Patent ID: 7765132

Claim:
A computerized method for providing a tax refund to a taxpayer comprising: preparing at a computer an electronic tax return for a taxpayer; determining from said electronic tax return for said taxpayer a tax refund from a taxing authority; offering said taxpayer an option of receiving at least a portion of said tax refund on a spending vehicle, said spending vehicle provided by a financial institution that agrees: (a) to accept an assignment of right entitling said financial institution to retain said at least a portion of said tax refund; (b) to issue said spending vehicle to said taxpayer in exchange for said assignment of right; and (c) to issue said spending vehicle in an amount greater than said at least a portion of said tax refund assigned to said financial institution; receiving from said taxpayer an assignment of right allocating said at least a portion of said tax refund to said financial institution and entitling said financial institution rather than said taxpayer to receive and retain said at least a portion of said tax refund in exchange for issuing said spending vehicle and wherein said assignment does not further comprise a loan agreement between said taxpayer and said financial institution wherein said loan agreement is subject to regulatory banking laws; electronically filing with said taxing authority said electronic tax return for said taxpayer; receiving at a third party computer from said taxing authority assurance that said tax refund is forthcoming; and transmitting electronically from said third party computer to a computer at said financial institution information to assist in issuing said spending vehicle to said taxpayer.