Morningstar Newsletter Builder

Morningstar SM Newsletter Builder Powerful client communication. Simplified newsletter creation.

Build Select from a variety of newsletter templates, color palettes, and article topics. Featuring FINRA-reviewed Morningstar articles, and employing full customization options, Morningstar Newsletter Builder was built with one goal in mind to help financial advisors strengthen client relationships with personalized communications. 4 Simple Steps to Create and Track Your Own Newsletter Build Customize Distribute Track Newsletter Set-up and Templates Available for immediate distribution, Morningstar creates a 4-page default newsletter on the first business day of each month. Alternatively, users can configure their own newsletter with individually selected Morningstar articles, or with custom authored content. Incorporating both fullpage and half-page articles, newsletters can range from to pages. To match corporate branding standards, users can upload their firm s logos, custom mastheads, and color palettes throughout their newsletter. Article Library New content and FINRA-reviewed articles are added to the online library on a monthly basis, covering key financial topics, such as: r Diversification/Asset Allocation r Risk r IRAs r Monthly Market Commentary r Investor Behavior r Downturns & Recoveries r Inflation r International and Emerging Markets r Personal Finance r Retirement...and many more This dynamic, web-based tool gives advisors access to timely financial commentary and analysis all through a convenient online library. Using intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, advisors can select from a variety of templates and produce customized newsletters in minutes. With new articles added monthly, advisors can provide clients and prospects insights into financial markets, outline investment strategies, and recap the most recent economic activity raising their overall brand awareness. Tips On the st business day of each month, a pre-assembled newsletter is available for distribution. On the 0th business day of each month, Market Commentary is available, providing an in-depth look at recent market and economic activity. Training Video Overview www.morningstar.com/goto/overview

Customize Incorporate your own profile, photo, logo, articles, and contact information. Distribute & Track Send clients and prospects completed newsletters with the click of a button. Custom Mastheads can be loaded to the top of each newsletter, or users can select from a variety of Morningstar graphics. Custom articles can be incorporated throughout a newsletter. Create Welcome notes for clients and prospects, publish outside content, or add custom authored articles and analysis. 3 Logos and co-branding options offer the flexibility to add a firm s logo, and the choice to co-brand with Morningstar. 4 Personalized photos and contact information can be integrated into a newsletter. Upload a professional headshot, add contact and firm information, such as name, email address, title, phone number, website, and much more. 5 allows users the option to include a bio about themselves and highlight information about their practice, such as its makeup, history, and services. 6 Article sidebar comments can be used to summarize key points, offer product solutions, or discuss particular investment strategies. 7 Custom disclosure can be added to the back page of each newsletter to address additional compliance requirements. HTML Newsletter Builder features a built-in email client that allows users to distribute and track HTML versions of their newsletter. HTML emails can be personalized in a number of ways, including selecting an email template, adding a personal message to the body of the email, and customizing the subject line. PDF Users can save a PDF of their newsletter, include the file as an attachment within an email, or print locally and distribute hard copies. 3 Compliance To meet compliance requirements, notifications can be generated each time an HTML newsletter is sent. Compliance departments will receive an email containing: r An HTML and PDF copy of the newsletter r A recipient list in CSV file format Additionally, where applicable, FINRA-review letters are accessible at all times, and available for download. Investor Insights & Outlook May 0 Vol. No. Investment Updates from A World of Opportunity 6 One distinction not outlined in tax-deferred Traditional IRAs. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars and taxes during the owner's Roth IRAs can be a wise choice converted non-roth IRAs), especially if your income tax Investment Updates May 0 5 are so beneficial is the power of tax deferral. In a plan or an IRA, your earnings are not taxed until you begin withdrawing money from your account value of $0,000 is invested in both a taxable and between the two accounts becomes quite substantial after 0+ years. For investors with a long investment time horizon, a tax-deferred portfolio is an excellent choice. Investor Insights & Outlook May 0 Vol. No. Investment Updates from 3 As trade barriers continue to break down, the world economy has become a small neighborhood. Should investors seek to participate in this wave of globalization, or are they getting all they need here at home? Historically, foreign investments have acted in a significantly different way from domestic investments. When the U.S. market slumped, various opportunities abroad have prospered. An American investor who put some money into foreign markets may have reduced risk while still attaining attractive returns. With the spread of globalization, this benefit decreases as companies across the globe are acting more like each other. However, as the image illustrates, an investor who doesn t take advantage of options outside of the United States is missing out on roughly half of the investable developed stock market opportunities in the world. 3 4 5 Welcome to Investment Insights & is a wealth management net worth individuals. I started from Each month I will be Naperville, Illinois. We have ten Tower, and moved on to join sending you fresh content professional advisors with over to better serve my clients team at Please reach out financial goals. As vice president comments on the ideas expressed ABCo, I am responsible for the life 3-696-6000 7 0 All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein () is intended solely for informational purposes; () is proprietary to Morningstar and/or the content providers; (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely; and (4) does not constitute investment advice of any kind. Neither Morningstar nor the content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. "Morningstar" and the Morningstar logo are registered trademarks of Tel: (3) 696-6000 W. Washington www.morningstar.com Fax: (3) 696-609 Chicago, IL 6066 A World of Opportunity As trade barriers continue to break down, the world economy has become a small neighborhood. Should investors seek to participate in this wave of globalization, or are they getting all they need here at home? Historically, foreign investments have acted in a significantly different way from domestic investments. When the U.S. market slumped, various opportunities abroad have prospered. An American investor who put some money into foreign markets may have reduced risk while still attaining attractive returns. With the spread of globalization, this benefit decreases as companies across the globe are acting more like each other. However, as the image illustrates, an investor who doesn t take advantage of options outside of the United States is missing out on roughly half of the investable developed stock market opportunities in the world. Welcome to Investment Insights & is a wealth management net worth individuals. I started from Each month I will be Naperville, Illinois. We have ten Tower, and moved on to join sending you fresh content professional advisors with over to better serve my clients team at Please reach out financial goals. As vice president comments on the ideas expressed ABCo, I am responsible for the life 3-696-6000 Tip Newsletters are customizable, and incorporate features such as article sidebar comments that can be used to discuss investment strategies, products of interest, or summarize key points relevant to a users newsletter. Training Videos Personalization: www.morningstar.com/goto/personalization Advance Customization: www.morningstar.com/goto/customization Tip Finished newsletters can be delivered to clients and prospects as a PDF file, as an HTML email, or printed and delivered in hard copy format. Training Videos HTML Functionality: www.morningstar.com/goto/html Compliance Notificiation: www.morningstar.com/goto/compliance

Investment Updates May 0 5 One distinction not outlined in are so beneficial is the power of tax deferral. In a tax-deferred Traditional IRAs. plan or an IRA, your earnings are not taxed until Contributions to a Roth IRA are you begin withdrawing money from your account made with after-tax dollars and taxes during the owner's value of $0,000 is invested in both a taxable and Roth IRAs can be a wise choice between the two accounts becomes quite substantial after 0+ years. For investors with a converted non-roth IRAs), long investment time horizon, a tax-deferred especially if your income tax portfolio is an excellent choice. 0 All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein () is intended solely for informational purposes; () is proprietary to Morningstar and/or the content providers; (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely; and (4) does not constitute investment advice of any kind. Neither Morningstar nor the content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. "Morningstar" and the Morningstar logo are registered trademarks of W. Washington Chicago, IL 6066 www.morningstar.com Tel: (3) 696-6000 Fax: (3) 696-609 Distribute & Track Identify which clients and prospects are most engaged. Key Features List Management This new feature allows users to easily: Create and segment client and prospect email lists r Create up to 30 lists, with up to,500 email addresses. r Segment contacts and increase retention rates by creating newsletters tailored to a specific audience (i.e. retirees, high-net worth, estate management, legacy planning, etc.). Automate unsubscribe and suppression lists r Use a Do Not Email list that serves as an automatic suppression for unsubscribed readers. r Invite contacts to resubscribe and receive their newsletter. 3 Schedule newsletters r Select the date and time to distribute a newsletter, and Morningstar will take care of the rest! Track Learn which articles and topics are of most interest to a specific audience through statistics such as Sent, Open, Click Through, and Bounce Rates. 3 Archive Edit and redistribute previously created newsletters and review past HTML campaign performance. List Management: Create multiple email lists, and automate unsubscribe suppression to segment contacts and measure audience engagement FINRA-reviewed articles written specifically for Newsletter Builder, with new articles added monthly December 6, 00 Denver Ignacio Morningstar Investment Services, Inc. West Washington Chicago, IL 60606 Reference: FR00-08-004/E Org Id: 0055 REVIEW LETTER. Types of Financial Aid Rule: 0 page Fee: $00 Total Fee: $00 Attention: Denver Ignacio The filing fees identified above were charged previously and are listed here for informational purposes only. The material submitted appears consistent with applicable standards. Reviewed by, Geojoe Thomas Supervising Analyst gt NOTE: This review is limited to the communication that was filed. We assume that the communication does not omit material facts, contain statements that are not factual, or offer opinions that do not have a reasonable basis. This communication may be described as Reviewed by FINRA or FINRA Reviewed ; however, there must be no statement or implication that this communication has been approved by FINRA. Pre-assembled newsletters created monthly, and available for immediate distribution Article sidebar comments available to summarize key points, offer product solutions, explain portfolio strategies, etc. made with after-tax dollars and Personalization options, including custom article management, ability to load photo, logo, contact information, and set newsletter length Drag-and-drop functionality for seamless article integration into a chosen newsletter format One distinction not outlined in tax-deferred Traditional IRAs. Contributions to a Roth IRA are taxes during the owner's Roth IRAs can be a wise choice converted non-roth IRAs), especially if your income tax Investment Updates May 0 Monthly Market Commentary that provides insights into financial markets and general are so beneficial economic is the power activity of tax deferral. In a plan or an IRA, your earnings are not taxed until you begin withdrawing money from your account Monthly Market Commentary The market s primary focus during April was corporate earnings, which were generally positive. The technology and manufacturing sectors produced exceptional results while consumer spending, inflation, manufacturing, and the Chinese economy continued on their strong upward trajectories. Earnings: The technology sector showed promise as both Apple and Intel reported stellar results. Besides robust tech earnings, results in the manufacturing sector were also encouraging. Organic growth (versus acquisition-driven growth), auto-related data, and capital goods were positive. Earnings from the banking sector however, weren t as strong. New loan growth at many firms including J.P. Morgan Chase was almost non-existent. Overall, J.P. Morgan Chase revenues declined 9% while profits increased about 67%. Rising commodity prices were the main reason for mixed earnings in consumer-oriented firms. At McDonald s, revenue increased but the stock fell about.9%. Housing: According to the federal government report, home prices were down.6% from January to February. Existing home sales increased 3.7%, reaching the 5. million unit mark. During the housing boom in 005, the annualized number of existing home sales was as high as 7.4 million units. Outside the couple of odd months near the expiration of the two housing credits, the lowest sales number was about 4.5 million units. Inflation: Inflation reports from around the world were higher than expected. Year-over-year inflation accelerated to 5.4% in China in March 0. In the euro zone, month-to-month inflation (annualized) accelerated to.7% in March up from.4% in February. Inflation continues to accelerate around the world despite attempts by central bankers worldwide to tighten rates and boost reserve requirements. During March, the U.S. producer price index and the consumer price index moved up 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. GDP: The recent GDP report suggested a growth rate of.8%, in line with expectations but well below the fourth quarter number of 3.%. This slowing was largely due to shifts in government defense spending and weather-related construction spending. The U.S. consumer spending growth came in at.7%, higher than the expected growth of % to %. Business investment spending grew % during the first quarter, while government spending (which comprises about 0% of GDP) fell 5%. Auto sales: Motor vehicle sales typically tend to be good indicators of consumer spending. The recent motor vehicle sales report indicated no change in the mix between domestic and import brands, which appears to be a sign that Japanese supply issues weren t holding back sales. Unemployment: The recent unemployment report revealed a 43,000 surge with claims for unemployment rising to 474,000, the highest level in eight months. The report suggested that the adjustment timing for a spring break in New York State followed by a new emergency benefit plan in Oregon were the main reasons for this surge. Employment: Employers added 44,000 jobs in April, which came in much higher than analysts estimates for the month. Goods-producing and service-providing sectors experienced the most job growth while government jobs posted a decline. On a year-over-year basis, overall payroll job growth increased %. According to Morningstar economists, auto sales figures, employment, production and manufacturing statistics, will remain key indicators of future economic health in the weeks ahead. value of $0,000 is invested in both a taxable and between the two accounts becomes quite substantial after 0+ years. For investors with a long investment time horizon, a tax-deferred portfolio is an excellent choice. Finished newsletters can be delivered to clients as a PDF file, as an HTML email, or printed and delivered in hard copy format 0 All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein () is the content providers; (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely; and (4) content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of t and the Morningstar logo are registered trademarks of W. Washingto Chicago, IL 6066 Tips Save, edit, and segment client and prospect email lists. Automate unsubscribe tracking and suppression management. Schedule newsletters for immediate or future distribution. Monitor client and prospect engagement with tracking capabilities such as Sent, Open, Click Through, and Bounce Rates.

Sample Newsletter PDFs and HTML Emails February 0 Vol. Investment Updates Four Steps to Debt Reduction Easy access to credit can contribute to a lifestyle that starts out with debt and gets worse as spending pressures increase. If you ve accumulated debt, how can you dig yourself out? Calculate Exactly What You Owe: List your debts and minimum monthly payments, due dates and interest rates. Rank debts from highest rate to lowest. Decide if any debt is worth keeping. Consider mortgages and college loans since interest on most mortgages is tax deductible and many college loan rates are reasonable. Set Up a Budget and Start Eliminating Your Debt: A budget helps you decide how much extra cash you can devote to paying debt. It also helps you identify expenses that you can cut back on, which leads to more cash to further reduce your debt. Lower Your Borrowing Costs: Compare what rates credit card firms are offering. Then get your current We hope you enjoy our newsletter. Please e mail any topics you would like us to cover Edward Horwitz in future newsletters. Feel free to President contact your Horwitz & Assoc. ed@horwitzco.com advisor and make sure to visit with (4)63-4600 www.horwitzco.com them often. We welcome your referrals. Please share our newsletter with your family & friends. credit card company to match the attractive rate you discover. Or, transfer your current higher interest-rate balance to a company offering a lower However, make sure you find out how long this lower rate will last and what the regular ongoing rate will be. Also, be on the lookout for balance transfer fees. Cash Is King: Try to stick to cash and/or use a debit card. Unless you have developed a disciplined approach to pay off the balance, do all you can to avoid using a credit card. Find one card with a low rate for situations that may require one, like Internet purchases, but be sure to pay it off every month. Market Performance Member FINRA MSRB SiPC -- to -8- DJIA ^DJI +5.60% Join us on Facebook at S&P 500 ^GSPC +5.8% facebook.com/ NASDAQ ^IXIC +4.88% horwitzandassociates Russell 000 ^RUT +5.05% Source: http://finance.yahoo.com Mullaney Keating & Wright August 00 Investment Updates from MK&W Inc. The Importance of Rebalancing Over time, your asset-allocation policy can veer off track because of market ups and downs. This is illustrated quite clearly in the image below; a strong stock performance can cause a simple 50/50 portfolio mix to become unbalanced over time. After 30 years, what was once a 50% allocation to stocks now sits at 68% quite a jump. Moreover, not only does the portfolio s allocation change, but the portfolio s risk also changes, rising sharply from 9.4% to.7%. If your needs and/or risk tolerance have not changed, your allocation shouldn t either. But why would anyone want to sell investments that have done great in order to purchase laggards? While rebalancing might seem odd at first, it is all about risk control. If more and more of your total portfolio winds up in one investment, you risk losing a lot should that investment stumble. Francis Carpentier CFP fcarpentier@mkwinc.com 860-5-9900 Francis C. Carpentier, CFP Prior to joining Mullaney, Keating & Wright in 003, Fran was a Portfolio Manager for 6 years with Olson Mobeck Investment Advisors, Rocky Hill, CT, where he managed over $00 million in investments for clients that included individuals, corporations, and not-for-profit endowment funds. Additionally, Fran was a member of the firm s Investment Policy Committee. Prior to Olson Mobeck, Fran served as Senior Investment Specialist for Fleet Investment Advisors for 5 years. Prior to Fleet, he served as Trust Investment Officer for Lafayette Bank and Trust Company. Fran became a Principal with Mullaney Keating & Wright in 005. He is a Certified Financial Planner, a member of NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) and a graduate of Quinnipiac College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. He resides in Litchfield with his wife Kim, and serves as a member of the Litchfield Pension Commission. He formerly served as an Alternate Commissioner on the Prospect, CT Planning and Zoning Commission. Chase, Thomas, & Peters May 0 Vol. No. Investment Updates The Costs of Financial Procrastination Retirement usually doesn t start until you re in your 60s but there is a good reason to start saving much sooner. The earlier you contribute to your nest egg, the more time your portfolio will have to grow in value. The image illustrates the ending wealth values and effects of compounding of two investment portfolios. Consider two hypothetical investors who begin investing $3,000 at an average annual rate of return of 5%. Investor A invests $3,000 for a 30-year period, which results in an ending wealth value of $99,37. On the other hand, investor B invests $3,000 for a 0-year period, which results in an ending wealth value of $99,98. Investor A invested an additional $30,000 compared to Investor B. However, a large difference in the ending wealth value can be attributed to the compounding effect of the $30,000 for the additional 0 years. In other words, your dollars saved now will be worth a lot more than your dollars saved in retirement. John Doe, CFP Vice President johndoe@ctp.com (30) 555- www.chasethomaspeters.com A Message from Chase, Thomas, & Peters We hope you enjoy the Chase, Market Performance Thomas, & Peters monthly //0 /3/0 newsletter, and share it with S&P 500 ^3% friends and family. Please feel free DJIA ^.5% to let us know of any future topics NASDAQ ^.% you would like covered! Thank you for taking the time to review your financial health with us! Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and follow us on Twitter! Referrals welcome! Testimonials Overall, I think that the Morningstar Newsletter Builder currently offers a great deal of value for the price. If you want to keep things simple, you can use many of the default settings and produce a totally respectable newsletter in a matter of minutes. If you want to customize the look and feel of your newsletters, or add your own content, there is ample room to do so within the confines of the tool. The initial content appears to be up to Morningstar s generally high standards. Joel P. Bruckenstein, Publisher, Technology Tools for Today April 0 Vol. No. www.prattkutzke.com Letter from Dan Wow! It's the end of the first quarter already! Or, it is about time we are at the end of winter...! The historic world events so far in 0 may make this a year to remember, with the disaster in Japan and the dramatic changes happening in Northern Africa and in the Middle East. How will these events shape investment returns for the future? Let's start with the situation in Japan. The short term result will be that companies that rely on electronic parts from Japan may face shortages, slowing production here in the states. The longer view is that Japan's reliance on nuclear energy will change because of the continuing crisis at the Fukushima power plant. Will they turn to oil or natural gas to supplement their energy needs? What ripple effect (no pun intended) will be felt here in America? I wonder if Ford and GM are figuring how to turn this into a market advantage for their sales, especially in China? Next, how do the political changes in Egypt and other countries in Mideast affect us? The obvious answer is the increase in oil prices, but more specifically, diesel prices, especially in Europe. This will increase the cost of everyday goods. The broader effect is that the Fed is now less likely to raise interest rates for the foreseeable future, as these market forces are serving as a slowdown to the economy, lowering the threat of inflation. The federal government stimulus (referred to as QE) will end this summer, as the Fed sees inflation being stable over the long term. As interest rates remain low, it will encourage businesses to expand and help home buyers take on new mortgages. At the same time, seniors will continue to look for income in places other than their bank CDs. Enjoy the Spring!! Dan December 0 Vol. No. Investment Updates Breaking Down Sector Returns Owning individual stocks can be risky. Buying into sector funds allows investors to participate in everchanging business and economic cycles while reducing company-specific risk. Just as equity and fixed-income investments play different roles in investors portfolios, so do sector investments. Some sectors generate greater incomereturn potential like bonds, while others focus on price appreciation. The chart shows the income and price appreciation of various sectors over the most recent 5- year period. The right side of the chart highlights sectors that historically provided a good level of income relative to the sectors on the left side of the chart, which have focused on growth. Certain sectors, like energy and utilities, combined the best of both worlds and became appealing to diverse investors. April 0 Vol. No. Investment Updates The New Tax Package and Your Portfolio On Dec. 6, 00, Congress approved $80 billion in tax cuts and $57 billion for extended unemployment insurance. It includes other tax breaks, such as college tuition credit for some families, an expanded child tax credit, and the earned income tax credit. Here is how some of these changes may impact your portfolio. Social Security Tax: The one-year payroll tax cut would reduce the Social Security tax to 4.% from 6.%. Although this was intended to increase consumer spending levels and stimulate the economy, a better option would be to increase your contribution to your 40k plan to match your employer s contribution, at a minimum, if you do not need extra cash in the near future. The contribution limit for 40k plans remains at $6,500 for those under 50, and $,000 for those age 50 or older. Dividends/Capital Gains Tax Rates: Dividend and long-term capital gains taxes will remain at 5% for the next two years. Many had suggested selling securities in your portfolios that were projected to have huge capital gains before the end of 00, since the capital gains tax rate was projected to increase to 0%. Now, you can sell your securities if your investment strategy dictates. Estate Taxes: The new tax package sets new estate tax parameters with an exemption of $5 million per person, or $0 million per couple, and a maximum rate of 35% for the next two years. You should speak to your financial advisor about creating an estate plan that will detail how you would like your assets distributed after you are gone, and who should act on your behalf should you become disabled. Dividends are not guaranteed and are paid solely at a company s discretion. Please consult with your tax professional for specific tax advice. Morningstar Newsletter Builder helps us create a quality newsletter customized to match our firm s marketing, sales, and educational collateral. The tracking features are great they allow us to see who is reading our newsletters and which articles they are reading! Dan Kutzke, Pratt, Kutzke & Associates, LLP Daniel Kutzke Partner - Financial Advisor dan@pkallp.com 507-8-6650 www.prattkutzke.com Pratt, Kutzke & Associates Partner, designations in 988. Dan Kutzke, has more than 8 years of experience in the financial Dan and his wife, Kim, live in services industry. He works both Rochester and enjoy spending as an Investment Advisor time with their children. In Representative for individuals as addition to community and well as an employee benefits industry involvement, Dan also specialist for businesses. enjoys playing golf, singing and traveling. He attained his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) Jane Smith jsmith@morningstar.com 3-696-6000 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetaur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum Et harumd und lookum like Greek to me, dereud facilis est er expedit distinct. Nam liber te conscient to factor tum poen legum odioque civiuda. Et tam neque pecun modut est neque nonor et imper ned libidig met, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed ut labore et dolore magna aliquam makes one wonder who would ever read thienim ad minim veniam, quis nirure dolor in reprehenddolore eu fugiat ncepidatat nonpecun modut est neque nonor et imper ned libidig met, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed ut labore et dolore magna aliquam makes one wonder who would ever read this stuff? Bi John Smith, CFP joesmith@morningstar.com (30) 555- www.xyzcowealth.com Investment Insights & Outlook Welcome to Investment Insights & XYZCo. is a wealth management net worth individuals. I started from XYZCo. Each month I will be Naperville, Illinois. We have ten Tower, and moved on to join sending you fresh content professional advisors with over XYZCo. to better serve my clients team at XYZCo. Please reach out financial goals. As vice president comments on the ideas expressed XYZCo, I am responsible for the life