Electronic income tax refund early payment system with means for creating of a new deposit account for receipt of an electronically transferred refund from the IRS

• US 5,963,921 A
• Filed: 10/15/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beneficial Financial Corporation
• Original Assignee: Beneficial Financial Corporation
• Inventors: Longfield, Ross N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/982,807
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/30, 705/31
• US Class Current: 705/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

Electronic data processing system for preparation of electronically filed tax returns and authorization and payment of refunds based on the data supplied in those returns. Electronic data processing programs are provided for creating an electronic tax return that is filed with a tax collecting authority. At the same time as the electronic tax return is created, a loan application is processed to create an electronic deposit/loan account for the tax filer at an authorized credit institution. As early as the day after completion of the tax return and loan application, the tax filer receives initial refund payment from the loan account. The authorized credit institution electronically files the electronic tax return with the tax collecting authority which processes the return and transfers by electronic fund transfer the refund amount to the deposit/loan account at the authorized credit institution. Any refund in excess of the initial refund payment is then forwarded to the tax filer. Provision is also made for checking the credit worthiness of the tax filer.

Claims

1. A method of operating at least one programmable electronic data processing machine comprising the programmed steps of:

a) receiving inputted tax preparer data, tax return data and refund payment data from a tax preparer site prepared by a tax preparer and not the tax payer;

b) creating electronic tax return data files from said tax return data;

c) immediately after creating said electronic tax return data files, creating a new, previously unopened electronic deposit account files for said tax return data and said refund payment data to an authorized financial institution and the sole purpose of the account files if for receiving IRS funds to offset against the loan debit;

d) designating said electronic deposit account file at said authorized financial institution as the recipient of electronic funds;

e) electronically transmitting said electronic tax return data files to at least one tax collecting authority;

f) authorizing receipt by said authorized financial institution of tax refund electronic fund transfers, based on said tax return data, from said tax collecting authority;

g) processing said tax return data files and said electronic deposit account files and authorizing payment, at said tax preparer site, by said authorized financial institution from said deposit account files of a tax refund amount based on said tax return data upon completion of tax return processing and electronic fund transfer refund payment by said tax collecting authority,

h) electronically closing said electronic deposit account file after payment of the tax refund amount from the IRS is received by said financial institution to the taxpayer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of deducting processing fees from said refund amount and transmitting at least part of said fees by electronic funds transfer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic tax return data is inputted by an input means into a computer system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said input means includes keyboard input means, visual monitor means, data storage means, data transmission means and programmable data process means for executing said program means for processing said tax preparer data and said tax return data and transmitting said electronic tax return data files and said payment data, to a remote processing center.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said remote processing center includes at least one programmable data processing means for executing said program means for processing payment data and creating electronic deposit account files, for transmitting electronic tax return data to and for authorizing receipt of by said authorized financial institution electronic funds transfer data from, at least one electronic data processing means controlled by at least one tax collecting authority and for executing said program means for processing said tax return data files and said electronic deposit account files and program means for transmitting said files to said authorized financial institution for authorizing payment of a tax refund amount from said electronic deposit account whereby said payment made be made at a tax preparer site upon tax return processing and electronic funds transfer refund payment by said tax collecting authority.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, further including program means for deducting processing fees from said refund amount and program means for transmitting at least a part of said fees by electronic funds transfer.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a check for the loan amount is mailed within twenty-four hours of receipt of the file from the authorized financial institution or in the case of an authorized preparer, will be issued the next day by the preparer.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, which further comprises generating an input validation report, an update report, refund anticipation loan check and check register.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, which further comprises performing a reconciliation for clearing of the cashed refund anticipation loan check whereby the information from the captured check is searched and the refund anticipation loan check information extracted.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, which further comprises removing, from the refund anticipation loan master file and excess refund anticipation loan refund master file, all of the completely cleared items to a history file.

11. A method of operating at least one programmable electronic data processing machine comprising the programmed steps of:

a) receiving tax return data from a taxpayer prepared by a tax preparer and not the taxpayer at said tax preparer'"'"'s site;

b) calculating tax refund data based on the tax return data;

c) inputting said tax refund data and taxpayer identification data into a database on a computer;

d) electronically transmitting taxpayer identification data and the tax refund data to an authorized financial institution;

e) immediately after transmitting said tax refund data to the financial institution, electronically requesting the creation of a single transaction deposit account file at the financial institution and said single transaction deposit account file'"'"'s sole purpose is of receiving IRS funds to offset against the loan debit in the account and electronically receiving information identifying the account file from the financial institution;

f) electronically communicating the taxpayer identification data, tax refund data and the single transaction account file data to at least one tax collecting authority;

g) transmitting authorization to the tax collecting authority to perform tax refund electronic fund transfers based on the tax return data to the single transaction account file;

h) disbursing funds to the taxpayer from the single transaction account file based on the tax refund data; and

i) electronically closing said electronic deposit account file after payment of the tax refund amount to the taxpayer is sent from the IRS by said financial institution.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further including program means for deducting processing fees from said refund amount and program means for transmitting at least a part of said fees by electronic funds transfer.

13. The method of claimed in claim 11, further comprising the steps of deducting processing fees from said refund amount and transmitting at least part of said fees by electronic funds transfer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said computer includes an input means which includes keyboard input means, visual monitor means, data storage means, data transmission means and programmable data processing means for executing said program means for processing said tax preparer data and said tax return data and transmitting said electronic tax return data files and said payment data, to a remote processing center.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said remote processing center includes at least one programmable data processing means for executing said program means for processing payment data and creating electronic deposit account files, for transmitting electronic tax return data to and for authorizing receipt of by said authorized financial institution electronic funds transfer data from, at least one electronic data processing means controlled by at least one tax collecting authority and for executing said program means for processing said tax return data files and said electronic deposit account files and program means for transmitting said files to said authorized financial institution for authorizing payment of a tax refund amount from said electronic deposit account whereby said payment made be made at a tax preparer site upon tax return processing and electronic funds transfer refund payment by said tax collecting authority.