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Deferred Sales Commissions. Sales commissions paid to broker/dealers and other investment advisersin connection with the sale of shares of the Company’s funds sold without a front-end sales charge arecapitalized as deferred sales commission assets (“DCA”). The DCA is amortized over the estimated periodin which it will be recovered from distribution plan fees or from contingent deferred sales charges, generallyover 12 months to eight years, depending on share class.The Company evaluates DCA for recoverability on a periodic basis using undiscounted cash flowsexpected to be generated from the related distribution plan fees and contingent deferred sales charges. Theseevaluations involve the use of estimates and assumptions, including expected future market levels, averageassets under management and shareholder redemption rates.Property and Equipment are recorded at cost and are depreciated using the straight-line method overtheir estimated useful lives which range from three to 35 years. Expenditures for repairs and maintenanceare charged to expense when incurred. The Company amortizes leasehold improvements using the straightlinemethod over their estimated useful lives or the lease term, whichever is shorter.Internal and external costs incurred in connection with developing or obtaining software for internaluse are capitalized and amortized over the estimated useful life of the software of three years beginningwhen the software project is complete and the application is put into production.The Company tests property and equipment for impairment when there is an indication that thecarrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. Carrying values are not recoverable when theundiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their carrying value. Ifassets are determined to not be recoverable, impairment losses are measured based on the excess, if any, ofthe carrying value of these assets over their respective fair value. Fair value is determined by discountedfuture cash flows models, appraisals or other applicable methods.Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. Goodwill represents the excess cost of a business acquisitionover the fair value of the net assets acquired. Intangible assets consist primarily of mutual fund managementcontracts and customer base assets resulting from business acquisitions. The Company amortizes intangibleassets over their estimated useful lives which range from seven to 15 years using the straight-line method,unless the asset is determined to have an indefinite useful life. Indefinite-lived intangible assets primarilyrepresent contracts to manage mutual fund assets for which there is no foreseeable limit on the contractperiod.Goodwill is tested for impairment annually and when an event occurs or circumstances change thatmore likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. Historically, theCompany completed the annual goodwill impairment test as of October 1 of each fiscal year. During fiscalyear 2009, the Company changed the annual impairment test date from October 1 to August 1 of each year.The Company believes the August 1 date better aligns the annual goodwill impairment test with the budgetdata developed in connection with the budgeting process that takes place in July and August. In addition,the annual impairment test will be completed during the fourth fiscal quarter using the most recent financialinformation such that the results will better reflect the fiscal year being reported. This change to the date ofthe annual goodwill impairment test constitutes a change in the method of applying an accounting principle.The Company believes that this change in accounting principle is preferable and filed a letter ofpreferability from its independent registered public accounting firm regarding this change in accountingprinciple as an exhibit to the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009.The goodwill impairment test involves a two-step process. The first step requires the identification ofthe reporting units, and comparison of the fair value of each of these reporting units to the respectivecarrying value. If the carrying value is less than the fair value, no impairment exists and the second step is77