How to run Structured Settlement in DocketMath for West Virginia

Step-by-step

This guide walks you through running a Structured Settlement calculation in DocketMath configured for West Virginia (US-WV). You’ll enter your settlement inputs, apply jurisdiction-aware settings, and then review the resulting payment schedule and disclosure-related outputs.

1) Open the Structured Settlement calculator

• Go to the primary CTA: /tools/structured-settlement
• Confirm the jurisdiction selector is set to West Virginia (US-WV) (or set it if prompted).

2) Gather the structured settlement inputs

DocketMath’s structured-settlement workflow is driven by the inputs that determine the timing and payment structure you want to model. Before you start entering values, prepare the information you plan to model (for example: the start date, payment frequency, and the pattern of scheduled payments).

As you collect your inputs, focus on these categories:

• Payment timing: when the first payment begins, and whether payments repeat
• Payment amounts: whether payments are level, stepped, or customized
• Any escalation or irregularity: if your settlement plan includes it

If you’re iterating, also plan to track what you change each run (for example, “Version A = baseline; Version B = changed first payment date”).

3) Turn on West Virginia jurisdiction-aware rules

Once US-WV is selected, DocketMath applies West Virginia-specific logic based on your verified facts packet. In particular, the tool uses these settings:

• Advance disclosure period rule: rules.advance_disclosure_days = 10
• Best-interest standard flag: rules.best_interest_standard = true
• Discount rate basis: rules.discount_rate_basis = applicable_federal_rate

In the calculator UI, these typically appear as:

• jurisdiction-specific assumptions or sections that relate to disclosure and best-interest analysis
• discounting behavior that follows the tool’s applicable federal rate basis rather than a free-form “manual rate” workflow

4) Enter inputs and run the calculation

Proceed through the calculator fields in the order DocketMath presents them, ensuring:

• dates are entered in the expected format
• the payment frequency matches your settlement terms
• the structure (level vs. stepped/custom) matches the payment pattern you want to model

Then click Run / Calculate.

5) Review outputs relevant to West Virginia’s structured settlement framework

After the run, review outputs that correspond to the tool’s West Virginia configuration. In practice, you should expect to see (or be able to confirm) the following:

• Payment schedule: a timeline reflecting your modeled payment structure
• Discounting outputs: values produced using the tool’s configured discounting basis (rules.discount_rate_basis = applicable_federal_rate)
• Disclosure timing logic: confirmation that the tool’s advanced disclosure window aligns with 10 days (rules.advance_disclosure_days: 10)
• Best-interest standard indicator: enabled for US-WV (rules.best_interest_standard: true)

Quick output checklist

Use this checklist to confirm you didn’t compute an unintended scenario:

• Jurisdiction shows US-WV
• The discounting basis is not manual—matches applicable federal rate
• Any “advance disclosure” section indicates 10 days
• Best-interest standard section/indicator is enabled for West Virginia
• Payment schedule aligns with the structure you intended to model

6) Save or export your results for comparison

Structured settlement modeling often involves revisions (for example, adjusting the first payment date, changing the number of periods, or altering the payment pattern). If DocketMath supports saving/exporting:

• Run a first baseline scenario
• Adjust one input at a time
• Re-run and compare outputs to see what materially changes (especially around payment timing and discounting outputs)

A practical versioning approach:

• Version A: original payment schedule
• Version B: changed first payment date
• Version C: changed payment frequency or number of periods

Common pitfalls

Structured settlement modeling tends to fail in predictable ways—especially when inputs are updated without validating tool configuration. Here are the most common issues for West Virginia runs in DocketMath and how to catch them early.

1. Using the wrong jurisdiction context

• If US-WV isn’t actually selected, your results may reflect another jurisdiction’s disclosure/discounting logic rather than West Virginia’s framework.
• Fix: confirm jurisdiction at the start of each session and re-check it after switching scenarios.

1. Assuming the discount rate can be freely chosen

• West Virginia runs in DocketMath use rules.discount_rate_basis = applicable_federal_rate.
• Pitfall: entering or expecting a custom/manual discount rate behavior.
• Fix: let the tool apply the configured federal-rate basis; focus changes on settlement inputs (dates/amounts/structure).

1. Skipping the advance disclosure logic review

• The tool is configured with rules.advance_disclosure_days: 10.
• Warning: if your workflow requires timing alignment, verify that the disclosure-related output reflects 10 days.
• Fix: after you run, confirm the disclosure timing section/output matches the tool’s West Virginia setting.

1. Payment schedule mismatches caused by input inconsistency Common mismatch patterns include:

• first payment date entered incorrectly
• payment frequency changed without updating dependent fields (such as the assumed number of periods or the way the schedule repeats)
• stepped payments entered as level payments (or vice versa)

Fix: after running, compare the displayed payment schedule against your source settlement plan before exporting.

1. Iteration errors from not re-running A frequent workflow failure:

• You update an input (e.g., first payment date or payment amount) but forget to re-run.
• Result: exported schedules may reflect the previous run.

Fix: make “Run / Calculate” part of your update routine, and use the quick output checklist every time.

1. Missing best-interest related outputs

• West Virginia logic includes rules.best_interest_standard: true.
• If you don’t see a best-interest-related section/indicator, it may indicate US-WV wasn’t selected or the scenario wasn’t re-calculated.
• Fix: re-check jurisdiction selection and re-run after any input updates.

Try it

If you want to validate your workflow quickly, run a mini test and confirm that the expected West Virginia behaviors appear.

Quick test workflow (5 minutes)

• Open /tools/structured-settlement
• Set jurisdiction to West Virginia (US-WV)
• Enter a simple structure you can verify visually:

  • choose a start date
  • enter a consistent payment pattern for a few periods
• Click Run / Calculate
• Confirm these West Virginia-specific behaviors show up:

  • Advance disclosure days = 10 (rules.advance_disclosure_days: 10)
  • Best-interest standard enabled (rules.best_interest_standard: true)
  • Discounting uses applicable federal rate (rules.discount_rate_basis = applicable_federal_rate)

What to change to see outputs move

Once your test run confirms everything is configured correctly:

• change one input at a time (commonly the first payment date, the number of periods, or the per-period amount)
• re-run and compare:

  • the payment schedule timeline
  • any discounted values shown by the tool

This helps you understand which outputs are sensitive to which inputs before you model a real settlement.

Where West Virginia law fits in (for your own review)

For reference, the governing West Virginia structured settlement framework addressed by this tool configuration is described in:

• W. Va. Code § 46A-6H-1 to § 46A-6H-9
• W. Va. Code § 46A-6H-3
• W. Va. Code § 46A-6H-5

You can review the text here: https://code.wvlegislature.gov/46a-6h/

Reminder: this is to help you connect the tool outputs to the statute you’re reviewing—not to provide legal advice.

Related reading

• How to calculate Structured Settlement in Philippines — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Worked example: Structured Settlement in Philippines — Worked example with real statute citations
• Inputs you need for Structured Settlement in Philippines — Input checklist with sourcing guidance