Abstract: Systems and methods for issuing and managing flexible loans are described. Payments on such flexible loans may be applied according to a prescribed set of rules, and a borrower may be permitted to withdraw funds from a flexible loan account or skip a payment on the flexible loan account if one or more criteria are met.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for operating an automated reward system through a financial institution over a network for merchants that have enrolled in the institution's reward program and for users that have a banking account at the institution associated with the reward program. The system includes a transaction module coupled to the institution for managing enrollment in and processing of purchase information associated with the program. The method includes receiving information at the institution about a first purchase by an enrolled user at an enrolled merchant; determining if the first purchase and the user qualified for such merchant's reward program; assigning monetary credit to the user's account in connection with such first purchase which may be applied towards a future purchase by the user at the enrolled merchant; receiving information at the institution about a second purchase by the user at the enrolled merchant; and applying the previous credit toward payment of the second purchase.

Abstract: A method carried out by processing a purchase by a user at a merchant; submitting purchase information to a financial institution; and assigning credit to the user according to the purchase and reward program terms tailored for the merchant.