System and method for processing data related to charges applicable to investment accounts

• US 8,359,214 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• 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): Campen, Kelly
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRESTON, JOHN O
• Application Number:
  US13/609,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 133 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4, 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A system for data processing for an account of a financial product has a processor and a memory. The processor receives an account value and a charge applicable to the account based on a fraction of the value of the account; on a basis of a second period, shorter than a first period. Throughout the first period, the processor calculates a fractional charge based on the value of the account, and updates the account value by decrementing the account value in the amount of the fractional charge. At the end of the first period, the processor compares a charge for the first period based on the account value on one day during the first period to a sum of the fractional charges for the first period, and increases the account value by the difference if the first period charge is less than the sum of the fractional charges.

Claims

1. A computer system for processing data for an account of a financial product, comprising:

a memory device, in communication with the processor, the memory device storing data relating to the financial product, the stored data including account value data and periodic charge data in the nature of charges related to compensation of advisors and based on a rate to be applied to the account value for a term equal to a duration of a first period;

a processor in communication with the memory device and configured to;

access account value data and charge data from the memory device;

on a basis of a second period, shorter than the first period, throughout the first period;

calculate an amount of fractional charge based on the rate, the account value and a ratio based on a number of second periods in the first period;

update the account value by decrementing the account value in the amount of the fractional charge;

store the updated account value in the memory device; and

store each of the amounts of the fractional charges in the memory device;

at the end of the first period;

calculate a reference charge for the first period based on the rate applied to the account value at one day during the first period;

calculate a sum of the fractional charges for the first period;

compare the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges for the first period;

responsive to determining that the reference charge for the first period is less than the sum of the fractional charges, calculate an updated account value equal to the sum of the updated account value for the day of calculation and a difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges; and

provide output data indicative of the account value and, if the account value was increased by the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges, provide output data indicative of the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges; and

a printing and mailing system configured to receive output data from the processor and print account statements reflecting the received data.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the charge comprises fund management fees.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the charge is an average fund management expense.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the fund management expense is predetermined and independent of a customer investment selection.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide instructions for printing of a document bearing the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, responsive to determining that the reference charge for the first period is less than the sum of the fractional charges, calculate a return on the difference between the first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges, and determine an increase in the account value based on the calculated return on the difference.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the return by applying a percentage increase in the account value over the first period to the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, responsive to determining that the reference charge for the first period is less than the sum of the fractional charges, recalculate the account value over the first period, using fractional fee charges, each reduced in an amount equal to:

(a) the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges, multiplied by (b) the second period duration divided by the first period duration.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to an instruction for a withdrawal from the account, determine an amount payable, and provide an output signal, and the system further comprises:

a payment determination system having a processor for;

receiving the output signal, determining of a payor account and a payment method;

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

outputting of a digital signal indicative of the stored payor account information, the stored payment method, amount information and payee information; and

a payment fulfillment system for receiving the digital signal from the payment determination system and for fulfillment of payment in accordance with the information conveyed by the digital signal from the processor of the payment determination system.

10. A computer-implemented method for processing data relating to an account of a financial product, comprising:

storing in a data storage device data relating to the account including an account value and periodic charge data in the nature of charges related to compensation of advisors and based on a rate to be applied to the account value for a term equal to a duration of a first period

accessing by a processor data stored in the data storage device, including account value data and rate data;

on a basis of a second period, shorter than the first period, throughout the first period;

calculating by the processor of fractional charge data based on the value of the account, the rate of the charge and a ratio based on a number of second periods in the first period;

updating by the processor the account value by decreasing the account value in the amount of the fractional charge;

storing data indicative of the updated account values in the data storage device; and

storing the fractional charge data in the data storage device;

at the end of the first period;

calculating by the processor a reference first period charge for the first period based on the account value on one day during the first period and the rate of the charge;

calculating by the processor a sum of the fractional charges for the first period;

comparing by the processor the reference first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges for the first period;

responsive to determining that the reference first period charge is less than the sum of the fractional charges, calculating by the processor an updated account value equal to the sum of the updated account for the day of calculation and the difference between the reference first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges; and

providing by the processor output data indicative of the account value and, if the net asset value was increased by the difference between the reference first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges, data indicative of the difference between the first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the first period is a year, and the second period is a day.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the charge comprises fund management fees.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the charge comprises rider fees.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the charge is an average fund management expense.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the fund management expense is predetermined and independent of a customer fund selection.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising providing by the processor of instructions for printing of a document bearing the difference between the reference first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges, receiving the instructions by a printing and mailing system, and printing an account statement bearing the difference between the reference first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges.

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

access from a memory device stored data relating to an account of a financial product, the stored data including account value data and periodic charge data in the nature of charges related to compensation of advisors and based on a rate to be applied to the account value for a term equal to a duration of a first period;

on a basis of a second period, shorter than the first period, throughout the first period;

calculate an amount of fractional charge based on the rate, the account value and a ratio based on a number of second periods in the first period;

update the account value by decrementing the account value in the amount of the fractional charge;

store the updated account value in the memory device; and

store each of the amounts of the fractional charges in the memory device;

at the end of the first period;

calculate a reference charge for the first period based on the rate applied to the account value at one day during the first period;

calculate a sum of the fractional charges for the first period;

compare the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges for the first period;

responsive to determining that the reference charge for the first period is less than the sum of the fractional charges, calculate an updated account value equal to the sum of the updated account value for the day of calculation and a difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges; and

provide output data indicative of the account value and, if the account value was increased by the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges, output data indicative of the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, responsive to determining that the reference charge for the first period is less than the sum of the fractional charges, calculate a return on the difference between the first period charge and the sum of the fractional charges, and determine an increase in the account value based on the calculated return on the difference.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage system of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to calculate the return by applying a percentage increase in the account value over the first period to the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to calculate the return by applying a percentage less than 100% of the percentage increase in the account value over the first period to the difference between the reference charge for the first period and the sum of the fractional charges.