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US6041313A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

401K user software

Assignee: 401K PRO Inc
•
Filing: 1998-06-29
•
Granted: 2000-03-21
•
Expires: 2018-06-29
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Abstract

Abstract A computer-based 401(k) plan offers unlimited access to virtually all SEC-regulated investment options--with no restrictions on the number of mutual fund families or their investments that a company can choose for its plan. The system and method provide an end-user computer-based system with individualized accountability as opposed to prior art pooled systems.

Inventors

  • 👤 James A. Gilbert
  • 👤 Manish Gupta

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 19:19
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/02; G06Q40/06; G06Q40/08

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim 157 words
A computer-based retirement plan comprising: a menu-based data input interface; a plurality of main menu selections including any of: mutual fund information, management reports or employer information; said mutual fund information including at least group and portfolio administration; said management reports including at least one of: client list or commission administration; said employer information including at least one of: report compilations, employee information, mutual fund choices, vesting schedules or monthly processing; said employer information further comprising individual account number allocation per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said individual account number allocation enables one or more of: adding individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices, producing monthly reports for each individual without direct interaction with other employee accounts; producing direct access to mutual fund balances for an individual employee based only on the individual account number, or adding new mutual fund choices for individual employees without modification of other employee fund choices.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 157 words
A computer-based retirement plan comprising: a menu-based data input interface; a plurality of main menu selections including any of: mutual fund information, management reports or employer information; said mutual fund information including at least group and portfolio administration; said management reports including at least one of: client list or commission administration; said employer information including at least one of: report compilations, employee information, mutual fund choices, vesting schedules or monthly processing; said employer information further comprising individual account number allocation per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said individual account number allocation enables one or more of: adding individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices, producing monthly reports for each individual without direct interaction with other employee accounts; producing direct access to mutual fund balances for an individual employee based only on the individual account number, or adding new mutual fund choices for individual employees without modification of other employee fund choices.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 1, wherein said retirement plan further comprises automatic rollovers based on the collection of each of said individual account numbers allocated for an individual employee and subsequent conversion thereafter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 2, wherein said automatic rollover further allows each employee to maintain investment choices and existing investment strategy despite separation from the existing retirement plan.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 43 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 3, wherein said maintenance of investment choices despite separation from the existing retirement plan enables transference directly into a new employer plan of the present invention without modification, loss or conversion of said existing investment choices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 1, wherein said plan may be implemented locally or remotely on one or more computer-based systems, across networks or existing communication mediums.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 5, wherein said across networks element comprises any of LANs, WANs, cellular, Internet or Web based networks.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 1, wherein said retirement plan comprises a 401(k) plan.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 33 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 1, wherein said employees can verify their current account balances by contacting mutual fund companies directly and requesting the required information using said individual account numbers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 96 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan wherein an employer can change from in-house investment selection-administration pairings chosen at the plan's outset without affecting existing accounts comprising: a menu-based data input interface; a plurality of main menu selections including any of: mutual fund information, management reports or employer information; said employer information comprising at least individual account number allocation per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said individual account number allocation enables adding individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices thereby eliminating a required modification of existing plan mutual fund choices.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 96 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan wherein an employer can change from in-house investment selection-administration pairings chosen at the plan's outset without affecting existing accounts comprising: a menu-based data input interface; a plurality of main menu selections including any of: mutual fund information, management reports or employer information; said employer information comprising at least individual account number allocation per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said individual account number allocation enables adding individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices thereby eliminating a required modification of existing plan mutual fund choices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 39 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan as per claim 9, wherein said retirement plan further comprises automatic rollovers based on the collection of each of said individual account numbers allocated for an individual employee and subsequent conversion thereafter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 34 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan as per claim 10, wherein said automatic rollover further allows each employee to maintain investment choices and existing investment strategy despite separation from the existing retirement plan.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 46 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan as per claim 11, wherein said maintenance of investment choices despite separation from the existing retirement plan enables transference directly into a new employer plan of the present invention without modification, loss or conversion of said existing investment choices.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 27 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan as per claim 9, wherein said across networks element comprises any of LANs, WANs, cellular, Internet or Web based networks.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 47 words
A computer media product implementing a retirement plan as per claim 13, wherein said maintenance of investment choices despite separation from the existing retirement plan enables transference directly into a new employer plan of the present invention without modification, loss or conversion of said existing investment choices.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 37 words
A computer media product implementing a retirement plan as per claim 14, wherein said employees can verify their current account balances by contacting mutual fund companies directly and requesting the required information using said individual account numbers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 19 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan as per claim 9, wherein said retirement plan comprises a 401(k) plan.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 36 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan as per claim 9, wherein said employees can verify their current account balances by contacting mutual fund companies directly and requesting the required information using said individual account numbers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 32 words
A computer-based system implementing a retirement plan as per claim 9, wherein said plan may be implemented locally or remotely on one or more computer-based systems, across networks or existing communication mediums.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 192 words
A computer media product implementing a retirement plan with: access to multiple SEC-regulated investment options, without restrictions on: the number of mutual fund families, investments that a company can choose for its plan, or addition of new funds to an existing in-house investment selection-administration pairings chosen at the plan's outset without modifying existing accounts, comprising computer programmable code implementing: a menu-based data input interface; main menu selections including a plurality of retirement plan administrative selections; allocation and tracking of individual account numbers per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said allocation and tracking of individual account numbers per employee for each separate mutual fund choice enables: addition of individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices; production of monthly reports for each individual without direct interaction with other employee accounts; production of direct access to mutual fund balances for an individual employee based only on the individual account number, and addition of new mutual fund choices for individual employees outside of existing choices without modification of other employee fund choices or existing plan structure, thereby creating unlimited investment options and tracking thereof, without modification of remaining member accounts.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 192 words
A computer media product implementing a retirement plan with: access to multiple SEC-regulated investment options, without restrictions on: the number of mutual fund families, investments that a company can choose for its plan, or addition of new funds to an existing in-house investment selection-administration pairings chosen at the plan's outset without modifying existing accounts, comprising computer programmable code implementing: a menu-based data input interface; main menu selections including a plurality of retirement plan administrative selections; allocation and tracking of individual account numbers per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said allocation and tracking of individual account numbers per employee for each separate mutual fund choice enables: addition of individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices; production of monthly reports for each individual without direct interaction with other employee accounts; production of direct access to mutual fund balances for an individual employee based only on the individual account number, and addition of new mutual fund choices for individual employees outside of existing choices without modification of other employee fund choices or existing plan structure, thereby creating unlimited investment options and tracking thereof, without modification of remaining member accounts.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 40 words
A computer media product implementing a retirement plan as per claim 19, wherein said retirement plan further comprises automatic rollovers based on the collection of each of said individual account numbers allocated for an individual employee and subsequent conversion thereafter.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 35 words
A computer media product implementing a retirement plan as per claim 20, wherein said automatic rollover further allows each employee to maintain investment choices and existing investment strategy despite separation from the existing retirement plan.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 29 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 19, wherein said plan may be implemented locally or remotely on one or more computer-based systems, across networks or existing communication mediums.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 24 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 22, wherein said across networks element comprises any of LANs, WANs, cellular, Internet or Web based networks.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 20 words
A computer media product implementing a retirement plan as per claim 19, wherein said retirement plan comprises a 401(k) plan.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 112 words
A computer-based retirement plan including: a plurality of employee accounts, mutual fund selections and employee choices thereof, employer information and monthly reporting comprising: a menu-based data input interface; employer information comprising individual account number allocation per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said individual account number allocation enables one or more of: adding individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices, producing monthly reports for each individual without direct interaction with other employee accounts; producing direct access to mutual fund balances for an individual employee based only on the individual account number, or adding new mutual fund choices for individual employees without modification of other employee fund choices.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 112 words
A computer-based retirement plan including: a plurality of employee accounts, mutual fund selections and employee choices thereof, employer information and monthly reporting comprising: a menu-based data input interface; employer information comprising individual account number allocation per employee for each separate mutual fund choice, and wherein said individual account number allocation enables one or more of: adding individual mutual fund choices separate from other employee choices, producing monthly reports for each individual without direct interaction with other employee accounts; producing direct access to mutual fund balances for an individual employee based only on the individual account number, or adding new mutual fund choices for individual employees without modification of other employee fund choices.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 29 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 25, wherein said plan may be implemented locally or remotely on one or more computer-based systems, across networks or existing communication mediums.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 24 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 26, wherein said across networks element comprises any of LANs, WANs, cellular, Internet or Web based networks.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 16 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 25, wherein said retirement plan comprises a 401(k) plan.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 16 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 25, wherein encryption is embedded within said employer information.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 20 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 25, wherein an electronic summary of employee accounts and modifications is automatically generated.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 17 words
A computer-based retirement plan as per claim 25, further comprising ADP testing including a what-if pre-processing grid.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-03-21 2003-09-20 2004-03-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-03-21 2007-09-20 2008-03-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-03-21 2011-09-20 2012-03-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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