System for selecting and purchasing assets and maintaining an investment portfolio

• US 8,165,948 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Globe Resources Group, Inc. (Phoenix Capital Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Globe Resources Group, Inc. (Phoenix Capital Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cowin, Gregory L., Downey, Stephen M., McIntire, Gregory L., Tyson, Kevin P., O'Shaughnessy, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US12/767,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 705 10- 44
• US Class Current: 705/36.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The invention is in the field of computer implemented systems and methods for generating a profile of an investor'"'"'s risk tolerance, providing automated investment allocation advice based on the risk tolerance of the investor, generating at least one list of investments for the portfolio of the investor, allowing for review of the at least one list of investments and information relating to historic and/or hypothetical performance and a description of asset selection methodology, performing automated electronic execution of transactions pertaining the investments, maintenance and monitoring of investment portfolios, and rebalancing of investment portfolios.

Claims

1. An integrated Internet-connected computer-implemented system operated by a user for the account of an investor, said computer-implemented system comprising at least one computer containing at least one central processing unit, a display, and a memory containing computer-executable instructions for:

generating a profile of the investor, including receiving from the user responses to determine the investor'"'"'s risk tolerance,

providing automated allocation advice to the user based on the investor'"'"'s risk tolerance, the automated allocation advice including recommended investment percentages for a plurality of asset classes, wherein the plurality of asset classes includes equities,

generating at least one list of investments for an investment portfolio of the investor, including the selection of equities,

allowing the user to review the at least one list of investments and specific information about the at least one list of investments, such information including historic and/or hypothetical performance and a description of an asset selection methodology associated with the at least one list of investments,

allowing the user, after making appropriate reviews, to immediately and directly customize the at least one list of investments,

allowing the user, after making appropriate reviews, to make a decision to agree to purchase one or more lists of investments from the at least one list of investments selected by the user for purchase,

performing automated electronic execution of transactions pertaining to a list of investments from the at least one list of investments for the investment portfolio of the investor,

performing maintenance and monitoring of said investment portfolio, and

rebalancing of the investment portfolio in a weight prescribed by said automated allocation advice in an automated fashion.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

transmitting to the display news, alerts, and/or research about the assets in the investment portfolio of the investor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

determining the best time to sell assets for maintenance or rebalancing of the investment portfolio of the investor so as to guide orders created by the system to maximize tax benefits to the investor.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

allowing the user to set up automatic email notification of rebalance dates.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

allowing the user to sign up for automatic proxy voting.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

determining if an investor has an account with an online broker and providing suggestions to select an online broker to create an account with if the investor does not have an account with an online broker.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

generating a unique order form for opening a brokerage account, identifying the system as the portal through which the broker'"'"'s new client was generated.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

allowing the user to choose whether money belonging to the investor will be invested automatically when it is received by a broker after an account with that broker was set up to execute a transaction.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

providing the user with at least one list of investments for free, but withholding information that is the product of applying at least one list of investments to the current universe of stocks in the marketplace, until the user becomes a subscriber.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

allowing the user to associate the investment portfolio with an investment goal including retirement or education and for allowing the user to specify financial parameters for the investment goal including initial investment, horizon, contributions and withdrawal requirements.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the user includes an investor.

12. A computer-implemented method employing an integrated Internet-connected system operated by a user for the account of an investor, said computer-implemented system comprising at least one computer containing at least one central processing unit, a display, and a memory containing computer-executable instructions, the method comprising:

generating a profile of the investor, including receiving from the user responses to determine the investor'"'"'s risk tolerance,

providing automated allocation advice to the user based on the investor'"'"'s risk tolerance, the automated allocation advice including recommended investment percentages for a plurality of asset classes, wherein the plurality of asset classes includes equities,

generating at least one list of investments for an investment portfolio of the investor, including the selection of equities,

allowing the user to review the at least one list of investments and specific information about the at least one list of investments, such information including historic and/or hypothetical performance and a description of an asset selection methodology associated with the at least one list of investments,

allowing the user, after making appropriate reviews, to immediately and directly customize the at least one list of investments,

allowing the user, after making appropriate reviews, to make a decision to agree to purchase one or more lists of investments from the at least one list of investments selected by the user for purchase,

performing automated electronic execution of transactions pertaining to a list of investments from the at least one list of investments for the investment portfolio of the investor,

performing maintenance and monitoring of said investment portfolio, and

rebalancing of the investment portfolio in a weight prescribed by said automated allocation advice in an automated fashion.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting to the display news, alerts, and/or research about the assets in the investment portfolio of the investor.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining the best time to sell assets for maintenance or rebalancing of the investment portfolio of the investor so as to guide orders created by the system to maximize tax benefits to the investor.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing the user to set up automatic email notification of rebalance dates.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing the user to sign up for automatic proxy voting.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining if an investor has an account with an online broker and providing suggestions to select an online broker to create an account with if the investor does not have an account with an online broker.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a unique order form for opening a brokerage account, identifying the system as the portal through which the broker'"'"'s new client was generated.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing the user to choose whether money belonging to the investor will be invested automatically when it is received by a broker after an account with that broker was set up to execute a transaction.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing the user with at least one list of investments for free, but withholding information that is the product of applying at least one list of investments to the current universe of stocks in the marketplace, until the user becomes a subscriber.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing the user to associate the investment portfolio with an investment goal including retirement or education and for allowing the user to specify financial parameters for the investment goal including initial investment, horizon, contributions and withdrawal requirements.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the user includes an investor.