2001 Press Releases
FOLIOfn, ICLUBcentral Offer Investment Clubs a New Way to Invest
10/04/2001
VIENNA, Virginia and CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts – FOLIOfn, the creator of a new way to invest based on “FOLIOs℠,” or baskets of stocks, and ICLUBcentral, the market leader in investment club products, are joining forces to give investment clubs a new, easy, and affordable way to build, manage, and monitor securities portfolios online.
The FOLIOfn and ICLUBcentral partnership will give the more than 45,000 investment clubs that use ICLUBcentral’s online and desktop applications access to a comprehensive package of brokerage services designed to meet the specialized needs of investment clubs. For example, individual club members will be able to log in and monitor the performance of their club account at any time at both www.foliofn.com and www.iclub.com. Clubs can also buy and sell securities in the dollar amount of their choice, rather than by the share, through FOLIOfn’s specialized brokerage services.
Through FOLIOfn, clubs will be able to create and manage their own FOLIOs of stocks and other securities, make up to 500 free trades per month executed in twice daily trading windows (with additional window trades for just $1 each), easily harvest tax losses with FOLIOfn’s proprietary tax lot accounting system, and enjoy individual access to club account information. Club members can use ICLUBcentral’s sophisticated investment club software to discuss and vote on securities transactions and organizational issues, perform investment club accounting, and create and submit IRS tax forms.
“Investment club members appreciate the importance of diversification and direct stock ownership,” said FOLIOfn Founder and CEO Steven M.H. Wallman. “With this partnership, ICLUBcentral members can act on more of their investing ideas because they can use our innovative brokerage platform to buy and sell individual stocks and entire baskets of securities commission-free as part of ICLUBcentral’s comprehensive club offering.”
“This partnership will allow us to offer an innovative investment method to our investment club clients,” said Robert Brooker, ICLUBcentral CEO. “Investment club members will benefit from FOLIOfn’s commission-free trading. This partnership is another way in which we are helping investment clubs by expanding the options available to investment clubs while simplifying investment club administration.”
Clubs will be able to own three FOLIOs of up to 50 securities each for the same low, flat fee and no minimum investment requirement that applies to individual investors at FOLIOfn. Clubs can create their own FOLIOs from scratch or choose from over 100 Ready-to-Go FOLIOs, which can be customized. In addition to the window trades, clubs will be able to buy and sell individual securities or entire FOLIOs through direct trades for a small additional fee, an option available for all FOLIOfn investors. When a club sells a security that has decreased in value, FOLIOfn’s unique tax lot accounting system will allow the club to select the shares that keep the club’s tax bills the lowest, or the club can choose from seven other tax-planning objectives.
ICLUBcentral enables successful online group investing by making it simple for individual investors to form investment clubs online with minimal effort from club members and no compromise of club security. ICLUBcentral’s software and online tools offer an intuitive user interface that facilitates communication and collaboration across geographic boundaries. ICLUBcentral also operates and maintains the official online investment club administration and accounting platform for the National Association of Investors Corporation (NAIC). NAIC is a 600,000 member non-profit organization that provides investment education for investment clubs and individual investors. ICLUBcentral software and online tools are currently available free of charge at www.iclub.com and www.naic-club.com.
About ICLUBcentral
ICLUBcentral is a leading provider of group financial products to financial institutions and online communities. ICLUBcentral’s online sites for investment clubs enable personal investors to leverage the Internet to communicate and collaborate with others on investing decisions, making group investing easier and more social. Over 45,000 clubs currently use ICLUBcentral products to manage their investment dollars, including members of the National Association of Investors Corporation (NAIC), a 600,000-member non-profit organization that provides investment education for investment clubs and individual investors. ICLUBcentral built, operates, and maintains the official NAIC online investment club communication and tax accounting platform, which can be found at www.naic-club.com. Based in Cambridge, MA, ICLUBcentral has been producing investment club software since 1989.
About Folio Investing
Folio Investing, a division of FOLIOfn Investments, Inc., is an online brokerage that enables investors to manage stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds as integrated investment portfolios called “Folios” that deliver better control, greater transparency, and lower cost. Investors can create their own Folios, much like creating personalized ETFs or mutual funds, or invest in over 100 Ready-to-Go Folios representing market indices, sectors, geographical regions, target dates, and more. The Folio Unlimited Plan features unlimited commission-free trading in twice-daily windows for only $29 a month or $290 a year. Ready-to-Go Folios can be managed or unmanaged, are not registered investment companies, and are offered by FOLIOfn Investments, Inc., a registered broker-dealer. FOLIOfn Investments, Inc. does not provide investment, tax, or legal advice. FOLIOfn Investments, Inc., is a member of FINRA/SIPC.