Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that provides data associated with a financial instrument through real-time virtual animation anchored to the financial instrument in a video stream. During operation, the system receives at a computer system a video stream, wherein the video stream includes an image of a financial instrument, and wherein a financial instrument is a physical object that is associated with at least one of a financial account and financial data. Next, the system identifies the financial instrument in the video stream. The system then retrieves data associated with the financial instrument from a data source. Next, the system creates an animation which displays the data. Once the animation is created, the system anchors the animation to the financial instrument in the video stream. Finally, the system displays the video stream which includes the animation to a user.

Abstract: A method for saving money through payroll withholding, including: obtaining, for a tax year, a projected tax liability of an employee and a target savings amount selected by the employee; identifying, for the tax year, multiple pay periods for the employee; calculating multiple of tax withholding amounts for the multiple pay periods based on the projected tax liability; calculating multiple savings withholding amounts for the multiple pay periods based on the target savings amount; withholding the multiple tax withholding amounts and the multiple savings withholding amounts from multiple paychecks of the employee corresponding to the multiple pay periods; sending the multiple tax withholding amounts to a tax authority for paying the projected tax liability; and disbursing the target savings amount from a financial account funded by the multiple savings withholding amounts.