Financial instrument utilizing a customer specific date

• US 7,860,791 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America
• Original Assignee: Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential Financial Incorporated)
• Inventors: Foley, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi; Hani
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALI, HATEM M
• Application Number:
  US11/531,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a financial instrument issued to a customer includes an account and a guarantee of a protected value. The account has an account balance that changes over time, wherein at least part of the account balance is based on an initial deposit into the account. The protected value is fixed at the time of a particular event at a value at least equal to the greatest of the initial deposit, the account balance at the time of the particular event, and the highest value of the account balance on at least one anniversary of a customer specific date between the date of the initial deposit and the time of the particular event. The customer specific date is specific to the customer, determined no later than the time the financial instrument is issued, and independent of any transaction specific date related to the financial instrument.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software, the software operable when executed by a processor to:

store account data associated with a financial instrument issued to a customer, the financial instrument comprising an account with an account balance, wherein the account balance is based at least in part on

an initial deposit into the account; and

market performance of one or more variable investments;

determine a protected value, the protected value representing a guaranteed return regardless of the market performance of the one or more variable investments and the protected value being fixed at the time of a particular event at a value at least equal to the greatest of

the initial deposit,

the account balance at the time of the particular event, and

the highest value of the account balance on at least one anniversary of a customer specific date between the date of the initial deposit and the time of the particular event; and

calculate a fee for the financial instrument;

wherein the customer specific date is specific to the customer, determined no later than the time the financial instrument is issued to the customer, and independent of any transaction specific date related to the financial instrument, including the date of the initial deposit.

2. The software of claim 1, wherein the financial instrument further comprises a guarantee that a beneficiary may periodically receive a transfer of an amount of money for the life of a designated party, and wherein the software is further operable when executed by a processor to determine the amount as a percentage of the protected value, wherein the transfer may be due to withdrawal from the account or due to benefit payments made to the beneficiary.

3. The software of claim 1, wherein after the protected value is fixed the protected value may vary based upon withdrawals from the account in excess of a particular limit.

4. The software of claim 1, wherein the particular event is a first withdrawal from the account.

5. The software of claim 1, wherein the particular event is ten years from the date of the initial deposit.

6. The software of claim 1, wherein the particular event is an election by the customer.

7. The software of claim 1, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each anniversary of the customer specific date between the date of the initial deposit and the time of the particular event.

8. The software of claim 1, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each of the first ten anniversaries of the customer specific date between the date of the initial deposit and the time of the particular event.

9. The software of claim 1, wherein the customer specific date is a birthday of the customer.

10. The software of claim 1, wherein the customer specific date is a wedding day of the customer.

11. The software of claim 1, wherein the customer specific date is a day specified by the customer.

12. A financial instrument management system, comprising:

a memory storing;

account data associated with an account issued to a customer, the account having an account balance, wherein the account balance is based at least in part on

an initial deposit into the account; and

market performance of one or more variable investments; and

a guarantee of a protected, value representing a guaranteed return regardless of the market performance of the one or more variable investments;

a processor in communication with the memory and operable to;

process information received from the memory;

determine and fix the protected value, the protected value being fixed at the time of a particular event at a value at least equal to the greatest of

the initial deposit,

the account balance at the time of the particular event, and

the highest value of the account balance on at least one anniversary of a customer specific date between the date of the initial deposit and the time of the particular event; and

calculate a fee for the financial instrument;

wherein the customer specific date is specific to the customer, determined no later than the time the financial instrument is issued to the customer, and independent of any transaction specific date related to the financial instrument, including the date of the initial deposit.

13. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, further comprising a guarantee that a beneficiary may periodically receive a transfer of an amount of money for the life of a designated party, wherein the amount comprises a percentage of the protected value, wherein the transfer may be due to withdrawal from the account or due to benefit payments made to the beneficiary.

14. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein after the protected value is fixed the protected value may vary based upon withdrawals from the account in excess of a particular limit.

15. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the particular event is a first withdrawal from the account.

16. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the particular event is ten years from the date of the initial deposit.

17. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the particular event is an election by the customer.

18. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each anniversary of the customer specific date between the date of the initial deposit and the time of the particular event.

19. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each of the first ten anniversaries of the customer specific date between the date of the initial deposit and the time of the particular event.

20. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the customer specific date is a birthday of the customer.

21. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the customer specific date is a wedding day of the customer.

22. The financial instrument management system of claim 12, wherein the customer specific date is a day specified by the customer.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software, the software operable when executed by a processor to:

store account data associated with a financial instrument issued to a customer, the financial instrument comprising an account with an account balance, wherein the account balance is based at least in part on

an initial deposit into the account; and

market performance of one or more variable investments;

determine a protected value, the protected value representing a guaranteed return regardless of the market performance of the one or more variable investments and the protected value being fixed at the time of a particular event;

determine an amount of money to be periodically transferred to a beneficiary for the life of a designated party, wherein the amount comprises a percentage of the protected value fixed at the time of the particular event, wherein the transfer may be due to withdrawal from the account or due to benefit payments made to the beneficiary; and

at a period of time after the time of the particular event, when the account balance is determined to be greater than the protected value on at least one anniversary of a customer specific date, increase the protected value to a value at least equal to the value of the account balance on the at least one anniversary of the customer specific date.

24. The software of claim 23, wherein after the protected value is fixed the protected value may vary based upon withdrawals from the account in excess of a particular limit.

25. The software of claim 23, wherein the particular event is a first withdrawal from the account.

26. The software of claim 23, wherein the particular event is ten years from the date of the initial deposit.

27. The software of claim 23, wherein the particular event is an election by the customer.

28. The software of claim 23, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each anniversary of the customer specific date between the date of the particular event and the date of the death of the designated party.

29. The software of claim 23, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each of the first ten anniversaries of the customer specific date after the date of the particular event.

30. The software of claim 23, wherein the increase to the protected value is performed automatically.

31. The software of claim 23, wherein the increase to the protected value is in response to an election by the customer.

32. The software of claim 23, wherein the customer specific date is a birthday of the customer.

33. The software of claim 23, wherein the customer specific date is a wedding day of the customer.

34. The software of claim 23, wherein the customer specific date is a day specified by the customer.

35. A financial instrument system, comprising:

a memory storing;

account data associated with an account issued to a customer, the account having an account balance, wherein the account balance is based at least in part on

an initial deposit into the account; and

market performance of one or more variable investments;

a protected value representing a guaranteed return regardless of the market performance of the one or more variable investments;

a processor in communication with the memory and operable to;

process information received from the memory;

at the time of a particular event, determine and fix the protected value;

determine an amount of money to be periodically transferred to a beneficiary for the life of a designated party, wherein the amount comprises a percentage of the protected value fixed at the time of the particular event, wherein the transfer may be due to withdrawal from the account or due to benefit payments made to the beneficiary; and

at a period of time after the time of the particular event, when the account balance is determined to be greater than the protected value on at least one anniversary of a customer specific date, increase the protected value to a value at least equal to the value of the account balance on the at least one anniversary of the customer specific date;

wherein the customer specific date is specific to the customer, determined no later than the time the financial instrument is issued to the customer, and independent of any transaction specific date related to the financial instrument, including the date of the initial deposit.

36. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein after the protected value is fixed the protected value may vary based upon withdrawals from the account in excess of a particular limit.

37. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the particular event is a first withdrawal from the account.

38. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the particular event is ten years from the date of the initial deposit.

39. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the particular event is an election by the customer.

40. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each anniversary of the customer specific date between the date of the particular event and the date of the death of the designated party.

41. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the at least one anniversary of a customer specific date is each of the first ten anniversaries of the customer specific date after the date of the particular event.

42. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the increase to the protected value is performed automatically.

43. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the increase to the protected value is in response to an election by the customer.

44. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the customer specific date is a birthday of the customer.

45. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the customer specific date is a wedding day of the customer.

46. The financial instrument management system of claim 35, wherein the customer specific date is a day specified by the customer.