<prompt> Human: I just read a request on rassistance from a veteran in a financial crisis, who is looking at converting his pension to cash. He gets 674 month and has an opportunity to sell this pension to a third party over 15 years for 40,000.I calculate the present cash value at about 94k, presuming 3.5 annual interest just for grins I plugged in my current mortgage rate...I havent a shred of a clue what that money is actually collecting in the VAs hands now.So paying 40k for that stream is a steal - it took 10 seconds to find a company that does these conversions - At 40k, theyre making 18 - guaranteed over 15 years!It occurs to me that this is as predatory as payday loans without any risk - the US govt is paying you back. I think the only risk is that the vet dies - and even then the lender gets on their life insurance policy. So Im thinking I should offer the poor guy say 60k - thatd get me about 11. Seriously, anyone know more about this industry - with the number of vets in poverty, they must be making money by the barrel.edit: My dry style sometimes doesnt translate to the written word. Im not serious about wanting to get into this industry. I find it worthy of contempt.  <response>: This is very disturbing. 