Patent ID: 8386361

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of evaluating target date funds, comprising using at least one processor and at least one storage medium to perform the following operations: receiving, by a computer from at least one database, information concerning a plurality of target date funds, wherein each target date fund is associated with a glide path and a target retirement date; determining a quantified diversification level for each of the plurality of target date funds; determining at least one equity ratio for each of the plurality of target date funds; outputting a summary of at least a subset of the plurality of target date funds, the summary comprising at least a visual representation of both the diversification levels and the equity ratios associated with the subset of the plurality of target date funds to facilitate a comparison among these target date funds, wherein the outputting comprises: creating a coordinate system showing the subset of the plurality of target date funds, and plotting each of the subset of the plurality of target date funds on the coordinate system based on their respective diversification levels and equity ratios; determining a customer's investment goals or objectives, the customer being selected from a group consisting of: (a) a sponsor of an investment plan, (b) a participant of an investment plan, and (c) an individual investor; comparing the customer's investment goals or objectives with visually identifiable groups of the plotted target date funds on the coordinate system; and identifying a desired type of target date fund based on the comparison.