Goal orientated computing system implemented financial management using projected balances

• US 7,899,750 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Klieman, Michael S., Feldmeier, Tara
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi; Hani
• Assistant Examiner(s): MADAMBA, CLIFFORD B
• Application Number:
  US11/554,823
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method and apparatus for goal orientated computing system implemented financial management using projected balances includes a process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances whereby a user defines financial goals and then automatic payment rules based on projected account balance data are created to help accomplish those goals.

Claims

1. A computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances comprising:

providing, through execution on a computing system including a processor and memory coupled to the processor, the memory having processor executable instructions stored therein to perform a process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances, a computing system implemented financial management system, the computing system implemented financial management system including a projected balance feature, the projected balance feature being used to predict future balances of one or more selected accounts associated with computing system implemented financial management system using historical financial data or recurring financial activities associated with the one or more selected accounts, the computing system being configured to create automatic payments rules to support goals;

selecting, through the computing system, a financial account from the one or more associated financial accounts;

defining, through the computing system, a financial goal; and

creating, by the computing system, at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions through the selected account, the at least one automatic payment rule being created to support the defined financial goal,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and implemented based on projected account data generated by the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

2. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and manually implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

3. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and automatically implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

4. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and semi-automatically implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

5. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to maintaining a defined minimum balance in the selected account.

6. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 5,

wherein creating, through the computing system, at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating, through the computing system, an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on a predicted deposit being made to ensure the defined minimum balance is maintained.

7. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to maximizing an average balance in the selected account over a defined time period.

8. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 7,

wherein creating, through the computing system, at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating, through the computing system, an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on a predicted deposit being made to maximize the average balance in the selected account over the defined time period.

9. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to paying defined high priority bills from the selected account before paying defined lower priority bills from the selected account.

10. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 9,

wherein creating, through the computing system, at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating, through the computing system, an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more defined lower priority bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on payments to the defined high priority accounts being processed.

11. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to funding one or more user savings programs.

12. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 11,

wherein creating, through the computing system, at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating, through the computing system, an automatic payment rule whereby uncommitted funds for a defined period of time are calculated by the projected balance feature and those funds are transferred to the one or more user savings programs in a prioritized order.

13. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 1,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to minimizing interest paid on credit accounts.

14. The computing system implemented process for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 13,

wherein creating, through the computing system, at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating, through the computing system, an automatic payment rule whereby uncommitted funds for a defined period of time are calculated by the projected balance feature and those funds are directed to one or more defined high interest credit accounts.

15. A system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances comprising:

a computing processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein processor executable instructions for executing a process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances, the process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances comprising;

providing a computing system implemented financial management system having a projected balance feature;

interfacing with the computing system implemented financial management system and projected balance feature, the computing system implemented financial management system having one or more associated financial accounts;

selecting a financial account from the one or more associated financial accounts;

defining a financial goal; and

creating, automatically by the process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions through the selected account, the at least one automatic payment rule being created to support the defined financial goal,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and implemented based on projected account data provided from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

16. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and manually implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

17. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and automatically implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

18. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and semi-automatically implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

19. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to maintaining a defined minimum balance in the selected account.

20. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 19,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on a predicted deposit being made to ensure the defined minimum balance is maintained.

21. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to maximizing an average balance in the selected account over a defined time period.

22. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 21,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on a predicted deposit being made to maximize the average balance in the selected account over the defined time period.

23. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to paying defined high priority bills from the selected account before paying defined lower priority bills from the selected account.

24. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 23,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more defined lower priority bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on payments to the defined high priority accounts being processed.

25. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to funding one or more user savings programs.

26. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 25,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby uncommitted funds for a defined period of time are calculated by the projected balance feature and those funds are transferred to the one or more user savings programs in a prioritized order.

27. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 15,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to minimizing interest paid on credit accounts.

28. The system for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 27,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby uncommitted funds for a defined period of time are calculated by the projected balance feature and those funds are directed to one or more defined high interest credit accounts.

29. A computer program product for goal oriented financial management using projected balances comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

,

computer program code, encoded on the computer readable medium, comprising computer readable instructions which when executed by a computing processor, perform a process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances comprising;

interfacing with a computing system implemented financial management system, the computing system implemented financial management system including a projected balance feature, the projected balance feature being used to predict future balances of one or more selected accounts associated with computing system implemented financial management system using historical financial data or recurring financial activities associated with the one or more selected accounts;

selecting a financial account from the one or more associated financial accounts;

defining a financial goal; and

creating, automatically by the process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions through the selected account, the at least one automatic payment rule being created to support the defined financial goal;

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and implemented based on projected account data provided from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

30. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and manually implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

31. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and automatically implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

32. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the at least one automatic payment rule is created and semi-automatically implemented based on projected account data from the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature.

33. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to maintaining a defined minimum balance in the selected account.

34. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 33,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on a predicted deposit being made to ensure the defined minimum balance is maintained.

35. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to maximizing an average balance in the selected account over a defined time period.

36. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 35,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on a predicted deposit being made to maximize the average balance in the selected account over the defined time period.

37. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to paying defined high priority bills from the selected account before paying defined lower priority bills from the selected account.

38. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 37,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby the payment of one or more defined lower priority bills from the selected account is delayed until after a date determined by the projected balance feature, the date being determined by the projected balance feature based on payments to the defined high priority accounts being processed.

39. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to funding one or more user savings programs.

40. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 39,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby uncommitted funds for a defined period of time are calculated by the projected balance feature and those funds are transferred to the one or more user savings programs in a prioritized order.

41. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 29,

wherein the defined financial goal is related to minimizing interest paid on credit accounts.

42. The computer program product for goal orientated financial management using projected balances of claim 41,

wherein creating at least one automatic payment rule for performing financial transactions using the selected account comprises creating an automatic payment rule whereby uncommitted funds for a defined period of time are calculated by the projected balance feature and those funds are directed to one or more defined high interest credit accounts.

43. A system for goal oriented financial management using projected balances comprising:

a computing system;

a computing system implemented financial management system, the computing system implemented financial management system including a projected balance feature, the projected balance feature being used to predict future balances of one or more selected accounts associated with computing system implemented financial management system using historical financial data or recurring financial activities associated with the one or more selected accounts; and

a computing processor coupled to a memory, the memory having processor executable instructions stored therein for a process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances, the processor for executing the process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances, the process for goal oriented financial management using projected balances comprising;

interfacing with the computing system implemented financial management system and projected balance feature, the computing system implemented financial management system having one or more associated financial accounts;

selecting a financial account from the one or more associated financial accounts;

defining at least two different financial goals;

selecting a level of automation for the system, wherein a high level of automation configures the system to create automatic payment rules and make payments supporting the defined goals without requiring further user input, and where a low level of automation configures the system so that the user must approve each payment before the payment is sent, and where an intermediate level of automation configures the system to require user approval for payments either falling outside predefined first criteria or alternatively meeting certain predefined second criteria, the system being capable of considering criteria comprising payment amount and the timeframe of the payment;

creating at least one different automatic payment rule for each of the individual ones of the two financial goals, the automatic payment rules being created and implemented based on projected account data generated by the computing system implemented financial management system projected balance feature;

the system being configured to create automatic payments rules to support goals, the goals including minimizing interest paid out by the user, maximizing interest paid in to the user, maximizing the average balance in a selected high interest bearing account, and maintaining a minimum balance in a selected account;

the system being further configured to create rules including paying specific bills on specific dates based on data obtained from the projected balance feature, making a first payment on a first credit account to satisfy the minimum payment by the due date and making a second payment against the first credit account after a known recurring deposit is due to have been made into the selected financial account;

wherein, if there is a conflict between the automatic payment rules supporting the two different financial goals the user is requested to approve one or more of those automatic payment rules prior to payments under the one or more conflicting automatic payment rules being made.