large lump sum, but just like many in many other markets, these companies do not stand alone for a long time, soon enough other companies have steadily built a good reputation and standing with its clients, thus creating a competitive market which ultimately benefits the consumer.

The investment market relies on several companies to function properly, that is why alternatives to companies such as J.G. Wentworth exist, good examples of other reputable factoring companies are PPI Cash and Lawsuit Advances Online, among many others. Whether you choose to cash your long term investment for a lump sum is up to you, but it is important to realize the interesting financial times we live in.