SmartOffice 6, cashout calculator, experts online

Here's where to refer clients and non-clients asking, “How big a hit will I take if I cash out my 401(k)?”
JUL 25, 2008
By  Bloomberg
SmartOffice 6 now available from E-Z Data E-Z Data, Inc., based in Pasadena, Calif., this week announced the release of SmartOffice 6, the newest version of the company's web-based customer relationship management software for investment advisers and many other financial services companies. Key features of the new release include customizable user views, personalized home pages, button bars, tabs, favorites and RSS feeds such as graphical illustrations of current investment positions. There are also updated calendar and collaboration tools, as well as support for broker-dealer compliance under SEC rules 17a-3 and 17a-4. SmartOffice 6 is available starting at $36 a month per user. Current users will not be required to pay an upgrade fee. As a web-based system, all upgrades are included in the monthly subscription fee. Free webinars and an open Q&A are available to provide an overview of system changes. For more information visit E-Z Data online. Free cash-out calculator from RolloverSystems Inc. Here’s an online destination to which you can refer clients and non-clients asking, “How big a hit will I take if I cash out my 401(k)?” Charlotte, N.C.-based RolloverSystems, a company that, unsurprisingly, specializes in rollover services, has a simple calculator on its home page. There’s no registration. A person can just go to the website and enter his or her current age, projected retirement age, expected return, and current plan balance. The calculator then provides the user an idea of the penalties and taxes they will pay and what will be left of their cash-out. It also informs them what the savings will be worth at retirement if rolled over and left to grow in a qualified account. For more information visit RolloverSystems online. Opposing Views There’s no shortage of debate on the Internet, but sites that try to provide experts going head to head on an issue are rare. Opposing Views is a new online debate forum. Though it is still in beta, it already has more than 100 organizations and experts— many of them fairly well-known — facing off in the areas of finance, health, politics, religion and other topics. For instance, a debate over the question: “Who has the right plan for America's economy?” has senior advisers to presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain duking it out online. In addition to reading the written opinions as they are posted, users can post their own comments, vote on the discussion and rate the debate. This site is the brainchild of entrepreneur Russell Fine, who had a hand in Youbet.com (a real-time online horse racing site) and Accuscore.com (a site that allows fans to analyze and predict game or match outcomes). For more information visit Opposing Views online. Davis D. Janowski is the technology reporter for InvestmentNews. Read our weekly online columns: MONDAY: IN Practice by Maureen Wilke TUESDAY: Tax INsite, starting July 29 WEDNESDAY: OpINion Online by Evan Cooper THURSDAY: IN Retirement FRIDAY: Tech Bits by Davis. D. Janowski

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