Investment program contribution system

• US 20060047589A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edward Grau
• Original Assignee: Edward Grau
• Inventors: Grau, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/711,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20060047589A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A system is provided for automatically contributing money to a savings program upon or after making a debit, credit, or stored value card transaction. Included is technology to run a service of providing savings contributions. These systems and methods can be run as a secondary transaction in parallel with the existing transaction or after the transaction is complete in a near-real time or “batch” mode. Also provided is a method and system for signing onto the service, setting individual savings, credit, stored value, and investment account information, setting contribution preferences, updating account settings, billing, and report viewing.

Claims

1. A method of automatically transferring funds of an individual from a savings or a credit account to a pre-determined investment account of the individual, the method comprising of:

Setting up a system for saving information of the individual including a plurality of;

savings account information;

credit account information;

investment account information;

debit, credit, or stored value card information; and

investment preference information;

Setting up a system for automatically receiving and saving a completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information made by an individual;

Calculating a fund transfer amount based on the investment preference information and any information of the completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information by an electronic funds transfer.

3. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of temporarily accumulating the fund transfer amount in a demand account until a predetermined completion time.

4. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of temporarily accumulating the fund transfer amount in a demand account until a predetermined accumulation amount.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

comparing the fund transfer amount to a predetermined transfer limit; and

canceling a fund transfer if completion of said fund transfer will cause a total balance in the investment account to exceed a predetermined investment account limit.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

Determining an available space in the investment account by comparing an investment account total to a predetermined investment account limit; and

determining if the fund transfer amount is in excess of said available space.

7. The method of claim 6 additionally comprising the step wherein the fund transfer amount is reduced to an amount that will not result in the investment account exceeding the investment account limit after a fund transfer is complete.

8. The method of claim 7 additionally comprising the step wherein said reduction in the fund transfer amount is transferred to a secondary investment account.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the investment preference information includes an investment total and a predetermined investment limit.

10. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information as a debit, credit, or smart card transaction.

11. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from a debit, credit, or smart card used in the original completed transaction.

12. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

receiving a request from the individual to make an investment in a first investment account, wherein the first investment account is designated by the individual as a primary investment account;

determining whether making the investment in the first investment account violates at least one predetermined rule relating to the first investment account; and

automatically contributing at least a portion of the investment into a second investment account designated by the individual as a secondary investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account violates said at least one predetermined rule.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

accessing information received from the individual for designating the first investment account as primary and the second investment account as secondary.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first investment account is managed by a first investment provider and the second investment account is managed by a second investment provider.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum investment account value.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum contribution amount.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined rule is violated if making the investment in the first investment account fails.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

contributing at least a portion of the investment into the first investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account does not violate at least one predetermined rule.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the fund transfer amount is a percentage of an aggregated sale amount of the completed debit, credit, or stored value card transactions.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the fund transfer amount is a percentage of a sale amount of the individual completed debit, credit, or stored value card transactions.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the fund transfer amount is a pre-specified fixed dollar amount for each occurrence of the completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the fund transfer amount is based on a calculation of a pre-specified fixed dollar amount and total number of occurrences of the completed debit, credit, or stored value card transactions.

70. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising a third party contributing additional monies to the fund transfer amount based on said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information.

71. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising a third party accumulating points based on said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information that can be converted using a predetermined conversion formula towards contributing additional monies to the fund transfer amount at a predetermined completion time or a predetermined completion amount.

72. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising a third party contributing additional monies to the investment account of the individual based on said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information.

73. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising a third party accumulating points based on said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information that can be converted using a predetermined conversion formula towards contributing additional monies to the investment account of the individual at a predetermined completion time or a predetermined completion amount.

108. A method as in claim 1 wherein said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information includes a transaction made at a merchant Point of Sale (POS) terminal.

109. A method as in claim 1 wherein said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information includes a transaction made at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

110. A method as in claim 1 wherein said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information includes a transaction made on the internet.

111. A method as in claim 1 wherein said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information includes a transaction made over a telephone.

112. A method as in claim 1 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made at a stored value card reader.

23. A method of automatically transferring funds of an individual from a savings or credit account to a pre-determined investment account of the individual, the method comprising of:

Setting up a system for saving information of the individual including a plurality of;

savings account information;

credit account information;

investment account information;

debit, credit, or stored value card information; and

investment preference information;

Setting up a system to receive a pending debit, credit, or stored value card transaction of the individual after said pending transaction is released by a Point of Sale (POS) system and accepted by a debit, credit, or stored value card clearinghouse system for a subsequent routing to an issuer of the debit, credit, or stored value card used in said pending transaction;

Setting up a system to automatically interrupt said pending transaction;

Setting up a system to read a card or account number used in said pending transaction;

comparing said card or account number to the saved debit, credit, or stored value account information of the individual; and

determining if said card or account number matches the saved debit, credit, or stored value account information of the individual; and

Calculating a fund transfer amount based on the investment preference information of the individual and any information in said pending transaction.

24. The method of claim 23 additionally comprising the step of adding the fund transfer amount to a transaction amount contained in the pending transaction, creating a new transaction in the amount of this sum total, and routing the new transaction to the issuer of the debit, credit, or stored value card used in the original pending transaction for authorization and settlement.

25. The method of claim 24 additionally comprising the step of receiving an authorization for the new transaction from the card issuer and routing an authorization for the original pending transaction back to the POS system.

26. The method of claim 25 additionally comprising the step of receiving settlement for the new transaction from the card issuer;

splitting said settlement into the pending transaction amount and the fund transfer amount;

routing the settlement for the pending transaction amount to a settlement account of the POS system; and

routing the settlement for the fund transfer amount to an investment account of the individual.

27. The method of claim 23 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information by creating a separate debit, credit, or stored value transaction.

28. The method of claim 23 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information by a separate electronic funds transfer.

29. The method of claim 23 additionally comprising the step of temporarily accumulating the fund transfer amount in a demand account until a predetermined completion time.

30. The method of claim 23 additionally comprising the step of temporarily accumulating the fund transfer amount in a demand account until a predetermined accumulation amount.

31. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

comparing a transfer amount to a predetermined transfer limit; and

canceling a fund transfer if completion of said fund transfer will cause a total balance in the investment account to exceed a predetermined investment account limit.

32. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

Determining an available space in the investment account by comparing an investment account total to a predetermined investment account limit; and

determining if the fund transfer amount is in excess of said available space.

33. The method of claim 32 additionally comprising the step wherein the fund transfer amount is reduced to an amount that will not result in the investment account exceeding the investment account limit after a fund transfer is complete.

34. The method of claim 32 additionally comprising the step wherein said reduction in the fund transfer amount is transferred to a secondary investment account.

35. The method of claim 23 wherein the investment preference information includes an investment total and a predetermined investment limit.

36. The method of claim 23 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information as a debit, credit, or smart card transaction.

37. The method of claim 23 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from a debit, credit, or smart card used in the original completed transaction.

38. A method of claim 23 additionally comprising:

receiving a request from the individual to make an investment in a first investment account, wherein the first investment account is designated by the individual as a primary investment account;

determining whether making the investment in the first investment account violates at least one predetermined rule relating to the first investment account; and

automatically contributing at least a portion of the investment into a second investment account designated by the individual as a secondary investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account violates said at least one predetermined rule.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

accessing information received from the individual for designating the first investment account as primary and the second investment account as secondary.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first investment account is managed by a first investment provider and the second investment account is managed by a second investment provider.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum investment account value.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum contribution amount.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the predetermined rule is violated if making the investment in the first investment account fails.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

contributing at least a portion of the investment into the first investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account does not violate said at least one predetermined rule.

45. The method of claim 23 wherein the fund transfer amount is a percentage of a sale amount of said pending transaction.

46. The method of claim 23 wherein the fund transfer amount is a pre-specified fixed dollar amount for each occurrence of said pending transaction.

74. A method as in claim 23 additionally comprising a third party contributing additional monies to the fund transfer amount based on said pending transaction information.

75. A method as in claim 23 additionally comprising a third party accumulating points based on said pending transaction information that can be converted using a predetermined conversion formula towards contributing additional monies to the fund transfer amount at a predetermined completion time or a predetermined completion amount.

76. A method as in claim 23 additionally comprising a third party contributing additional monies to the investment account of the individual based on said pending transaction information.

77. A method as in claim 23 additionally comprising a third party accumulating points based on said pending transaction information that can be converted using a predetermined conversion formula towards contributing additional monies to the investment account of the individual at a predetermined completion time or a predetermined completion amount.

113. A method as in claim 23 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made at a merchant Point of Sale (POS) terminal.

114. A method as in claim 23 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

115. A method as in claim 23 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made on the internet.

116. A method as in claim 23 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made over a telephone.

117. A method as in claim 23 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made at a stored value card reader.

123. A method as in claim 23 wherein the system to automatically interrupt said pending transaction is configured to automatically read said pending transaction without interrupting the routing of said pending transaction.

124. A method as in claim 23 wherein the step to calculate a fund transfer amount is configured to generate a new fund transfer transaction.

125. A method of claim 124 additionally comprising the step of prompting the individual to enter a fund transfer amount for the fund transfer transaction.

126. The method of claim 125 additionally comprising the step of routing the fund transfer transaction to the issuer of the debit, credit, or stored value card used in the original pending transaction for authorization and settlement.

127. The method of claim 126 additionally comprising the step of receiving settlement for the fund transfer transaction from the card issuer and routing the settlement for the fund transfer amount to an investment account of the individual.

128. The method of claim 126 wherein the step of routing the fund transfer transaction to the issuer of the debit, credit, or stored value card used in the original pending transaction is replaced by withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information by a separate electronic funds transfer.

47. A method of automatically transferring funds of an individual from a savings or credit account to a pre-determined investment account of the individual, the method comprising of:

Setting up a system for saving information of the individual including a plurality of;

savings account information;

credit account information;

investment account information;

debit, credit, or stored value card information; and

investment preference information;

Setting up a system to receive a pending debit, credit, or stored value card transaction of the individual after said pending transaction is released from a debit, credit, or stored value card clearinghouse and accepted by a debit, credit, or stored value issuer of the said card used in said pending transaction prior to a transaction authorization;

Setting up a system to automatically interrupt said pending transaction;

Setting up a system to read a card or account number used in said pending transaction;

comparing said card or account number to the saved debit, credit, or stored value account information of the individual; and

determining if said card or account number matches the saved debit, credit, or stored value account information of the individual; and

Calculating a fund transfer amount based on the investment preference information of the individual and any information in said pending transaction.

48. The method of claim 47 additionally comprising the step of adding the fund transfer amount to a transaction amount contained in the pending transaction, creating a new transaction in the amount of this sum total, and routing the new transaction to the issuer of the debit, credit, or stored value card used in the original pending transaction for authorization and settlement.

49. The method of claim 48 additionally comprising the step of splitting the settlement for the new transaction amount into the pending transaction amount and the fund transfer amount;

routing the settlement for the pending transaction amount back to the debit, credit, or stored value card clearinghouse system; and

routing the settlement for the fund transfer amount to an investment account of the individual.

50. The method of claim 47 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information by creating a separate debit, credit, or stored value transaction.

51. The method of claim 47 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information by a separate electronic funds transfer.

52. The method of claim 47 additionally comprising the step of temporarily accumulating the fund transfer amount in a demand account until a predetermined completion time.

53. The method of claim 47 additionally comprising the step of temporarily accumulating the fund transfer amount in a demand account until a predetermined accumulation amount.

54. The method of claim 47 further comprising the steps of:

comparing a transfer amount to a predetermined transfer limit; and

canceling a fund transfer if completion of said fund transfer will cause a total balance in the investment account to exceed a predetermined investment account limit.

55. The method of claim 47 further comprising the steps of:

Determining an available space in the investment account by comparing an investment account total to a predetermined investment account limit; and

determining if the fund transfer amount is in excess of said available space.

56. The method of claim 55 additionally comprising the step wherein the fund transfer amount is reduced to an amount that will not result in the investment account exceeding the investment account limit after a fund transfer is complete.

57. The method of claim 55 additionally comprising the step wherein said reduction in the fund transfer amount is transferred to a secondary investment account.

58. The method of claim 47 wherein the investment preference information includes an investment total and a predetermined investment limit.

59. The method of claim 47 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information as a debit, credit, or smart card transaction.

60. The method of claim 47 additionally comprising the step of withdrawing the fund transfer amount from a debit, credit, or smart card used in the original completed transaction.

61. A method of claim 47 additionally comprising:

receiving a request from the individual to make an investment in a first investment account, wherein the first investment account is designated by the individual as a primary investment account;

determining whether making the investment in the first investment account violates at least one predetermined rule relating to the first investment account; and

automatically contributing at least a portion of the investment into a second investment account designated by the individual as a secondary investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account violates said at least one predetermined rule.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising:

accessing information received from the individual for designating the first investment account as primary and the second investment account as secondary.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the first investment account is managed by a first investment provider and the second investment account is managed by a second investment provider.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum investment account value.

65. The method of claim 63, wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum contribution amount.

66. The method of claim 63, wherein the predetermined rule is violated if making the investment in the first investment account fails.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising:

contributing at least a portion of the investment into the first investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account does not violate said at least one predetermined rule.

68. The method of claim 47 wherein the fund transfer amount is a percentage of a sale amount of the said pending transaction.

69. The method of claim 47 wherein the fund transfer amount is a pre-specified fixed dollar amount for each occurrence of said pending transaction.

78. A method as in claim 47 additionally comprising a third party contributing additional monies to the fund transfer amount based on said pending transaction information.

79. A method as in claim 47 additionally comprising a third party accumulating points based on said pending transaction information that can be converted using a predetermined conversion formula towards contributing additional monies to the fund transfer amount at a predetermined completion time or a predetermined completion amount.

80. A method as in claim 47 additionally comprising a third party contributing additional monies to the investment account of the individual based on said pending transaction information.

81. A method as in claim 47 additionally comprising a third party accumulating points based on said pending transaction information that can be converted using a predetermined conversion formula towards contributing additional monies to the investment account of the individual at a predetermined completion time or a predetermined completion amount.

118. A method as in claim 47 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made at a merchant Point of Sale (POS) terminal.

119. A method as in claim 47 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

120. A method as in claim 47 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made on the internet.

121. A method as in claim 47 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made over a telephone.

122. A method as in claim 47 wherein said pending transaction information includes a transaction made at a stored value card reader.

82. An article of manufacture for a computer usable program code and computing means for automatically transferring funds from a deposit account of an individual to a savings program account of the individual, comprising of:

A computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter and save;

a plurality of deposit account information;

a plurality of savings account information;

a plurality of investment account information;

a plurality of debit, credit, or stored value card information; and

a set of investment preference information;

A computer usable program code for automatically receiving and accumulating a completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information made by an individual; and

A computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount based on the investment preference information and said completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information.

85. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 82 wherein the computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount is further adapted to generate a signal to withdraw the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information of the individual by electronically transferring funds.

89. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 82 wherein the computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter account information and investment preference information is responsive to entries for changes in said information.

90. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 82 additionally comprising of an ability to store data for:

a plurality of completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information;

a plurality of individual account information and investment preference information;

a log of completed fund transfer activity;

a log of fund transfer information;

a balance of monies in a temporary demand account;

a log of fees charged; and

a history of account activity.

91. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 82 wherein the computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter account information and investment preference information is further adapted to allow the individual to view:

a balance of total monies in a temporary demand account;

a history of completed fund transfer activity;

a listing of fees charged; and

a history of account activity.

92. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 82 wherein the computer usable program code for automatically receiving and accumulating a completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information made by an individual additionally comprises of receiving and accumulating a plurality of completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information.

93. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 82 wherein the computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount from the deposit account to the savings account based on the investment preference information and the completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information additionally comprises of calculating a fund transfer amount from the deposit account to the savings account based on the investment preference information and an aggregate of a plurality of completed debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information.

83. An article of manufacture for a computer usable program code and computing means for automatically transferring funds from a deposit account of an individual to a savings program account of the individual, comprising of:

A computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter and save;

a plurality of deposit account information;

a plurality of savings account information;

a plurality of investment account information;

a plurality of debit, credit, or stored value card information; and

a set of investment preference information;

A computer usable program code and system for causing a computer to receive an electronic signal for a pending debit, credit, or stored value card transaction of the individual after said pending transaction is released by a Point of Sale system and accepted by a debit, credit, or stored value card clearinghouse system for routing to an issuer of the debit, credit, or stored value card used in said pending transaction;

A computer usable program code and system for automatically interrupting said pending transaction of the individual;

A computer usable program code for causing a computer to automatically read a card or account number used in said pending transaction, compare said card or account number to an account number in the pre-determined account information of the individual; and

determine if said card or account number used in said pending transaction matches the pre-determined account information of the individual; and

A computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount based on the investment preference information and any information in said pending transaction.

94. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 wherein the computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount is further adapted to generate a signal to withdraw the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information of the individual by electronically transferring funds.

95. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 wherein the computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount is further adapted to generate a new fund transfer debit, credit, or stored value card transaction and submit said fund transfer transaction to a credit, debit, or stored value card account listed in the account information of the individual.

96. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 95 wherein the computer usable program code for generating the fund transfer transaction is further adapted to automatically accept a fund transfer transaction authorization and a fund transfer transaction settlement and store the transaction settlement in a temporary demand account until a predetermined accumulation amount.

97. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 95 wherein the computer usable program code for generating the fund transfer transaction is further adapted to automatically accept a fund transfer transaction authorization and a fund transfer transaction settlement and store the transaction settlement in a temporary demand account until a predetermined completion time.

98. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 wherein the computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter account information and investment preference information is responsive to entries for changes in said information.

99. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 additionally comprising of an ability to store data for;

a plurality of pending transaction information;

a plurality of individual account information and investment preference information;

a log of completed fund transfer activity;

a log of fund transfer information;

a balance of monies in a temporary demand account;

a log of fees charged; and

a history of account activity.

100. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 wherein the computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter account information and investment preference information is further adapted to allow the individual to view;

a balance of total monies in a temporary demand account;

a history of completed fund transfer activity;

a listing of fees charged; and

a history of account activity.

102. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 wherein the computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount is further adapted to generate a new fund transfer debit, credit, or stored value card transaction and submit said fund transfer transaction to a credit, debit, or stored value card account listed in the account information of the individual.

103. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 102 wherein the computer usable program code for generating the new fund transfer transaction is further adapted to automatically accept a fund transfer transaction authorization and a fund transfer transaction settlement and store the fund transfer transaction settlement in a temporary demand account until a predetermined accumulation amount.

104. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 102 wherein the computer usable program code for generating a new debit, credit, or stored value card transaction is further adapted to automatically accept a transaction response and a transaction settlement and store the transaction settlement in a temporary demand account until a predetermined completion time.

129. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 wherein the computer usable program code and system for automatically interrupting said pending transaction of the individual is configured to automatically read said pending transaction without interrupting the routing of said pending transaction.

130. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 83 wherein the computer usable program code and system for calculating a fund transfer amount is configured to generate a new fund transfer transaction.

131. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 130 wherein the computer usable program code and system if further adapted to prompt the individual to enter a fund transfer amount for the fund transfer transaction.

84. An article of manufacture for a computer usable program code and computing means for automatically transferring funds from a deposit account of an individual to a savings program account of the individual, comprising of:

A computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter and save;

a plurality of deposit account information;

a plurality of savings account information;

a plurality of investment account information;

a plurality of debit, credit, or stored value card information; and

a set of investment preference information;

A computer usable program code and system for causing a computer to receive an electronic signal for a pending debit, credit, or stored value card transaction of the individual after said pending transaction is released from a debit, credit, or stored value card clearinghouse system and accepted by a debit, credit, or stored value issuer of the card used in said pending transaction for authorization;

A computer usable program code and system for automatically interrupting said pending transaction;

A computer usable program code for causing a computer to automatically read a card or account number used in said pending transaction, compare said card or account number to an account number in the pre-determined account information of the individual; and

determine if said card or account number used in said pending transaction matches the pre-determined account information of the individual; and

A computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount based on the investment preference information and any information in said pending transaction.

86. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 84 wherein the computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount is further adapted to generate a fund transfer transaction and submit the fund transfer transaction to a credit, debit, or stored value card account listed in the account information of the individual.

87. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 86 wherein the computer usable program code for generating the fund transfer transaction is further adapted to automatically accept a fund transfer transaction authorization and a fund transfer transaction settlement and store the transaction settlement in a temporary demand account until a predetermined accumulation amount.

88. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 86 wherein the computer usable program code for generating the fund transfer transaction is further adapted to automatically accept a fund transfer transaction authorization and a fund transfer transaction settlement and store the transaction settlement in a temporary demand account until a predetermined completion time.

101. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 84 wherein the computer usable program code for calculating a fund transfer amount is further adapted to generate a signal to withdraw the fund transfer amount from an account specified in the account information of the individual by electronically transferring funds.

105. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 84 wherein the computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter account information and investment preference information is responsive to entries for changes in said information.

106. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 84 additionally comprising of an ability to store data for;

a plurality of pending debit, credit, or stored value card transaction information;

a plurality of individual account information and investment preference information;

a log of completed fund transfer activity;

a log of fund transfer information;

a balance of monies in a temporary demand account;

a log of fees charged; and

a history of account activity.

107. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 84 wherein the computer usable program code for allowing an individual to enter account information and investment preference information is further adapted to allow the individual to view;

a balance of total monies in a temporary demand account;

a history of completed fund transfer activity;

a listing of fees charged; and

a history of account activity.