FIDUCIAL WHISKS LUCKY CLIENT OFF TO PARIS TO ENJOY GRAND PRIZE IN ANNUAL SWEEPSTAKES (8/01)

Fiducial announced today that James Daggett of Boonville, New York, has been awarded the Grand Prize in its annual "An American in Paris" sweepstakes. Daggett, a Fiducial customer since 1999, and a guest will travel to Paris to enjoy four days and three nights in Paris, including hotel and airfare, courtesy of the nationwide professional network.

Clients of Fiducial's income tax and financial planning divisions were invited to fill out entry cards during their meetings with Fiducial's tax professionals earlier this year and thus become eligible to win the Grand Prize. Existing clients received additional entries for referring new clients to Fiducial (who in turn became eligible to win themselves). Entries were forwarded to Fiducial's headquarters here and a drawing was held on May 8, 2001.

When he visited Fiducial member Lawrence Recor in Boonville, N.Y., Daggett joked, "I was just hoping to get good news about my taxes. I never expected to get a 'return' like this."

Daggett has 12 months to schedule his trip. He has never been to Paris and says he hasn't yet decided whom he will invite to join him on the trip.

"This is a wonderful program that we are proud to be able to offer," says Yves A. Morard-Lacroix, Executive Vice President of Fiducial. "It shows our clients how much we appreciate their business and gives them something extra to look forward to at tax time in addition to the best-possible returns. The sweepstakes also is a marketing incentive for all of our tax offices, one that is easy and fun to execute."

Last year's sweepstakes winner, Charles Reedy, a client of Waterford, Mich.-based Fiducial member Charles Becker, was unable to take the trip due to health reasons. He gave the trip as a present to son Steve and daughter-in-law Karla Reedy, who recently returned from their Memorial Day trip to Paris.

About Fiducial
Fiducial is an international service provider for tax, financial and business services serving small businesses, entrepreneurs, and middle- to upper-income individuals. Fiducial consists of a network of business advisors located in nearly 800 U.S. offices incorporating the former Century Small Business Solutions, E.K. Williams, General Business Services, Comprehensive Business Services and Triple Check Income Tax Service Franchise networks. Each company-owned and member office operates under the Fiducial brand and is committed to uniform quality standards. This professional services network is supported by Fiducial Support Systems, which provides assistance in marketing, human resources, research and development, technical applications and services and other non-core business areas.

Through its entry into the U.S. market in 1999, Fiducial has become the largest network of professional services advisors. Founded in 1970, the privately held company has annual revenues in excess of $300 million. Fiducial owns an additional 450 European offices throughout France, Belgium and Switzerland and employs 4,500 employees.