Vioxx claimants, it's time to make your decision.

If you are a Vioxx claimant or have been notified by mail or phone call that you will be receiving an award from the Vioxx settlement fund, you have a very short window of time to make your decision as to whether or not you want to take your payments over time using a structured settlement annuity. Here are the simple steps of the decision process you need to take right now for Wahlstrom and Associates to assist you in that decision:

1. Make sure you have your letter from your law firm or lawyer confirming that you have been awarded an amount in the settlement. We will need to know your lawyers name, the office location and what dates they have given you to get your letter back to them as to your decision.

2. Determine if you are on medicaid or medicare for your health insurance. One of the most important areas to plan around is potential liens on your settlement or to avoid being disqualified from future medicaid benefits. Please let us know right away if you are on either medicare of medicaid!

3. Accurate information about you, your family and your planning needs. Are you retired? Are you on a pension? Does your spouse work or is your spouse potentially on medicare or medicaid as well? All of these questions will need to be asked.

4. What are your immediate cash needs. What bills have mounted up or need to be paid right away. If you decide to structure your payments you will certainly want some amount in cash so give our office some idea of what your immediate needs are.

5. What your future plans or income needs might be. We will assist you with this planning in our conversations.

Our office is open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm from now until September 19th to assist Vioxx claimants with their decision process. If you have trouble reaching us by telephone you can also reach us by email at mark@markwahlstrom.com.

This is an important one time decision as to what you should do with your Vioxx check so don't waste it by simply paying bills or spending it on items that you won't even need a few months later.

Invest that check, use it wisely and contact our office to assist you with this important planning.