Products November 15, 2007

AIG VALIC Rolls Out 403(b) Investment Advisory Services

AIG VALIC has unveiled Portfolio Director Ibbotson Solutions, a new service that provides certain 403(b) plan sponsors with independent, third-party expertise in the selection and oversight of their plans' investment choices.
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The new service is part of an agreement with Ibbotson Associates, a registered investment advisor and wholly owned subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc., to launch the new 403(b) product enhancement for the K-12 education market.

As part of the Portfolio Director Ibbotson Solutions service, Ibbotson will create and monitor a list of investment options derived from the offerings available in VALIC’s Portfolio Director variable annuity. The list will be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure that the funds continue to meet Ibbotson’s rigorous criteria. Ibbotson will monitor both quantitative factors, such as fund performance, as well as qualitative factors including changes in fund managers and investment philosophies, potential regulatory actions and other relevant investor information.

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Previous Collaboration

Portfolio Director Ibbotson Solutions is a continuation of VALIC’s previous collaboration with Ibbotson to bring independent advisory services to the 403(b) market. In 2003, AIG VALIC launched independent third-party investment advice and automated portfolio management services under the SunAmerica advisory opinion from the U.S. Department of Labor. Ibbotson Associates provides the investment advisory services for these Guided Portfolio Services (see AIG VALIC to Offer Advice, Third-Party Management), which today has more than $7 billion in assets under management, according to a press release.

AIG VALIC is the marketing name for the group of companies comprising VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc.; VALIC Retirement Services Company; and The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC); each of which is a subsidiary of American International Group, Inc.

Products November 15, 2007

Morgan Stanley Enhances Client Web Site

Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management Group has announced enhancements to ClientServ, its online account access portal for individuals and small to mid-size businesses.
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With the enhancements, clients now have access to vastly expanded market data provided by Thomson Financial and a fully integrated online bill payment service via CheckFree.

Some of the key improvements and added features of www.morganstanleyclientserv.com include:

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  • In-depth stock quotes and charts with interactive “hover’ technology showing price and volume changes over time;
  • Access to Dow indexes, world indexes (26 markets), foreign exchange, as well as information about industry groups and sectors;
  • New “Business Pulse’ screens that provide information about corporate actions such as stock splits, interest rates, and economic data, including a calendar of upcoming reports that may move markets; and
  • News from a variety of sources that can be accessed by symbol, keyword, or industry, and access to individual corporate overviews.

With the new Online Bill Pay, clients can benefit from same-day or next-day payment capabilities and can pay bills, transfer funds, and monitor account activity from an integrated service within ClientServ.

“We’re continuing to invest in technology that will benefit our clients and enhance their relationships with their Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors. The improvements we are announcing today make it easier than ever for clients to monitor their portfolios and manage financial transactions online,’ said James P. Gorman, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Global Wealth Management Group, in the announcement.

More information about Morgan Stanley is at www.morganstanley.com.

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