Patent ID: 8612347

Claim:
A method for avoiding assessment of a late fee against a billing account for failure to make a minimum payment by a due date, said method comprising: a) electronically causing information for said billing account to be stored in computer memory, said information comprising a billing account identifier; b) electronically causing one or more computer processors to determine a payment amount for said billing account, said payment amount being adequate to avoid assessment of a late fee; c) electronically causing said payment amount to be stored in computer memory in linked association with said billing account identifier; d) utilizing credit available under said billing account to fund said payment amount and causing said billing account to be credited by said payment amount no later than the due date, thereby avoiding a late fee against said billing account; e) electronically causing said funding to be recorded in computer memory in linked association with said billing account identifier; and f) electronically causing said payment to be recorded in computer memory in linked association with said billing account identifier.