Method and System for Evaluating Target Date Funds
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of evaluating target date funds for a customer, the method comprising:
- presenting a questionnaire to a customer to solicit responses;
determining one or more investment preferences based on the customer'"'"'s responses to the questionnaire, said one or more investment preferences including at least a desired level of risk asset exposure and a desired level of asset class diversification;
generating, by at least one computer processor, a summary of a plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least one visual representation of both diversification levels and risk asset ratios associated with the plurality of target date funds, wherein the generating comprises;
creating a coordinate system showing the plurality of target date funds, andplotting each of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective diversification levels and risk asset ratios;
comparing said one or more investment preferences with said at least one visual representation; and
identifying a desired type of target date fund based on the comparison.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention generally concerns systems, methods, and apparatus wherein a computer may receive information concerning a group of target date funds from a database. Information about the target date funds may comprise information about the glide path and the target retirement date of that fund. A diversification level of each of the target date funds may be determined from the received information. An equity ratio may also be determined for each of the target date funds using the received information. In some instances, the equity ratio may be based upon the amount of equity projected to be owned by the target date fund upon the target retirement date. After determining an equity ratio and a diversification level, a summary of the group of funds is output for review by a user. The summary may include a summary or graph of the diversification levels and equity ratios of the target date funds.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of evaluating target date funds for a customer, the method comprising:
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presenting a questionnaire to a customer to solicit responses; determining one or more investment preferences based on the customer'"'"'s responses to the questionnaire, said one or more investment preferences including at least a desired level of risk asset exposure and a desired level of asset class diversification; generating, by at least one computer processor, a summary of a plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least one visual representation of both diversification levels and risk asset ratios associated with the plurality of target date funds, wherein the generating comprises; creating a coordinate system showing the plurality of target date funds, and plotting each of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective diversification levels and risk asset ratios; comparing said one or more investment preferences with said at least one visual representation; and identifying a desired type of target date fund based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
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17. A system for evaluating target date funds, comprising:
at least one computer processor coupled to at least one storage medium, the at least computer processing being adapted to perform the steps of; presenting a questionnaire to a customer to solicit responses; determining one or more investment preferences based on the customer'"'"'s responses to the questionnaire, said one or more investment preferences including at least a desired level of risk asset exposure and a desired level of asset class diversification; generating a summary of a plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least one visual representation of both diversification levels and risk asset ratios associated with the plurality of target date funds, wherein the generating comprises; creating a coordinate system showing the plurality of target date funds, and plotting each of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective diversification levels and risk asset ratios; comparing said one or more investment preferences with said at least one visual representation; and identifying a desired type of target date fund based on the comparison.
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18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having code for evaluating target date funds, the code executable by a processor to perform the steps comprising:
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presenting a questionnaire to a customer to solicit responses; determining one or more investment preferences based on the customer'"'"'s responses to the questionnaire, said one or more investment preferences including at least a desired level of risk asset exposure and a desired level of asset class diversification; generating a summary of a plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least one visual representation of both diversification levels and risk asset ratios associated with the plurality of target date funds, wherein the generating comprises; creating a coordinate system showing the plurality of target date funds, and plotting each of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective diversification levels and risk asset ratios; comparing said one or more investment preferences with said at least one visual representation; and identifying a desired type of target date fund based on the comparison.
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21. A computer-implemented method of evaluating target date funds for a customer, the method comprising:
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presenting a questionnaire to a customer to solicit responses; determining one or more investment preferences based on the customer'"'"'s responses to the questionnaire, said one or more investment preferences including at least a level of risk exposure; generating, by at least one computer processor, a summary of a plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least one visual representation of risk asset ratios associated with the plurality of target date funds, wherein the generating comprises; creating a coordinate system showing the plurality of target date funds, and plotting each of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective risk asset ratios and a measure of their risk exposure; comparing said one or more investment preferences with said at least one visual representation; and identifying a desired type of target date fund based on the comparison.
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22. A computer-implemented method of evaluating target date funds, comprising using at least one processor and at least one storage medium for performing the following operations:
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receiving, at a computer from at least one database, information concerning a plurality of target date funds, wherein each target date fund comprises a glide path and a target retirement date; determining a quantified risk level of each of the plurality of target date funds; determining an equity ratio of each of the plurality of target date funds, wherein the equity ratio is based on the glide path allocation of each of the plurality of target date funds upon the target retirement date; outputting, via a user interface or user medium, a summary of the plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least a visual representation of both the risk level and the equity ratio associated with each of the plurality of target date funds to facilitate a comparison among the target date funds; and selecting or formulating a target date fund based on the comparison and an investor'"'"'s risk tolerance or investment goal, wherein the selecting or formulating comprises; creating a coordinate system showing at least a subset of the plurality of target date funds, and plotting each of the subset of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective risk levels and equity ratios, and wherein measures of investor risk tolerance or investment goals are derived from an evaluation of a specific investor or investment plan sponsor, and the specific investor or investment plan sponsor can use the coordinate system to locate target date funds that are best suited for the specific investor or investment plan sponsor.
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23. A computer-implemented method of evaluating target date funds, comprising using at least one processor and at least one storage medium to perform the following operations:
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receiving, by a computer from at least one database, information concerning a plurality of target date funds, wherein each target date fund is associated with a glide path and a target retirement date; determining a quantified risk level for each of the plurality of target date funds; determining at least one equity ratio for each of the plurality of target date funds; outputting a summary of at least a subset of the plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least a visual representation of both the risk levels and the equity ratios associated with the subset of the plurality of target date funds to facilitate a comparison among these target date funds, wherein the outputting comprises; creating a coordinate system showing the subset of the plurality of target date funds, and plotting each of the subset of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective risk levels and equity ratios; determining a customer'"'"'s investment goals or objectives, the customer being selected from a group consisting of;
(a) a sponsor of an investment plan, (b) a participant of an investment plan, and (c) an individual investor,comparing the customer'"'"'s investment goals or objectives with visually identifiable groups of the plotted target date funds on the coordinate system; and identifying a desired type of target date fund based on the comparison.
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Specification