System and method for administering annuities

• US 8,224,673 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Michalowski, Philip W., Golembiewski, Keith E., Weiss, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalinowski, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANERVO, VIRPI H
• Application Number:
  US12/123,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for administering an annuity product includes storing by a processor in memory an amount of an initial funding payment, an interest rate formula and a term for an accumulation annuity, and storing terms including a deferral term for a guaranteed income annuity. If the processor determines that the current time is during the term, the processor calculates an amount of interest earned on the fixed rate annuity and storing in memory a credit of the calculated interest amount to a guaranteed income annuity. After the accumulation period, the processor provides an output signal indicative of instructions to provide a notice of expiration. After the deferral period, the processor calculates an income annuity payment amount from the guaranteed income annuity; and provides an output signal indicative of instructions for a payment to be made to an annuitant based on the income annuity payment amount.

Claims

1. A computer system for administering an product that includes an accumulation annuity and a guaranteed income annuity, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

the processor configured to;

store in the memory an amount of an initial funding payment, an interest rate formula, and a term for the accumulation annuity;

store in the memory at least a deferral period of the guaranteed income annuity, wherein the deferral period is greater than or equal to the term of the accumulation annuity;

if the current time is during the term, calculate an amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity;

credit all of the calculated amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity to the guaranteed income annuity, wherein a funding of the guaranteed income annuity is provided by the calculated amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity only;

determine whether the current time is after the accumulation annuity term, and if the current time is after the accumulation annuity term, provide an output signal indicative of an instruction to provide a notice of expiration;

determine whether the current time is after an expiration of the deferral period, and, if the current time is after the expiration of the deferral period, calculate a guaranteed income annuity payment amount from the guaranteed income annuity; and

provide an output signal indicative of instructions for a payment to be made to an annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount; and

a payment fulfillment system configured to, in accordance with data in the output signal indicative of the instructions for the payment to be made to the annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount, effect the payment to the annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity amount;

wherein an asset value of the accumulation annuity is independent of a value of a security or an index.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, at the time of the storing of the initial funding payment, store in the memory an initial funding payment to the guaranteed income annuity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, at the time of the expiration of the deferral period, in response to a digital signal indicative of received customer instructions, store in the memory an instruction to renew the accumulation annuity, and to credit the interest on the accumulation annuity at least in part to the accumulation annuity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, at the time of the expiration of the deferral period, in response to a digital signal indicative of received customer instructions, store in the memory an instruction to renew the accumulation annuity and an instruction to provide payment to a customer of the interest on the renewed accumulation annuity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prior to the time of storing the initial funding payment, receive a digital signal indicative of an available initial funding amount, at least a desired income annuity amount, and a desired asset value amount for the accumulation annuity;

calculate the accumulation term and the deferral period consistent with the initial funding payment, the desired income annuity amount, and the asset value amount; and

provide an output indicating at least the calculated accumulation term and the calculated deferral period.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prior to the time of storing the initial funding payment, receive a digital signal indicative of at least a desired income annuity amount, a desired asset value amount for the accumulation annuity, and a desired deferral period;

calculate the initial funding payment, the accumulation term consistent with the desired income annuity amount, the desired asset value amount, and the desired deferral period; and

provide an output indicating the calculated initial funding payment and the accumulation term.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a payment determination system having a processor configured to;

receive an output signal, determining payor account information and a payment method;

store the determined payor account information and the determined payment method in a memory of the payment determination system;

output a digital signal having data indicative of the stored determined payor account information, the stored determined payment method, amount information, and payee information; and

wherein the payment fulfillment system is configured to;

receive the digital signal having data indicative of the stored determined payor account information, the stored determined payment method, the amount information, and the payee information from the payment determination system; and

effect a payment in accordance with the stored determined payor account information and the stored determined payment method in addition to the data in the output signal indicative of instructions for a payment to be made to the annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the payment fulfillment system is a check printing and mailing system for printing and mailing a check drawn on the payor account in an amount and to a payee as determined by the information conveyed by the digital signal from the processor of the payment determination system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the payment fulfillment system is a system for generating electronic funds transfer requests for providing of an instruction to a bank determined by the payor account information to provide an electronic funds transfer from the payor account to a payee account in an amount determined by the information conveyed by the digital signal from the processor of the payment determination system.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an input module, and

the processor configured to;

receive one or more of the initial funding payment amount, the interest rate formula, and the term for the accumulation annuity from the input module.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the input module comprises a workstation having a keyboard and a pointing device.

12. A computer-implemented method for administering an annuity product, comprising:

storing by a processor in a memory in communication with the processor an amount of an initial funding payment, an interest rate formula, and a term for an accumulation annuity;

storing by the processor in the memory at least a deferral period of a guaranteed income annuity, wherein the deferral period is greater than or equal to the term of the accumulation annuity;

if the processor determines that the current time is during the term, calculating by the processor an amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity, and storing by the processor the amount of interest in the memory;

crediting by the processor all of the calculated amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity to the guaranteed income annuity, wherein a funding of the guaranteed income annuity is provided by the calculated amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity only;

if the processor determines that the current time is after the accumulation annuity term, providing by the processor an output signal indicative of an instruction to provide a notice of expiration;

if the processor determines that the current time is after an expiration of the deferral period, calculating by the processor a guaranteed income annuity payment amount from the guaranteed income annuity;

providing by the processor an output signal indicative of instructions for a payment to be made to an annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount and;

effecting by a payment fulfillment system the payment to the annuitant in accordance with the output signal indicative of the instructions for the payment to be made to the annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount;

wherein an asset value of the accumulation annuity is independent of a value of a security or an index.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, at the time of the storing of the initial funding payment, storing by the processor in the memory an initial funding payment to the guaranteed income annuity.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising, at the time of the expiration of the deferral period, in response to a digital signal indicative of received customer instructions, storing by the processor in the memory an instruction to renew the accumulation annuity, and to credit the interest on the accumulation annuity at least in part to the accumulation annuity.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising, at the time of the expiration of the deferral period, in response to a digital signal indicative of received customer instructions, storing by the processor in the memory an instruction to renew the accumulation annuity and an instruction to provide payment to a customer of the interest on the renewed accumulation annuity.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

prior to the time of storing the initial funding payment, receiving a digital signal indicative of an available initial funding amount, at least a desired income annuity amount, and a desired asset value amount for the accumulation annuity;

calculating by the processor the accumulation term and the deferral period consistent with the initial funding payment, the desired income annuity amount, and the asset value amount; and

providing by the processor an output indicating at least the calculated accumulation term and the calculated deferral period.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

prior to the time of storing the initial funding payment, receiving a digital signal indicative of at least a desired income annuity amount, a desired asset value amount for the accumulation annuity, and a desired deferral period;

calculating by the processor the initial funding payment, the accumulation term consistent with the desired income annuity amount, the desired asset value amount, and the desired deferral period; and

providing by the processor an output indicating the calculated initial funding payment and the accumulation term.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an output signal at a processor of a payment determination system;

determining by the processor of the payment determination system payor account information and a payment method, and storing of the determined payor account information and the determined payment method in a memory by the processor of the payment determination system;

outputting by the processor of the payment determination system a digital signal having data indicative of the stored determined payor account information, the stored determined payment method, amount information, and payee information;

receiving by a processor of the payment fulfillment system the digital signal having data indicative of the stored determined payor account information, the stored determined payment method, the amount information, and the payee information from the payment determination system; and

effecting by the payment fulfillment system a payment in accordance with the data indicative of the stored determined payor account information and the stored determined payment method conveyed by the digital signal from the processor of the payment determination system in addition to the data in the output signal indicative of instructions for a payment to be made to the annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the payment fulfillment system is a check printing and mailing system, and wherein the fulfillment comprises printing and mailing a check drawn on the payor account in an amount and to a payee as determined by the information conveyed by the digital signal from the processor of the payment determination system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the payment fulfillment system is a system for generating electronic funds transfer requests, and wherein the fulfillment comprises providing by the payment fulfillment system of an instruction to a bank determined by the payor account information to provide an electronic funds transfer from the payor account to a payee account in an amount determined by the information conveyed by the digital signal from the processor of the payment determination system.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

store in a memory an amount of an initial funding payment, an interest rate formula, and a term for an accumulation annuity;

store in the memory at least a deferral period of a guaranteed income annuity, wherein the deferral period is greater than or equal to the term of the accumulation annuity;

determine if the current time is during the term, and, if the current time is during the term, calculate an amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity;

credit all of the calculated amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity to the guaranteed income annuity, wherein a funding of the guaranteed income annuity is provided by the calculated amount of interest earned on the accumulation annuity only;

determine if the current time is after the accumulation annuity term and, if the current time is after the accumulation annuity term, provide an output signal indicative of an instruction to provide a notice of expiration;

determine if the current time is after an expiration of the deferral period, and, if the current time is after the expiration of the deferral period, calculate a guaranteed income annuity payment amount from the guaranteed income annuity; and

provide an output signal indicative of instructions for a payment to be made to an annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount, the output signal being effective to cause a payment fulfillment system to effect the payment to the annuitant in accordance with the instructions for the payment to be made to the annuitant based on the guaranteed income annuity payment amount,

wherein an asset value of the accumulation annuity is independent of a value of a security or an index.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to store in the memory an initial funding payment to the guaranteed income annuity.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

at the time of the expiration of the deferral period, in response to a digital signal indicative of received customer instructions, store in the memory an instruction to renew the accumulation annuity; and

credit the interest on the accumulation annuity at least in part to the accumulation annuity.