Don’t Just Earn Fees. Build Your Future.

As a contingent-fee plaintiff attorney, your work brings life-changing results to your clients, and a successful case often ends with a well-earned payday. But when those fees arrive as a single lump sum, the celebration can be short-lived. A large check often means a large tax bill, sometimes big enough to take a significant bite out of your success. Without the right strategy, much of your hard work can be diminished the moment you receive it.

That’s where fee deferral comes in. Fee deferrals provide a smarter way forward. Instead of taking all your fees at once, you can defer and structure them into future payments, creating a financial plan that works as hard as you do.

Five key advantages of deferring your fees:

1. Turn Lump-Sum Fees into Steady, Reliable Income

A big payday can bring immediate gratification, but it doesn't guarantee long-term stability. A fee deferral plan gives you the option to set up a schedule of recurring payments, giving you a more predictable and consistent income stream that can enhance both your personal life and professional practice.

2. Manage When Taxes Come Due

With a deferral, you don't have to recognize all of your earnings in the year they're received. Instead, you have the power to push income into future years, which means more control over when taxes are paid. That timing flexibility helps you plan ahead to avoid draining liquidity just to cover an immediate tax bill.

3. Reduce the Size of your Tax Hit

Large lump sums can push you into the highest tax brackets in a single year. Spreading fees across multiple years helps you smooth income, potentially lowering your overall tax burden by keeping you in more favorable brackets.

4. Leverage Deferral for Potential Growth

One of the most powerful advantages of a fee deferral plan is the ability to grow assets before taxes are paid.     Depending on the deferral method, your fees may be placed in a structured annuity or invested in market-based vehicles. In either case, deferral allows more of your money to remain at work until distributions begin, which can provide an opportunity for compounding growth that isn’t available when taxes are paid up front.

5. Align Income with Your Future Goals

Everyone's goals are different. Whether you're saving for retirement, children's education, reinvesting in your firm, or simply ensuring a reliable income stream later in life, by tailoring how and when you receive payments, you can create a financial plan that truly aligns with your personal goals and provides the security you need.

Why Work With The Forge Companies?

Deferring fees isn’t as simple as asking to get paid later. It requires careful planning and structuring to ensure the strategy works as intended. At The Forge Companies, we work with contingent-fee plaintiff attorneys to create deferral solutions that fit their practice, align with their long-term goals, and provide confidence and stability well beyond the next case.

Get Started Today!

If you’re considering fee deferral, now is the time to explore your options before your next settlement closes. Connect with our team to start the conversation and learn how your fees can work harder for your future.