Method and system for debt deferment

• US 6,315,196 B1
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bachman, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/301,247
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 705/41, 705/39, 705/40, 235/380, 235/382, 235/375, 379/144
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

A computerized method and system for automatic deferment of debt on a credit account of a customer of a financial institution includes a credit protector system of the financial institution which receives a request for enrollment for the customer and automatically marks a file for the credit account with information about enrollment for activation of deferment of debt on the account upon verification of an event such as hospitalization, unemployment, disability or family leave of the customer. The account file is also marked with a maximum fee charge date counter which automatically prompts transmittal of a fee charge paid up notice to the customer when the maximum fee charge period expires. Information about verification of the event is transmitted to the credit protector system for the customer, and the credit protector system of the financial institution automatically marks the credit account file with an indicator for activation of a deferment benefit for the credit account, including for example, zeroing the minimum payment due. Likewise, the account file is also marked with a maximum benefit duration date counter, and the maximum benefit duration date counter automatically prompts the credit protector system of the financial institution to mark the account file with a benefit deactivation indicator when the maximum benefit period expires.

Claims

1. A method of debt deferment for at least one credit account of a customer of a financial institution, comprising:

marking a file by a credit protection system server of the financial institution for at least one credit account of the customer of the financial institution with information about enrollment of the customer for activation of a deferment benefit on the account upon verification of an event consisting of one of the customer and a household member of the customer involuntarily becoming at least one of unemployed, hospitalized, disabled, and on family leave, and sending the enrollment information to an administrator;

receiving information for the customer by the administrator about verification of the event, and sending notice of verification of the event to the credit protection server by the administrator; and

automatically marking the account file by the credit protection system server with an indicator for activation of the deferment benefit consisting of at least one of a zero minimum payment due, no adverse credit reporting, no fee accrual, and no new credit card charges on the account, and marking the account file by the credit protection system server with a maximum deferment benefit duration date counter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a mainframe computer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising billing the customer a fee for the enrollment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein billing the customer a fee further comprises billing a predetermined percentage of an average outstanding balance on the credit account.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein billing a predetermined percentage further comprises billing up to a predetermined maximum amount.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein marking the file with enrollment information further comprises marking the file with a maximum fee charge date counter.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the maximum fee charge date counter automatically marking the account file with a fee charge paid up indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the financial institution automatically sending a notice of the activation of the deferment benefit to the customer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the maximum benefit duration date counter automatically marking the file with an indicator for deactivation of the deferment benefit.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about termination of the event for the customer to the financial institution.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the financial institution automatically marking the file with an indicator for deactivation of the deferment benefit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein marking the file with enrollment information further comprises sending a request for enrollment with the enrollment information for the customer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending the request to the financial institution.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the request through an enrollment channel of the financial institution.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the enrollment channel comprises one of a telemarketer, a direct mail coupon, a credit application, a bangtail, a customer service representative on a telephone, a statement coupon, and a computer network.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending the request to a credit protector system of the financial information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the credit protector system automatically processing the request for enrollment for the customer.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the customer transmitting the information about verification of the event to the administrator.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the administrator automatically sending a fulfillment kit for the enrollment to the customer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the administrator comprises a server.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the server comprises a mainframe computer.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the financial institution marking the file with information about cancellation of enrollment for deferment of debt on the account.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein marking the file with the cancellation information further comprises the financial institution analyzing adverse credit information about the customer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein marking the file with the cancellation information further comprises sending the cancellation information for the customer to the financial institution.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising the financial institution automatically sending a notice of the cancellation to the customer.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising the financial institution marking the file with information about re-enrollment for deferment of debt on the account.

27. A system of debt deferment for at least one credit account of a customer of a financial institution, comprising:

means for marking a file for at least one credit account of the customer of the financial institution by a credit protection system server of the financial institution with information about enrollment of the customer for activation of a deferment benefit on the account upon verification of an event consisting of one of the customer and a household member of the customer involuntarily becoming at least one of unemployed, hospitalized, disabled, and on family leave, and sending the enrollment information to an administrator;

means for receiving information for the customer by the administrator about verification of the event, and sending notice of verification of the event to the credit protection server by the administrator; and

means for automatically marking the account file by the credit protection system server with an indicator for activation of the deferment benefit consisting of at least one of a zero minimum payment due, no adverse credit reporting, no fee accrual, and no new credit card charges on the account, and marking the account file by the credit protection system server with a maximum deferment benefit duration date counter.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the server comprises a mainframe computer.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the transmitting means comprises a computer network.

30. A method of providing debt deferment to a debtor, comprising:

establishing conditions for enrollment of a debtor in a debt deferment program which includes a debt deferment benefit;

establishing conditions for continued membership in the debt deferment program which must be met by the debtor if the debtor has not satisfied conditions for vesting of the debt deferment benefit;

establishing conditions for vesting of the debt deferment benefit whereby the debtor obtains the right to activate the debt deferment benefit after the debtor has satisfied the conditions for vesting;

establishing conditions for activation of the debt deferment benefit;

enrolling the debtor into the debt deferment program who has met the conditions for enrollment; and

permitting the debtor to activate the debt deferment benefit when the conditions for activation have been met by the debtor and the debtor has met either the conditions for continued membership in the debt deferment program or the conditions for vesting of the debt deferment benefit.

31. A method of providing debt deferment to a credit card holder, comprising:

establishing conditions for enrollment of a credit card holder in a debt deferment program which includes a debt deferment benefit;

enrolling the credit card holder into the debt deferment program who meets the conditions for enrollment;

charging the credit card holder who is enrolled in the debt deferment program a fee for participation in the debt deferment program which is proportional to the amount of the debt owed by the credit card holder;

establishing conditions for vesting of the debt deferment benefit whereby the credit card holder will be entitled to activate the debt deferment benefit without continued payment of the fee for participation in the debt deferment program;

establishing conditions for activation of the debt deferment benefit; and

permitting the credit card holder to activate the debt deferment benefit when the conditions for activation and either the condition for vesting has been satisfied or the credit card holder has paid the fee for participation in the debt deferment program.