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What the Access Funding lawsuit means for you

This information is for people who are receiving money from the CFPB because of our Access Funding lawsuit.

The CFPB brought a lawsuit against Access Funding and others for breaking the law when they steered people into transferring payments from a structured settlement.

We contacted the group of people receiving money from the Access Funding lawsuit

Check your mail for a letter and form from the CFPB about Access Funding. If you received a letter, you are scheduled to receive a payment because of Access Funding’s illegal business practices.

Take note of the personal ID number in your letter. Whenever you contact us about the lawsuit, we check your identity by asking for your ID number. This helps protect your information.

If you believe you were affected but did not receive a letter, please call us at (833) 637-3133. Please have details about your Access Funding transaction when you call.

Fill out the form or speak to us by phone

The form we mailed you asks for details about your situation. To make sure we can send your money securely and without delay or errors, please fill out and return the form.

There are three ways you can complete and return the form:

  • Phone: Call a specialist at Rust Consulting at (833) 637-3133 to provide your information over the phone.
  • Mail: Complete the form and mail it in the prepaid envelope provided to: CFPB Access Funding, Third Party Administrator -8345, P.O. Box 2561, Faribault, MN 55021
  • Online: Complete the form on your computer or smartphone at accessfundingpayment.org

Specialists are standing by to help make sure your payment goes smoothly

Everyone affected by this legal case can talk to a specialist from Rust Consulting, a company that CFPB has hired to work with you.

When you e-mail or talk to Rust Consulting, we check your identity by asking for your ID number, which you can find in the letter we sent you.

Through the CFPB and Rust Consulting, you can find out about:

  • How needs-based government benefits you receive for food, housing, medical care, or other assistance might be affected by your payment
  • How to open a bank or credit union account where you can deposit or receive your payment
  • Ways to manage your money and protect your financial future
  • Ways to avoid scams and exploitation

Tips and guides you can use to plan ahead

Managing a payment like the one you'll get from the Access Funding settlement can mean thinking about your money differently. You might need to make new choices, to make your money last.

Banks and credit unions offer a secure place to store and use your money. Usually when you have an account, you don’t pay a fee to cash checks made out to you. It’s a good idea to shop around and compare features and costs of different account types, and different banks or credit unions. This can help you save money on fees and avoid surprises. Take the time to pull together the documents you’ll need to open a new account.

Use this checklist as you look for an account to receive your payment

Ask for a second-chance bank account if you’ve had banking problems in the past

Federal deposit insurance is one reason to use a bank or credit union account instead of an app on your smartphone.

Review how FDIC and NCUA deposit insurance protects your money

Search your bank to make sure they are FDIC insured

When you receive a one-time payment, it can be hard to decide what to do first.

See a list of actions you can consider and pitfalls you can watch for .

Large purchases such as a car or house might mean getting a loan.

Explore the basics of shopping for an auto loan

Explore the basics of shopping for a mortgage

As you consider your money decisions, you might have questions on different money topics.

Find accurate and unbiased answers to money topics at Ask CFPB

Some government benefit programs take your money situation into consideration, to decide if you qualify for the program. Receiving a payment from the Access Funding lawsuit might affect whether you can still continue to receive the benefits.Requirements are different depending on the benefits program and the state you live in. Failing to follow program rules sometimes means losing or reducing the benefits permanently. That’s why Rust Consulting can connect you to a benefits specialist, who can help you understand your options. There’s no cost to you and no sales pitch for any products or services.

The programs that could be affected include:

  • SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
  • Medicaid
  • State paid in-home care or long-term care facility care
  • Subsidized Housing (Section 8 / HUD)
  • Food assistance (for example, WIC, SNAP or Foodstamps, and CALFRESH)
  • Medicare “extra help” program, which pays for Part D monthly premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copays
  • Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program (QMB), which pays for Medicare Parts A and B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments
  • Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary Program (SLMB)
  • Veterans pension benefits

Contact Rust Consulting at (833) 637-3133 to be connected to someone who can talk with you about steps to take, if these benefits are still an important part of your financial life.

We cannot give you personal tax advice, so it is a good idea to ask a tax advisor to look at your personal situation and tell you more.

See more about taxation of payments you receive because of injury, sickness, or disability

Locate a tax advisor in your area

Financial advisors work with you to set goals and identify steps for reaching them. Finding an advisor who puts your best interests first is important.

Know what questions to ask the first time you meet with a financial advisor

Financial caregivers help manage your money, in case you are not able to manage it yourself. Finding a trusted caregiver starts with thinking about what you might need.

Use our checklist to decide what kind of help you might need, and what questions to ask

Scammers are constantly trying to steal from you. Our resources can help you stay safe and report scams and fraud.

See information about common frauds and financial exploitation

If you think you have been treated unfairly, submit a complaint to the CFPB.

Before you agree to lend money to family and friends, it helps to have upfront conversations and clarify the arrangements. This way, your most important relationships can stay strong and stable.

See ways to have a conversation about exchanging money and other resources with family and friends

Giving away money or lending it to friends or family is not necessarily a way to keep you eligible for needs-based government benefits. Contact Rust Consulting at (833) 637-3133 to be connected to someone who can talk with you about the needs-based government benefits you receive.