Inputs you need for Structured Settlement in Arizona
5 min read
Published April 15, 2026 • By DocketMath Team
Inputs you will need
Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Structured Settlement calculator.
To run a structured settlement scenario in Arizona using DocketMath (tool: /tools/structured-settlement), you’ll need two groups of inputs: (1) the payment/cash-flow details for the structure math, and (2) the date inputs needed to run a baseline, jurisdiction-aware timing check.
Gentle note: This is a practical checklist, not legal advice. Structured settlement deadlines and statutes of limitations can vary by claim type and facts; this article uses Arizona’s general/default period only.
Core calculation inputs (what DocketMath needs)
Use this checklist to collect the numbers before you click Run:
The date you want the first payment schedule anchored to. The lump sum value the structure is intended to satisfy. For example: payments at the beginning vs. end of the period.
How these inputs change the output:
- Changing the settlement amount raises or lowers the payment levels (and may shift how duration is allocated).
- Changing frequency/pattern changes the timing of cash flows—monthly vs. annual affects how payments “land” over time.
- Changing escalation typically increases later payments, changing the shape of the payout schedule even if the starting payment looks similar.
Arizona timeline input (for reasonableness checks)
Arizona-specific deadline modeling generally requires the key dates you’ll compare against the statute of limitations baseline. DocketMath can help you apply the baseline check once you provide the dates.
Arizona statute of limitations used in this article (general/default)
This content uses Arizona’s general/default statute of limitations only:
- General SOL Period: 2 years
- Statutory citation: A.R.S. § 13-107(A)
Important clarity: No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found in the provided brief, so the “2 years” baseline is treated as the default general period. Use it as a starting point for modeling consistency with timelines—not as a definitive deadline for every situation.
Warning: Don’t treat the 2-year baseline as claim-specific SOL research. Structured settlement facts and legal theories can affect which deadlines apply.
Where to find each input
Use these practical places to pull the values you’ll enter into DocketMath.
Most inputs live in the case file, contracts, or docket entries. Dates usually come from the triggering event notice; rates and caps come from governing documents or statute; and amounts come from the ledger or judgment. Record the source for each value so the run is reproducible.
Settlement and payment schedule inputs
Look for these in:
- Draft settlement agreement / term sheet
- Total settlement amount
- Payment schedule (monthly/annual)
- Escalation/step-up terms (if any)
- Number of payments or target end date
- Structured settlement proposal (annuity provider / settlement administrator)
- Start/commencement date
- Payment timing mechanics (beginning vs. end of period, if specified)
- Correspondence with counsel or the administrator
- Confirmations/clarifications on schedule structure and the exact dates
Arizona timeline inputs (deadline modeling)
Gather from:
- Incident / event documentation
- Date of injury, accident, or event (your “trigger date”)
- Filing plan timeline
- The proposed filing date you want to test in the model
Tip: If you already track these dates in a case management system, you can copy them directly into DocketMath. Use the exact calendar dates you plan to model for consistency.
Run it
- Open the DocketMath structured settlement calculator:
/tools/structured-settlement - Enter the inputs using the same dates and amounts you collected:
- Settlement start date
- Total settlement amount
- Payment pattern and frequency
- Number of payments or end date
- Escalation rate (if applicable)
- Event/injury date (for the timing baseline check)
- Proposed filing date
- Click Run to generate:
- The modeled payout schedule based on your payment inputs
- A baseline Arizona timing reasonableness check using the general/default 2-year period
How to interpret the outputs (and what to adjust)
1) Payment schedule sensitivity
After you run, if the modeled schedule doesn’t match your goal, adjust the inputs most likely to drive changes:
- Too low/high for the target: adjust total settlement amount.
- Payments don’t fit the desired timeline: adjust number of payments/end date or switch frequency.
- Later payments aren’t increasing as expected: adjust escalation rate.
A simple approach is to run multiple scenarios and keep notes like:
- “Run #1: 24 monthly payments, $X, no escalation”
- “Run #2: 36 monthly payments, $X, escalation 2%”
2) Arizona “general/default” SOL check (baseline)
When DocketMath applies the baseline timeline check, it uses:
- General SOL period: 2 years
- Citation: A.R.S. § 13-107(A)
Baseline logic:
- If your proposed filing date is more than 2 years after your event/injury date, the scenario is likely to fall outside the general window.
- If it’s within 2 years, it aligns more closely with the baseline timeline expectations.
Pitfall to avoid: Even if the baseline check looks consistent, claim-specific deadlines could still differ. Treat this as a modeling check, not a final legal determination.