Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for assisting financial services firms and their representatives in efficiently managing their businesses, and in developing and maintaining strong customer service and loyalty. An integrated, preferably web based browser operated system is provided that uses one or more central databases to store customer, account, accounting, compliance, and other relevant information. Interfaces and tools are also provided for accessing the one or more central databases in a manner that is consistent with and supports how a representative actually works.

Abstract: A funds transfer system is disclosed that is responsive to a receipt of a payment request by performing a risk management assessment of an associated payer and payee. If the risk management assessment produces an adverse indication, the payment request is declined. Otherwise, the payment request may be processed by causing funds to be transferred between the payer and payee. The risk management assessment may be performed on the basis of credit and/or authentication information derived from customer information received with or prior to the payment request. Such customer information may, for example, include credit card account information and/or bank account information.

Abstract: A payment request associated with a transfer of funds is received and a risk management assessment for both sides thereof is performed. If the risk management assessment procedure produces an adverse indication, the payment request is declined. Otherwise, the payment request may be processed for delivery of a payment associated therewith. The risk management assessment may be performed on the basis of credit/authentication information derived from customer information received with (or even prior to) the payment request. Such customer information may include credit card account information and/or bank account information (e.g., checking account) information. In some cases, the risk management assessment may include an automated component and a manual (non-automated) component. Such a manual component may be needed where the automated component of the risk management assessment provides suspect information regarding one of the parties to the transaction.

Abstract: Providing interest to clients' deposited funds without the legal limitation on the number of demand withdrawals from deposit accounts is accomplished by an administration system that keeps all of the records for the clients' deposits and withdrawals, calculates the total of the deposits and withdrawals for all clients, and uses the calculation to determine whether funds are deposited to or withdrawn from a single deposit account in which all clients' deposit funds are kept. Clients can make unlimited withdrawals, such as by check, credit card, debit card, or electronic transfer, through the administrator. By placing the administrator as the holder of a single account, legal exemptions to the limitation on earning interest in demand accounts is facilitated.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for a card that allows a cardholder to set up auto-charge payment of dues and fees to a series of clubs, merchants or service providers. The card also may be used for other transactions that accept credit cards. The apparatus includes a database containing information of the associated clubs, merchants and service providers, so that applicants and cardholders can easily configure auto-charging for multiple business concerns in one sitting. The apparatus may process auto-charge transactions in an automated fashion without requiring a cardholder to submit payment authorization or the business concern to submit a charge for each payment. Inconvenience and administrative costs to the cardholder and the business concern are reduced. The system and method provide a competitive advantage to the associated business concerns to secure the initial account and then to maintain it.

Abstract: A method and system for prompting a repeat user of a payment card at an interface terminal with additional security-related questions when the user selects responses that deviate from his or her typical selections. The payment card is read at the terminal, its line of credit is authorized, and a profile of the user's purchasing habits is retrieved. The user then enters his or her current selection of options. A determination is then made as to whether the user's current selections match his or her user profile. If the user's current selections match the user profile, the process allows the user to obtain the services or facilities. If the user's current selections do not match the user profile, the process queries the user with additional security questions to ascertain whether the current user is an authorized user. If the user is unable to answer the security questions correctly, the process prevents the user from accessing the services or facilities.

Abstract: Implementing an electronic calendar can include accessing a first electronic calendar owned by a first party, accessing a second electronic calendar owned by a second party, and presenting a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars. Source information for each of the first and second electronic calendars may be electronically maintained. The combined view may be updated electronically to reflect a change to at least one of the existing entries from within at least one of the first and second electronic calendars. Electronic calendars may be accessed and overlaid without importing events, thus enabling simple updating. Event information may be imported and source or other attributes may be associated with imported information to enable updating and other sorting functions.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method and system are provided for facilitating the output of an offer to an account holder of a financial account, which offer the account holder may accept via a check being presented by the account holder as payment for a transaction. For example, the account holder may alter an indicium on the check to indicate acceptance of the offer. An example of an offer is an offer to sell to the account holder transactional overdraft protection for the transaction for which a check is provided as payment. Another example of an offer to provide a benefit to the account holder in exchange for a commitment by the account holder to an obligation. Such an offer may be provided by, for example, a merchant different than the merchant at which the check is being provided as payment for a transaction. In one or more embodiments, the offer or an indication of the offer may be printed on the check or handwritten on the check.

Abstract: A payment administration system includes a system administrator, customer and merchant interfaces, and a database. The payment administrative system also includes bank interfaces, credit agency interfaces to facilitate automatic, paperless transactions rapidly. The customer is permitted to set a number of purchase and payment parameters, such as hours of use, goods or services category, and daily limits. The payment administration system generates real-time notification of any action occurring on the customer's account and permits continuous monitoring of the status of each transaction in real time.

Abstract: Transaction structures for issuing inflation-linked securities are disclosed. According to various embodiments, the transaction structure includes an entity purchasing fixed income securities issued by an issuer. The fixed income securities may have been previously issued by the issuer as part of a single, previous offering by the issuer or they could be newly issued by the issuer to the entity. The method also includes the entity and a swap counterparty entering into an inflation swap agreement. The inflation swap agreement obligates the entity to make periodic fixed payments to the swap counterparty in exchange for periodic floating payments from the swap counterparty dependent upon an inflation index, such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The method further comprises issuing, by the entity, inflation-linked securities to investors. The inflation-linked securities, which may be bonds, may have a principal amount and/or an interest rate that is indexed to the inflation index.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods to provide a payment. The systems and methods provide techniques to provide customers one-click access to a plurality of websites and to enable customers to provide payments electronically. The provider may store access information for the plurality of websites and provide the access information to the websites at the request of the customer. Additionally, the provider may enable the customers to provide payments from a plurality of different financial accounts electronically.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and a system for dynamically adjusting discount rates for a closed loop transaction. A computer implemented method for dynamically adjusting discount rates for a card transaction comprises the steps of identifying credit worthiness of at least one consumer; assigning a credit level to a line of credit associated with a credit product for the at least one consumer wherein the credit product is accepted at an identified one or more merchants; assigning a financing charge to the line of credit; determining a discount rate based at least in part on the credit worthiness of the at least one consumer; and applying the discount rate when at least one transaction is made with the credit product; wherein the applied discount rate is adjusted based on the credit worthiness of the at least one consumer.

Abstract: A method of providing a best bid and a best offer to a buyer, including receiving one or more offers to sell a commodity according to a predetermined contract at one or more specified prices. The specified prices are adjusted based on shipping costs associated with a destination specified by the buyer. A best offer is determined from the adjusted prices. A source location is determined corresponding to the best offer price. One or more bids are received to purchase the commodity. A best bid is determined corresponding to the source location. The best bid is adjusted based on the shipping cost between the source location and the destination and the adjusted best bid and the best otter are transferred to the buyer over a computer network for display by a networked host.

Abstract: A system and method for providing market information are disclosed. In this application, updates are received for a tradeable object at a price level from at least one exchange. To the extent that the updates do not include enough details to compute the number of orders resting at a particular price level in a market, estimation may be used to provide order queue information. As a result, the number of orders which are pending in the market at various price levels may be determined using the techniques described herein. The interface disclosed herein may be used to display the number and/or quantity of the orders in the order queue.

Abstract: An improved interface and display method is disclosed for clearly delineating a characteristic of a data item through a visual indicator. In the case of stock quotes, price and volume information available online may be real-time, delayed, opening, closing or after-hours. To identify such time distinctions, different color/symbol visual indicators are used, such as, for example, different colored traffic lights corresponding to the various types of data. The invention is particularly useful for complying with various trading exchange regulations in small form factor display applications, as such regulations can vary from exchange to exchange, and at the same time require clear delineation to an end user as to the type of information being viewed.

Abstract: A database tracks acquired and relinquished assets and permits assets to be combined for like kind exchanges to realize a tax benefit. Relinquished assets that have been depreciated to recover a tax benefit are matched with acquired assets and a like kind exchange takes place though a qualified intermediary. The tax basis for the relinquished assets is transferred to the acquired assets and a further tax benefit is obtained. A processing engine provides notification of transaction details to appropriate parties, and records completed transactions. A qualified intermediary conducts the like kind exchanges to provide a buffer between the asset manager and realizations resulting from exchange transactions. A trustee bank provides finding for purchase and sale of assets, and all transaction information is recorded in a database suitable for providing required regulatory reports.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for assisting a user in clearing payments against vouchers in a financial system. A payment requiring user attention may be displayed to the user in an interface of the financial system. The financial system may automatically suggest at least one voucher to balance the payment. The user may also select at least one voucher to balance the payment from a plurality of available vouchers. If the difference between the payment and the combined total of the selected vouchers equals zero, the financial system may allow the user to clear the payment against the selected vouchers. If the system-suggested vouchers are not the ones the user would choose for clearing the payment, the financial system may allow the user to select vouchers to clear the payment.

Abstract: The invention comprises a risk model and data, and is provided on a secure Web-based, interactive platform, whereby a user can build customized risk analyses and reports, covering multiple asset classes and markets. The invention also organizes and categorizes assets along dimensions best reflecting a user's investment process, determines risk assumed, determines sources of risk, allows viewing of a portfolio's risk exposures, identifies and quantifies sources of volatility, provides streamlined risk reporting, and provides a trade scenario utility.

Abstract: A host device exchanging information with a memory card, the host device including: a charge management module configured to receive payment of a charge corresponding to an increased amount of a usable area if a capacity of the usable area of the memory card for saving user data is increased, and pay out a charge corresponding to the reduced amount of the usable area if the capacity of the usable area is reduced; and a transmission module configured to transmit an area changing command to instruct an increase or a reduction of the usable area in accordance with the charge to the memory card.

Abstract: A conversion function for converting between the euro and other currencies is provided that converts a value in one type of currency to a value in another type of currency according to EU-specified conversion rules and rounding rules. The conversion function may utilize full-precision computation or may convert the value utilizing a user-supplied number of significant digits. A method and apparatus for formatting the results of a conversion in a user-modifiable euro style is also provided. A formatting toolbar button is supplied that when selected applies a euro style to a selected currency value or range of values. A conversion wizard for converting a group of values or functions between the euro and other currencies is also provided. The wizard permits user-selected formula handling options to be selected at the time of conversion. A toolbar for viewing the results of the conversion is also provided.