Impact Technologies Launches Retirement Planning System
Impact Technologies Group Inc. has launched Retirement Road Map, an innovative sales system offering financial advisors a complete planning solution for the baby boomer marketplace.
The product focuses specifically on retirement distribution planning by helping advisors develop a sound financial plan based upon assets and income their clients will have through their retirement years. The product analyzes a client's needs, income and assets and assists advisors in determining appropriate policies, annuities and other planning options.
Retirement Road Map calculates known retirement incomes including Social Security, pensions and annuities, compares that to retirement needs, and then calculates the value today necessary to make up the difference. As a result, there is a single number to compare with assets or investments. Impact makes complex calculations easy to understand so clients can make important decisions. Retirement Road Map shows a strategy for each year of retirement to assure predictable income while maximizing investments.
Retirement Road Map also includes a brochure to help advisors market their services.
For more information, visit www.impact-tech.com.

Vanguard Standardizes Fund Minimum Requirements
Vanguard is standardizing its minimum initial investment requirement at $3,000 to establish a general, IRA (traditional and Roth) or Uniform Gift or Transfer to Minors (UGMA/UTMA) account in most of its 100-plus mutual funds.
The minimum initial investment threshold for IRAs and UGMA/UTMAs has increased to $3,000 from $1,000; general accounts remain at $3,000, and increased to $2,000 from $1,000 to open a Vanguard Education Savings Account. Vanguard STAR Fund will maintain its lower $1,000 minimum for all account types.

Life Settlement Tool Introduced
Rumson Capital LP, an independent life settlement company, has introduced OptimumLife, a life insurance settlement tool combining software and analysis by in-house medical underwriters and financial analysts. OptimumLife enables Rumson Capital professionals to determine the market value of a life insurance policy for both life settlements and the premium finance industry, the lending of funds to an insured party.
OptimumLife more accurately determines if a life insurance policy is initially viable for sale, if a financial institution will make a sale offer and how reasonable the offer will be. More information can be obtained by visiting Rumson Capital‚s new Web site, www.rumsoncap.com.

Goldman Sachs Launches Fund
Goldman Sachs Asset Management has introduced the Goldman Sachs U.S. Equity Dividend and Premium Fund, which will focus on the growth potential of equities, attractive cash flow potential and tax efficiency.
The portfolio management team for the fund will emphasize higher-dividend-paying stocks within each industry and sector of the S&P 500, while maintaining industry and sector weights similar to the S&P 500. The team will regularly write call options against the S&P 500 Index to generate a premium that, when combined with the portfolio‚s dividend yield, offers a more attractive after-tax cash flow to investors and may reduce price volatility.
A prospectus may be obtained by calling Goldman, Sachs & Co. at (800) 526-7384.

Three New Funds In Jefferson National‚s Monument Advisor
Rydex Investments and Jefferson National Life Insurance Company have added three more alternative strategy funds to Jefferson National‚s Monument Advisor, the only variable annuity to charge a flat insurance fee of $20 per month.
The new offerings are Rydex Commodities Fund, which invests in commodities-linked derivatives investments, and Rydex Strengthening Dollar Fund and Rydex Weakening Dollar Fund, which seek to match the performance of specific benchmarks on a daily basis.
For more information, contact Rydex at 800.820.0888 or www.rydexinvestments.com, or Jefferson National at 1-866-667-0564 or www.jeffnat.com.

Firm Launched For RIAs
The founders of TimingCube, an online trend-following investment method, have launched MarketTrend Advisors Ltd. (MTA), a separate, SEC-registered money management firm serving small to mid-size financial firms and RIAs.
MTA offers trend following as a core investment strategy, utilizing the TimingCube model. Both companies are based in Austin, Texas. An MTA branch also is located in Boston.
For more information, visit www.markettrendadvisors.com.