Microsoft to discontinue long-running Money program

It’s the end of the road for Microsoft Money. Following a halt on retail sales last August, the Redmond giant today announced it will completely stop selling its venerable personal finance program on June 30; although it plans to support it through January 2011. Microsoft spokesman Adam Sohn claims the decision stems from the changing customer patterns and greater functionality offered by of banks and other specialized websites.

Past the January 2011 cut-off date, people can continue to use the product, but they will no longer be able to get automated data feeds from their banks, credit card companies and other financial service providers. Understanding that some early Money users may have more than a decade of financial data stored in the product, Sohn also said Microsoft is working on ways to help users transition to other desktop products if they choose, with a data conversion utility for Quicken currently in the works.

The move is seen as a quiet acknowledgment that online services may best be suited to such tasks as budgeting, personal accounting, and tax planning. It is also reminiscent of the recent Encarta Encyclopedia and Windows OneCare downfalls.