New Edition of Microsoft Money Offers Premium Financial Services for Free

Aug. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) today announced the release of Microsoft Money 2003 Deluxe, Deluxe & Business, Suite, and Standard, the award-winning collection of personal finance software. Money 2003 gives consumers the tools to organize their day-to-day finances and better manage their long-term financial plans in these volatile economic times. Money 2003 further simplifies personal finance management with the addition of premium service offers valued at more than $160, including free online bill pay, free online tax filing, a free credit report and ongoing monitoring, as well as a free initial consultation with a financial advisor.

In light of today's ever-changing economy, consumers are seeking knowledge and guidance on how best to protect their financial future, from planning for college to saving for retirement. To help consumers gain better control over their finances, Microsoft focused on expanding Money 2003's investing and tax features. By tapping into Microsoft's award-winning personal finance Web site, MSN Money, Money 2003 also provides consumers with timely access to relevant and current information, including world-class financial news, information, tools and services.

"With the introduction of premium services at no additional cost, Money 2003 is the best value, offering consumers the most useful software for managing their personal finances," said Karen Redetzki, product manager for the Financial Products Group at Microsoft. "By offering unprecedented Web integration and even more personalized tools, Money 2003 provides consumers with the best software for monitoring and analyzing all their finances in one place."

Useful Financial Services -- Free
Money 2003 Deluxe offers consumers more than $160 worth of financial service offers, providing the most complete personal finance software available. Premium services include these:

-- One year of free online bill pay from MSN
-- One-time free online tax preparation and filing from H&R Block (NYSE:HRB)
-- One free credit report and ongoing monitoring from Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX)
-- A complimentary initial financial consultation with an American Express (NYSE:AXP) financial advisor

Better Managing and Monitoring of Investments
Sophisticated investing tools and features help consumers better monitor their investments and keep up to speed on the ever-changing market. Through the combination of advanced Microsoft technology and the flexibility of the Web, new tools in Microsoft Money 2003 Deluxe help consumers research stocks, optimize investments and plan for retirement more efficiently than ever before. New and enhanced investing tools include the following:
-- Equity and Index Options tracking. Money 2003 makes monitoring and optimizing investments easier than ever. The new Option Wizard allows consumers to easily create and track Equity and Index Options, and the new Exercise Wizard guides consumers through the process of exercising thier opinions.
-- Online Investing Research Center. Integration with MSN Money provides consumers with quick access to the Online Investing Research Center to research stocks and mutual funds, access the latest market news, receive MSN stock alerts and more.
-- Portfolio Manager. Money's Portfolio Manager is more customizable than ever, now allowing consumers to create and save an unlimited number of personalized portfolio views. The Portfolio Review now features StockScouter ratings, which are objective, mathematically derived evaluations that appraise a stock's performance potential. In addition, Portfolio Highlights provides a quick summary of portfolio holdings and performance.

Maximizing Tax Returns
Money 2003 makes it easy to plan, prepare and file taxes with helpful tools and resources. Consumers can eliminate last-minute tax stress with these features:
-- Capital Gains Estimator. Consumers can create and now save scenarios to help determine the best approach to selling their investments. The new Loss Carryover feature helps them map out strategies to further reduce capital gains taxes.

Simplifying Small-Business Finances
Microsoft also announced the release of Money 2003 Deluxe & Business, which includes all the tools found in Money Deluxe in addition to the following time-saving features to help small-business owners streamline their finances:
-- Web-based payroll services. Through an alliance with PayCycle, the new version introduces integrated Web-based payroll services for as low as $8.25 per month, enabling small-business owners to easily process payroll any time, any place. The services include e-mail reminders, instant paychecks and expert payroll support.
-- Checks and other business documents. With services from Deluxe Business Services (NYSE:DLX), users can order checks, forms, business cards, stationery and accessories as well as fill out federal tax forms.
-- Business Cash Flow Review. Business owners can easily monitor spending and plan for short-term business purchases.

Pricing and Availability
Microsoft Money 2003 Standard is available at an estimated retail price of $34.95 (U.S.) with a $10 rebate; Money 2003 Deluxe is available for an estimated retail price of $64.95 (U.S.) with a $20 rebate; Money 2003 Deluxe & Business is available at an estimated retail price of $84.95 (U.S.) with a $20 rebate; and Money 2003 Suite: Finance, Tax & Legal is available at an estimated retail price of $94.95 (U.S.) with a $20 rebate. To order Money 2003, consumers can visit http://www.microsoft.com/money/ or a local retailer, or call 888-218-5617.

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