Tax refund system

• US 7,765,132 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: H&R Block Tax Services LLC (H&R Block, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: H&R Block Tax Services LLC (H&R Block, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Robert D., Ernst, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): An; Ig T
• Application Number:
  US11/626,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30, 705/36.T, 705/18, 705/39, 235/380
• US Class Current: 705/30
• 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 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A tax refund system is disclosed in which in exchange for a taxpayer assigning all or a portion of his or her tax refund, a participating provider provides to the taxpayer a spending vehicle with buying power at participating outlets. Tax return data for an individual'"'"'s tax return is processed by the IRS. A taxpayer consents to using a portion of the tax return data to acquire a spending vehicle from a financial institution of the taxpayer'"'"'s choosing. Using a portion of the tax return data, the IRS arranges to electronically transfer an amount related to the taxpayer'"'"'s refund to an account at the financial institution selected by the taxpayer. A taxpayer then receives a spending vehicle such as a credit, debit, or cash card, spending account, coupon, or rebate from a financial institution or other spending vehicle provider such as a retailer, service provider, wholesaler, distributor, or entertainment entity.

Claims

1. A computerized method for providing a tax refund to a taxpayer comprising:

preparing at a computer an electronic tax return for a taxpayer;

determining from said electronic tax return for said taxpayer a tax refund from a taxing authority;

offering said taxpayer an option of receiving at least a portion of said tax refund on a spending vehicle, said spending vehicle provided by a financial institution that agrees;

(a) to accept an assignment of right entitling said financial institution to retain said at least a portion of said tax refund;

(b) to issue said spending vehicle to said taxpayer in exchange for said assignment of right; and

(c) to issue said spending vehicle in an amount greater than said at least a portion of said tax refund assigned to said financial institution;

receiving from said taxpayer an assignment of right allocating said at least a portion of said tax refund to said financial institution and entitling said financial institution rather than said taxpayer to receive and retain said at least a portion of said tax refund in exchange for issuing said spending vehicle and wherein said assignment does not further comprise a loan agreement between said taxpayer and said financial institution wherein said loan agreement is subject to regulatory banking laws;

electronically filing with said taxing authority said electronic tax return for said taxpayer;

receiving at a third party computer from said taxing authority assurance that said tax refund is forthcoming; and

transmitting electronically from said third party computer to a computer at said financial institution information to assist in issuing said spending vehicle to said taxpayer.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein receiving from said taxing authority assurance that said tax refund is forthcoming comprises receiving from said taxing authority said tax refund.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein said spending vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a debit card, a cash card, a gift card, an e-wallet account, a spending account, a coupon, a discount certificate, and rebate certificate.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein preparing a tax return for a taxpayer comprises using a commercially available software package.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein preparing a tax return for a taxpayer comprises using a tax preparation company to prepare a tax return for said taxpayer.

6. The computerized method of claim 5 further comprising deducting tax return preparation fees from said tax refund when said tax refund is received from said taxing authority.

7. A computerized system for providing a tax refund to a taxpayer comprising:

tax preparation software executing at a computer for preparing a tax return for a taxpayer;

tax return data from said tax preparation software executing at said computer, said tax return data comprising a tax refund amount for said taxpayer;

spending vehicle selection data at said computer related to said taxpayer'"'"'s acceptance of an option to receive at least a portion of said tax refund amount on a spending vehicle provided by a financial institution that agrees to accept an assignment of rights allocating said at least a portion of said tax refund to said financial institution rather than said taxpayer and to issue said spending vehicle to said taxpayer in an amount greater than said at least a portion of said tax refund amount in exchange for said assignment;

an assignment of rights from said taxpayer allocating at least a portion of said tax refund amount to said financial institution and entitling said financial institution rather than said taxpayer to receive and retain said at least a portion of said tax refund in exchange for issuing said spending vehicle wherein said assignment does not comprise a loan agreement between said taxpayer and said financial institution wherein said loan agreement is subject to regulatory banking laws;

filed tax return data comprising an assurance from said taxing authority that said tax refund is forthcoming; and

electronic tax return information provided electronically to said financial institution to assist said financial institution in issuing a spending vehicle to said taxpayer according to said spending vehicle selection data and said assignment.

8. The computerized system of claim 7 wherein said assurance that said tax refund is forthcoming comprises receipt of said tax refund from said taxing authority.

9. The computerized system of claim 7 wherein said spending vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a debit card, a cash card, a gift card, an e-wallet account, a spending account, a coupon, a discount certificate, and rebate certificate.

10. The computerized system of claim 7 wherein said tax preparation software is a commercially available software package.

11. The computerized system of claim 7 wherein said tax preparation software is used by a tax preparation company to prepare a tax return for said taxpayer.

12. The computerized system of claim 11 further comprising tax return preparation fees deducted from said tax refund when said tax refund is received from said taxing authority.

13. A computerized system for providing a tax refund to a taxpayer comprising:

tax return data at a computerized system for a taxpayer, said tax return data comprising a tax refund amount for said taxpayer;

a spending vehicle selected by said taxpayer, said spending vehicle provided to said taxpayer by a third party that agrees to accept from said taxpayer only a right to receive a deposited tax refund in at least a portion of said tax refund amount and to issue said spending vehicle to said taxpayer in an amount greater than said at least a portion of said tax refund amount and only in exchange for a right to receive said deposited tax refund;

an assignment from said taxpayer evidencing said right of said third party to receive only a deposited tax refund in exchange for said spending vehicle wherein said assignment of right;

(1) entitles said third party to receive and retain said deposited tax refund rather than said taxpayer; and

(2) does not comprise a loan agreement with a lending institution that is subject to regulatory banking laws;

a deposited tax refund received and retained by said third party rather than said taxpayer; and

electronic tax return information provided from said computerized system to a computer for said third party to assist in issuing a spending vehicle to said taxpayer according to said assignment between taxpayer and said third party.

14. The computerized system of claim 13 wherein said third party is a provider of said spending vehicle.

15. The computerized system of claim 13 wherein said third party is a financial institution that issues said spending vehicle to said taxpayer on behalf of a spending vehicle provider.

16. The computerized system of claim 13 wherein said spending vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a debit card, a cash card, a gift card, an e-wallet account, a spending account, a coupon, a discount certificate, and rebate certificate.

17. The computerized system of claim 13 wherein said tax return data is from a commercially available software package that said taxpayer uses to prepare a tax return.

18. The computerized system of claim 13 wherein said tax return data is from a tax preparation company that prepares a tax return for said taxpayer.

19. The computerized system of claim 13 further comprising tax return preparation fees deducted from said deposited tax refund.