Financial Account Management

Abstract

An automated account management system provides a user with the ability to establish rules that dictate how the account management system is to manage the user's accounts. Once the user specifies a set of rules, the system automatically manages multiple accounts across multiple financial institutions in accordance with the user-defined rules. Other features, such as an on-line bill payment system, a money transfer system, and a retirement planning system, may be integrated within the automated account management system to provide the user with even greater control over his or her financial assets.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 retrieving, by one or more computers, a first financial management rule for managing one or more personal financial accounts at a financial institution;   retrieving by the one or more computers, a second financial management rule for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution;   identifying, by the one or more computers, a conflict between the first financial management rule for managing the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule, with the conflict corresponding to when execution of the first financial management rule by the one or more computers will cause a violation of the second financial management rule by the one or more computers;   receiving conflict resolution information to resolve the conflict; and   based on the conflict resolution information, resolving the conflict between the first financial management rule for managing the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implement method of  claim 4 , wherein the first financial management rule specifies a first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; and
 wherein the second financial management rule specifies a second, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 following resolution of the conflict between the first financial management rule, which includes the first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule:
 selecting the first financial management rule for execution; 
 calculating an actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; 
 detecting, by the one or more computers, that the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution differs from the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; 
 determining an amount of funds to be transferred between the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution and another personal financial account, the amount of funds to be transferred to maintain the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution in accordance with the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; and 
 causing by the one or more computers a transfer of funds in the determined amount from the other personal financial account to the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution. 
   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 following resolution of the conflict between the first financial management rule, which includes the first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule:
 selecting the first financial management rule for execution; 
 calculating an actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; 
 detecting, by the one or more computers, that the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution differs from the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; 
 determining an amount of funds to be transferred between the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution and another personal financial account, the amount of funds to be transferred to maintain the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution in accordance with the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; and 
 causing by the one or more computers a transfer of funds in the determined amount from the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution to the other personal financial account. 
   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first financial management rule and the second financial management rule specifies one of a minimum balance for the one or more personal financial accounts or a maximum balance for the one or more personal financial accounts. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 causing a transfer of financial resources between at least one of the one or more personal financial accounts and another financial account, based on execution of a financial management rule that is executed following resolution of the conflict. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 transmitting a notification message to a user indicating that the financial resources have been transferred. 
 
     
     
         11 . One or more machine-readable hardware storage devices storing instructions that are executable by one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
 retrieving a first financial management rule for managing one or more personal financial accounts at a financial institution;   retrieving a second financial management rule for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution;   identifying a conflict between the first financial management rule for managing the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule, with the conflict corresponding to when execution of the first financial management rule by the one or more computers will cause a violation of the second financial management rule by the one or more computers;   receiving conflict resolution information to resolve the conflict; and   based on the conflict resolution information, resolving the conflict between the first financial management rule for managing the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule.   
     
     
         12 . The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of  claim 11 , wherein the first financial management rule specifies a first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; and
 wherein the second financial management rule specifies a second, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution.   
     
     
         13 . The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 following resolution of the conflict between the first financial management rule, which includes the first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule:
 selecting the first financial management rule for execution; 
 calculating an actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; 
 detecting, by the one or more computers, that the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution differs from the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; 
 determining an amount of funds to be transferred between the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution and another personal financial account, the amount of funds to be transferred to maintain the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution in accordance with the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; and 
 causing by the one or more computers a transfer of funds in the determined amount from the other personal financial account to the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution. 
   
     
     
         14 . The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 following resolution of the conflict between the first financial management rule, which includes the first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule:
 selecting the first financial management rule for execution; 
 calculating an actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; 
 detecting, by the one or more computers, that the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution differs from the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; 
 determining an amount of funds to be transferred between the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution and another personal financial account, the amount of funds to be transferred to maintain the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution in accordance with the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; and 
 causing by the one or more computers a transfer of funds in the determined amount from the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution to the other personal financial account. 
   
     
     
         15 . The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first financial management rule and the second financial management rule specifies one of a minimum balance for the one or more personal financial accounts or a maximum balance for the one or more personal financial accounts. 
     
     
         16 . The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 causing a transfer of financial resources between at least one of the one or more personal financial accounts and another financial account, based on execution of a financial management rule that is executed following resolution of the conflict.   
     
     
         17 . The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 transmitting a notification message to a user indicating that the financial resources have been transferred.   
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 one or more processing devices; and   one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
 retrieving a first financial management rule for managing one or more personal financial accounts at a financial institution; 
 retrieving a second financial management rule for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; 
 identifying a conflict between the first financial management rule for managing the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule, with the conflict corresponding to when execution of the first financial management rule by the one or more computers will cause a violation of the second financial management rule by the one or more computers; 
 receiving conflict resolution information to resolve the conflict; and 
 based on the conflict resolution information, resolving the conflict between the first financial management rule for managing the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first financial management rule specifies a first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; and
 wherein the second financial management rule specifies a second, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 following resolution of the conflict between the first financial management rule, which includes the first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule:
 selecting the first financial management rule for execution; 
 calculating an actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; 
 detecting, by the one or more computers, that the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution differs from the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; 
 determining an amount of funds to be transferred between the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution and another personal financial account, the amount of funds to be transferred to maintain the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution in accordance with the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; and 
 causing by the one or more computers a transfer of funds in the determined amount from the other personal financial account to the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 following resolution of the conflict between the first financial management rule, which includes the first, target balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution, and the second financial management rule:
 selecting the first financial management rule for execution; 
 calculating an actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution; 
 detecting, by the one or more computers, that the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution differs from the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; 
 determining an amount of funds to be transferred between the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution and another personal financial account, the amount of funds to be transferred to maintain the actual balance for the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution in accordance with the first, target balance included in the first financial management rule; and 
 causing by the one or more computers a transfer of funds in the determined amount from the one or more personal financial accounts at the financial institution to the other personal financial account. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first financial management rule and the second financial management rule specifies one of a minimum balance for the one or more personal financial accounts or a maximum balance for the one or more personal financial accounts. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 causing a transfer of financial resources between at least one of the one or more personal financial accounts and another financial account, based on execution of a financial management rule that is executed following resolution of the conflict.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 transmitting a notification message to a user indicating that the financial resources have been transferred.