Investment structure and method having fixed and contingent components

Abstract

An investment structure and method including a fixed component and a contingent component for investing funds. The fixed component invests a portion of the funds in fixed income securities and generates principal plus fixed interest. The contingent component invests another portion of the funds in non-fixed income investments and generates contingent interest. The fixed interest is selectively distributed or re-invested in the fixed component, and the contingent interest is re-invested in the contingent component in order to boost the trading pool for that component and potentially increase the return on investment. One or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities invests the contingent component.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing an investment structure, comprising: 
 receiving funds to be invested;    investing a first portion of the funds in a fixed component generating principal plus fixed interest;    investing a second portion of the funds in a contingent component generating contingent interest, wherein the investing the second portion step includes using one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities for investing the contingent component;    re-investing at least a portion of the fixed interest in the fixed component; and    re-investing at least a portion of the contingent interest in the contingent component.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including using a trustee for investing the fixed component.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the investing the first portion step includes investing sixty to ninety percent of the funds in the fixed component; and    the investing the second portion step includes investing ten to forty percent of the funds in the contingent component.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the investing the first portion step includes investing the fixed component in one or more of the following: treasury notes, AAA-rated securities, AA-rated securities, certificates of deposit (CDs), municipal bond notes, or variable rate notes.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the investing the second portion step includes investing the contingent component in one or more of the following: commodities, futures contracts, forward contracts, currencies, swaps, indices, equity and other securities, options and other investments.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further including distributing the fixed component, the contingent component, the fixed interest, and the contingent interest after an investment period.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the investing the second portion step includes using a plurality of limited liability entities for investing the contingent component.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of limited liability entities include a first limited liability entity, a second limited liability entity, and a third limited liability entity.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the investing the second portion step includes using the first limited liability entity for investing a first percentage of the funds and using the second and third limited liability entities for investing a second percentage of the funds.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first percentage of the funds is equal to the second percentage of the funds.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the investing the second portion step further includes using a feeder limited liability entity to feed funds to the one or more limited liability entities for investing the contingent component.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including the feeder limited liability entity receiving outside funds for investing.  
     
     
         13 . A method for providing an investment structure, comprising: 
 receiving funds to be invested;    investing a first portion of the funds in a fixed component generating principal plus fixed interest;    investing a second portion of the funds in a contingent component generating contingent interest, wherein the investing the second portion step includes using one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities for investing the contingent component;    distributing at least a portion of the fixed interest; and    re-investing at least a portion of the contingent interest in the contingent component.    
     
     
         14 . A method for providing an investment structure, comprising: 
 receiving funds to be invested;    investing a first portion of the funds in a fixed component generating principal plus fixed interest;    investing a second portion of the funds in a contingent component generating contingent interest wherein the investing the second portion step includes using one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities for investing the contingent component;    re-investing at least a portion of the fixed interest in the fixed component; and    distributing at least a portion of the contingent interest.    
     
     
         15 . A method for providing an investment structure, comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of funds to be invested;    investing first portions of the plurality of funds in a pooled fixed component generating principal plus pooled fixed interest;    investing second portions of a first set of the plurality of funds in a pooled distribution contingent component generating first pooled contingent interest, wherein the investing second portions of the first set step includes using one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities for investing the pooled distribution contingent component;    investing second portions of a second set of the plurality of funds in a pooled re-investment contingent component generating second pooled contingent interest, wherein the investing second portions of the second set includes using one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities for investing the pooled re-investment contingent component;    distributing at least a portion of the pooled fixed interest;    distributing at least a portion of the first pooled contingent interest; and re-investing at least a portion of the second pooled contingent interest in the pooled re-investment contingent component.    
     
     
         16 . A method for providing an investment structure, comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of funds to be invested;    investing first portions of the plurality of funds in a pooled fixed component generating principal plus pooled fixed interest;    investing second portions of a first set of the plurality of funds in a pooled distribution contingent component generating first pooled contingent interest, wherein the investing second portions of the first set includes using one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities for investing the pooled distribution contingent component;    investing second portions of a second set of the plurality of funds in a pooled re-investment contingent component generating second pooled contingent interest, wherein the investing second portions of the second set includes using one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities for investing the pooled re-investment contingent component;    re-investing at least a portion of the pooled fixed interest in the pooled fixed component;    distributing at least a portion of the first pooled contingent interest; and re-investing at least a portion of the second pooled contingent interest in the pooled re-investment contingent component.    
     
     
         17 . An investment structure, comprising: 
 a fixed component investing a first portion of funds and generating principal plus fixed interest; and a contingent component investing a second portion of the funds and generating contingent interest,    wherein at least a portion of the fixed interest is re-invested in the fixed component and at least a portion of the contingent interest is re-invested in the contingent component and one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities invests the contingent component.    
     
     
         18 . The investment structure of  claim 17 , wherein a trustee invests the fixed component.  
     
     
         19 . The investment structure of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the fixed component invests sixty to ninety percent of the funds; and    the contingent component invests ten to forty percent of the funds.    
     
     
         20 . The investment structure of  claim 17 , wherein the fixed component invests the first portion in one or more of the following: treasury notes, AAA-rated securities, AA-rated securities, certificates of deposit (CDs), municipal bond notes, or variable rate notes.  
     
     
         21 . The investment structure of  claim 17 , wherein the contingent component invests the second portion in one or more of the following: commodities, futures contracts, forward contracts, currencies, swaps, indices, equity and other securities, options and other investments.  
     
     
         22 . The investment structure of  claim 17 , wherein the fixed component and the contingent component invest the first and second portions of the funds for an investment period.  
     
     
         23 . The investment structure of  claim 17 , wherein a plurality of limited liability entities invests the contingent component.  
     
     
         24 . The investment structure of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of limited liability entities include a first limited liability entity, a second limited liability entity, and a third limited liability entity.  
     
     
         25 . The investment structure of  claim 24 , wherein the first limited liability entity for invests a first percentage of the funds and the second and third limited liability entities invest a second percentage of the funds.  
     
     
         26 . The investment structure of  claim 25 , wherein the first percentage of the funds is equal to the second percentage of the funds.  
     
     
         27 . The investment structure of  claim 17 , further including a feeder limited liability entity that feeds funds to the one or more limited liability entities that invest the contingent component.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the feeder limited liability entity receives outside funds for investing.  
     
     
         29 . An investment structure, comprising: 
 a fixed component investing a first portion of funds and generating principal plus fixed interest; and    a contingent component investing a second portion of the funds and generating contingent interest,    wherein at least a portion of the fixed interest is distributed and at least a portion of the contingent interest is re-invested in the contingent component and one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities invests the contingent component.    
     
     
         30 . An investment structure, comprising: 
 a fixed component investing a first portion of funds and generating principal plus fixed interest; and    a contingent component investing a second portion of the funds and generating contingent interest,    wherein at least a portion of the fixed interest is re-invested in the fixed component and at least a portion of the contingent interest is distributed and one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities invests the contingent component.    
     
     
         31 . An investment structure, comprising: 
 a pooled fixed component investing first portions of a plurality of funds and generating principal plus pooled fixed interest;    a pooled distribution contingent component investing second portions of a first set of the plurality of funds and generating first pooled contingent interest; and    a pooled re-investment contingent component investing second portions of a second set of the plurality of funds and generating second pooled contingent interest,    wherein at least a portion of the pooled fixed interest is distributed, at least a portion of the first pooled contingent interest is distributed, and at least a portion of the second pooled contingent interest is re-invested in the pooled re-investment contingent component and one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities invests the pooled distribution and re-investment contingent components.    
     
     
         32 . An investment structure, comprising: 
 a pooled fixed component investing first portions of a plurality of funds and generating principal plus pooled fixed interest;    a pooled distribution contingent component investing second portions of a first set of the plurality of funds and generating first pooled contingent interest; and    a pooled re-investment contingent component investing second portions of a second set of the plurality of funds and generating second pooled contingent interest,    wherein at least a portion of the pooled fixed interest is re-invested in the pooled fixed component, at least a portion of the first pooled contingent interest is distributed, and at least a portion of the second pooled contingent interest is re-invested in the pooled re-investment contingent component and one or more limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other limited liability entities invests the pooled distribution and re-investment contingent components.