Systems and methods for improving investment performance

• US 8,301,527 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tarbox Intellectual Property, LLC
• Original Assignee: Brian C. Tarbox, Mark Greenstein
• Inventors: Greenstein, Mark, Tarbox, Brian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US11/482,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/36, 705/36.R, 705/36.T, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• 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

Abstract

Methods for a data processor implemented system monitor for enabling persons to turn over the allocation their investment assets, and/or receive assistance concerning how to receive disbursements from investments, in a manner that is free from or ameliorates the traditional conflicts of interest in previous systems. The methods are adapted to ameliorate the tension between other functions where the compensation may be affected by asset allocation. The systems and methods collect, monitor, and direct information from persons who hold indicative data, e.g., employers, to provide professional asset allocation services including automatic allocation, rebalancing, and reallocation of investment assets, on a regular basis; as well as assistance in determining how much to save or how to receive disbursements in a manner that ameliorates conflicts of interest, which, in the case of employee benefit plans, is consistent with the regulatory restraints of ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act).

Claims

1. A method for allocating investment assets including the steps of:

providing for the inputting of information concerning at least one investor into at least one computer;

providing at least one discretionary asset allocation program for the at least one investor, the at least one discretionary asset allocation program being resident on at least one computer; and

utilizing the discretionary asset allocation program provided by;

(i) at least one conflicted person who receives variable fees or profits for providing services related to the discretionary asset allocation services or (ii) at least one other person in cooperation with the at least one conflicted person;

wherein the discretionary investment allocation decisions are automatically implemented by at least one computer for the at least one investor, and wherein the discretionary investment asset allocation decisions are implemented using the discretionary asset allocation program, which is provided for by the inputting of computer information comprising algorithms used to reallocate funds in the investment vehicle, the algorithms being implemented, developed maintained or approved by the at least one person who is independent from at any other person who receives variable fees orprofits by reason of the allocation of investments in the investment vehicle

such that the at least one conflicted person'"'"'s ability to self deal is eliminated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inputting computer information to automatically enroll the at least one investor in a pension plan.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing for the inputting of computer information into at least one computer to automatically place the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which automatically reallocates funds in response to a change of age of the investor.

4. The method of claim 1, further compromising:

inputting computer information to automatically increase the percentage of pay deducted from the pay of the investor.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing for the inputting of computer information comprising algorithms used to reallocate funds in the investment vehicle, the algorithms being implemented, developed maintained or approved by the at least one person who is substantially independent from at any other person who receives variable fees or profits by reason of the allocation of investments in the investment vehicle.

6. The method of claim 3, comprising:

inputting computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the investment vehicle.

7. The method of claim 4, comprising:

inputting computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the automatic increases.

8. The method of claim 2, comprising:

providing for the inputting of computer information comprising a logarithms used to automatically place the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which adjusts allocation between investment due to a passage of time.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

inputting computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the investment vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising:

inputting computer information to automatically increase the percentage of pay deducted from the pay of the investor.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising:

inputting computer information to provide for the automatic distribution of funds to the at least one investor.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

inputting computer information to provide for placing the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which automatically reallocates funds in response to a change in age of the investor.

34. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

inputting computer information to automatically place the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which automatically reallocates funds in response to a change of age of the investor.

35. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

inputting computer information to automatically increase the percentage of pay deducted from the pay of the investor to be invested in the investment vehicle.

36. The method of claim 5 wherein the conflicted person is a non-profit organization.

37. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one allocation adhering to the safeguards contained in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as of Feb. 11, 2002.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein at least one allocation adheres to the safeguards contained in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as of Feb. 11, 2002.

13. A system for allocating investment assets comprising:

structure for inputting computer information comprising information concerning at least one investor including the age of the at least one investor;

structure for providing at least one discretionary asset allocation program for the at least one investor; and

structure for utilizing the discretionary asset allocation program, provided by;

(i) at least one conflicted person who receives variable fees or profits for providing services related to the discretionary asset allocation or (ii) at least one other person in cooperation with at least one conflicted person;

wherein discretionary investment allocation decisions are automatically implemented using computer information comprising algorithms used to reallocate funds in the investment vehicle, the algorithms being developed or approved at least one person who is substantially independent from at any other person who receives variable fees or profits by reason of the allocation of investments in the investment vehicle such that the at least one conflicted person'"'"'s ability to self deal is eliminated.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

structure for inputting computer information to automatically enroll the at least one investor in a pension plan.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

structure for inputting computer information to automatically place the at least one investor in an investment vehicle and automatically reallocate funds within the retirement investor'"'"'s investment vehicle, in response to a change of age of the investor.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

structure for inputting computer information to automatically increase the percentage of pay deducted from the pay of the investor.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

structure for inputting computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the investment vehicle.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

structure for inputting computer information providing the ability to increase the percentage of pay deducted from the pay of the investor and place the funds in an investment vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

structure for inputting of computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the automatic increases.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

structure for inputting computer information to automatically increase the amount deducted from the compensation of the at least one investor and place the amounts in an investment vehicle.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

structure for inputting computer information to automatically place the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which adjusts allocation between investment due to the passage of time.

22. The system of claim 20, comprising:

structure for inputting computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the investment vehicle.

23. The system of claim 13, comprising:

structure for inputting computer information to provide for the automatic distribution of funds to the at least one investor.

24. The system of claim 23, comprising:

structure for inputting computer information to provide for placing the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which automatically reallocates funds within the investment vehicle, in response to a change of age of the investor.

38. The computer system of claim 13, wherein at least one allocation adheres to the safeguards contained in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as of Feb. 11, 2002.

25. Apparatus comprising:

a computer system, comprising a at least one computer, adapted to carry out the steps of;

receiving into a memory associated with the at least one computer, information concerning at least one investor;

receiving into a memory associated with the-at least one computer, at least one discretionary asset allocation program for at the least one investor;

receiving into a memory associated with the at least one computer, an implementation of the decisions of the discretionary investment allocation programs; and

generating the discretionary asset allocation program for at least one investor which is being provided by;

(i) at least one conflicted person who receives variable fees or profits for providing services related to the discretionary asset allocation or (ii) at least one other person in concert cooperation with the at least one conflicted person;

wherein the discretionary investment allocation decisions are automatically implemented for the at least one investor by the inputting of computer information comprising algorithms used to reallocate funds in an investment vehicle, the algorithms being implemented, developed maintained or approved by the at least one person who is substantially independent from at any other person who receives variable fees or profits by reason of the allocation of investments in the investment vehicle in a manner that eliminates the at least one conflicted person'"'"'s ability to self deal, and wherein the allocation inputted into the computer for the discretionary investment allocation decisions is based on algorithms developed, or approved by the at least one other person who is independent of the at least one conflicted person.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the steps further compromise:

inputting information to automatically enroll the at least one investor in a pension plan.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the steps further compromise:

inputting information to automatically place the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which reallocates funds in response to a change in age of the investor.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the steps further compromise:

inputting information to automatically increase the percentage of pay deducted from the pay of the at least one investor for contribution to a pension plan.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the steps further compromise:

inputting information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the pension plan.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the steps further compromise:

inputting computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the investment vehicle.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further compromising:

inputting of computer information providing the at least one investor with the ability to opt out of the automatic increases.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the steps further compromise:

inputting of computer information providing for the automatic distribution of funds to the at least one investor.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the steps further comprise:

inputting of computer information placing the at least one investor in an investment vehicle which reallocates funds in response to a change in age of the investor.