TD AMERITRADE Presidential Election and Personal Finance Poll:

October 1, 2008 8:30 AM EDT

OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Most (87 percent) Americans have already tightened their belts by cutting back on spending in the past year. Areas respondents have reduced spending include: travel (58 percent), dining out (57 percent), and entertainment (53 percent). Half of respondents also indicated they have cut back on gas and clothing (50 percent, respectively) according to a new survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of TD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTD).

Americans say they do not anticipate a stock market recovery in near future (within six months) and one in five people (20 percent) indicate they think it will be one year or longer before the stock market will be higher.

While most said neither presidential candidate would impact the amount of money they place in the stock market, more than one in three people said they think the impending presidential election will affect their investment choices in the next six to 12 months.

    Presidential Election Hot Topics:

    --  Tax Policy: Possible changes to the tax policy under
        presidential candidates Obama vs. McCain presented relatively
        no change to respondents' financial future (52 percent vs. 51
        percent, respectively).

    --  Health of the Economy: When asked if people think the overall
        health of the economy will improve faster under presidential
        candidate Obama or McCain or does it not matter who is
        elected, more than half think it matters (55 percent). Of
        those who think it matters, 32 percent think the overall
        health of the economy will improve faster under Obama vs. 23
        percent for McCain.

    --  Economy and Energy Prices: Nearly half (45 percent) of the
        respondents saw Obama as being the better presidential
        candidate for dealing with the economy and energy prices vs.
        39 percent who indicated McCain.

    --  Healthcare: Half (50 percent) of the people polled think Obama
        will be better suited to deal with healthcare, vs. 33 percent
        for McCain.

    --  Men vs. Women: Interesting that the majority of women say
        energy prices (50 percent vs. 34 percent) and the economy (50
        percent vs. 35 percent) will fare better under presidential
        candidate Obama vs. McCain, where men saw relatively no
        difference between the candidates.

    AMTD-G

    About TD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation

TD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation, through its brokerage subsidiaries,(1) provides a dynamic balance of investment products and services that make it the investment firm of choice for millions of retail investor and independent registered investment advisor (RIA) clients. Listed by Forbes as one of America's best big companies, the Company offers a full spectrum of investment services, including a leading active trader program, intuitive long-term investment solutions and a national branch system, as well as relationships with one of the largest independent RIA networks.(2) The Company's common stock trades under the ticker symbol AMTD. For more information, please visit www.amtd.com.

About Opinion Research Corporation

Opinion Research Corporation, an infoUSA company, has offered innovative solutions to the toughest market research challenges of clients worldwide since 1938. The firm has been conducting national, speech reaction, state and flash/overnight polls for CNN since April 2006. To learn more, visit www.opinionresearch.com.

These results are based on a telephone survey conducted among a random sample of 1,005 adult Americans. The survey was conducted September 11 - 14, 2008 by Opinion Research Corporation's CARAVAN omnibus on behalf of TD AMERITRADE. The margin of error for the total sample is plus or minus three percentage points. Opinion Research Corporation and TD AMERITRADE are separate, unaffiliated companies and are not responsible for each other's products and services.

(1)TD AMERITRADE, Inc., member FINRA (www.FINRA.org) /SIPC (www.SIPC.org), receives clearing and custodial services from TD AMERITRADE Clearing, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. TD AMERITRADE, Inc. and TD AMERITRADE Clearing, Inc. are subsidiaries of TD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation.

(2)More info on the Forbes award is available at www.forbes.com/platinum.

Source: TD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation


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