Consumers Can Make Sense of Their Dollars With Microsoft Money Essentials

REDMOND, Wash. — July 20, 2006 — It’s no surprise that most people would rather spend time enjoying their money than managing it. Millions of Americans have made the switch to online banking because of the convenience it offers but find they still have to visit multiple Web sites to get a clear view of their day-to-day finances. Not to mention the fact that they are still left wondering where the money goes at the end of every month.

Today Microsoft Corp. announced the launch of Microsoft® Money Essentials, a new offering designed specifically for consumers who want an easy way to get financially fit. With the ability to see all their financial accounts from one location and straightforward tools to monitor a budget, Money Essentials is the perfect companion to online banking.

“Microsoft Money Essentials was designed to give consumers all the benefits of using personal financial software with none of the work,” said Anne Quaranta, senior product manager for Microsoft Money. “With tools that help consumers understand where their money goes without having to invest a lot of time, Money Essentials makes getting in financial shape as easy as shopping online or sending an e-mail.”

Money Essentials is available for download today for $19.99.

Online Banking in the Express Lane

Microsoft Money Essentials allows consumers to quickly and easily get the information that is most relevant to them and get on with their day. The following fundamental tools in Money Essentials help consumers get started quickly, monitor account balances, understand spending and manage bills:

  • Simple setup. The convenient online download puts consumers on the path to financial freedom without their ever leaving the house. And getting started does not require a degree in computer science. Just a few easy steps provide a complete financial picture without the need for manual data entry.

  • Access to thousands of banks. With connections to thousands of financial institutions nationwide, Money Essentials provides a complete financial picture by bringing together checking, savings, credit accounts and brokerages in one place.

  • Know where the money goes. Money Essentials automatically categorizes spending, making it simple to keep tabs on categories that consumers want to watch closely, such as dining out, entertainment or clothing. Consumers can easily track monthly expenses, view income compared with expenses or compare monthly spending to a budget.

  • Be the boss of the bills. Most people don’t have a personal assistant to keep their lives running smoothly. But with Money Essentials, it’s easy to get a quick look at upcoming bills and expenses and even receive reminders before payments are due, whether the consumer is using MSN® Bill Pay or a bank’s online bill payment service.

Additional Versions of Microsoft Money

For more than a decade, Microsoft has provided a range of software to help consumers get more out of their money and effortlessly stay on top of day-to-day finances. This year, Microsoft introduces the following versions of Money to help consumers optimize their financial outlook and manage day-to-day finances all in one place:

  • Microsoft Money 2007 Deluxe makes it easy to improve credit and manage debt while handling day-to-day finances all in one place. The new Savings & Spending Budget provides the tools and guidance consumers need to prevent overspending, reduce debt and start saving for short-term enjoyment and long-term goals.

  • Microsoft Money 2007 Premium includes all the tools available in Money Deluxe along with additional tools to help plan for retirement and other long-term financial goals as well as maximize investments and make tax-smart investment decisions. Money Premium also includes special financial services offers worth more than $300**:

    • Credit report and one-year monitoring from Experian

    • GainsKeeper, for managing your investments, including Schedule D

    • H&R Block’s DeductionPro, for tracking donations

    • Public information profile from MyPublicInfo (with purchase)

    • One-year online backup for Money from Carbonite

  • Microsoft Money 2007 Home & Business helps with personal and small-business finances by automatically consolidating online bank accounts, tracking inventory and managing payroll. This year the Invoice Designer includes a new invoice drop-down menu and ruler to help consumers easily organize, find and design invoices. The feature offers eight new customizable invoice templates, four customizable industry-specific templates, and eight invoice design ideas for added personalization. Additional invoice design ideas can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/money. Microsoft Money Home & Business also features special financial services offers worth more than $1,300**:

    • Credit report and one-year monitoring from Experian

    • GainsKeeper, for managing your investments, including Schedule D

    • H&R Block’s DeductionPro, for tracking donations

    • 10 PIP identity management profiles from MyPublicInfo (with purchase)

    • One-year online backup for Money from Carbonite

    • One-year online payroll services from PayCycle®

    • Compensation market data from Salary.com Inc.

Further information on Microsoft’s financial offerings can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/money.

Pricing and Availability

Microsoft Money Essentials is available for $19.99 (U.S.); Money 2007 Deluxe is available for an estimated retail price (ERP) of $49.99* (U.S.) plus a $20 rebate; Money 2007 Premium is available at an ERP of $79.99* (U.S.) plus a $30 rebate; and Money 2007 Home & Business is available at an ERP of $89.99* (U.S.) plus a $30 rebate.

The full line of Microsoft Money products will be available for download on July 20, 2006. Money Deluxe, Money Premium and Money Home & Business will be available at retail in early August.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Actual retail prices may vary.

** Certain offer restrictions apply. See product packaging for offer details.

Microsoft and MSN are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

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