Mutual fund card method and system

Abstract

A computerized method and system for implementing such method, the method comprising establishing a card payment instrument account for an approved customer and an investment account for the benefit of the approved customer. A rebate is calculated periodically based on credit card usage and the rebate is applied to fund the investment account periodically. The rebate is the only flnding of the investment account accomplished through the card payment instrument account.

1 - 28 . (canceled)  
     
     
         29 . A computer-implemented method comprising: 
 a credit card account provider establishing a credit card account using a computer for an approved cardholder;    monitoring an indicia of activity of said credit card account and determining a reward based on said indicia of card usage using a computer;    transmitting a first communication to said cardholder including the determined reward and an offer to link an investment fund account with the credit card account and to fund the investment fund account with said reward from the credit card account;    upon acceptance of the offer, linking the investment fund account to the credit card account and transferring the reward to the investment fund account using a computer; and    transmitting a second communication including information of the value of the investment fund account to said cardholder,    the second statement further including information designating a reward value based on the credit card account that was applied to the investment account.    
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the first communication and second communication comprise account statements from a standard statement process provided for the cardholder.  
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the reward based on the indicia of card usage accrues according to a first period, and wherein the reward can vest to be applied to the investment account according to a second period, wherein the second period is longer than the first period.  
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the investment fund account is a new investment fund account established as a result of the credit card account provider requesting the investment account provider to set-up the new investment fund account for the benefit of an individual.  
     
     
         33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 32 , wherein the individual is the approved cardholder.  
     
     
         34 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein monitoring an indicia of activity and computing a reward comprises ascertaining card account activity based on the card balance.  
     
     
         35 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the investment fund account is an existing investment fund account, and wherein the cardholder accepting the offer designates the existing investment fund account to be linked to the credit card account.  
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the second statement further designates an accrued reward value which has not yet vested to be applied to the investment account.  
     
     
         37 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 36 , wherein the second statement provides a determined reward for the most recent period, an accrued reward value, and a vesting date.  
     
     
         38 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the funding for the reward is shared between the credit card account provider providing the credit card account and the investment account provider providing the investment fund account.  
     
     
         39 . A computer-implemented method comprising: 
 establishing a card instrument account for an approved cardholder by a card instrument issuer using a computer;    computing a reward periodically using a computer based on an indicia of activity of the card instrument card account;    issuing a first communication using a computer including said computed reward and an offer to apply the reward to an investment account not presently linked to the card instrument account; and    linking an investment account to the card instrument account and applying said reward to the investment account using a computer upon acceptance of the offer; and    transmitting a second communication including information of the value of the investment fund account.    the second communication further including information designating a reward value based on the credit card account that was applied to the investment account.    
     
     
         40 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein computing a reward periodically using a computer comprises ascertaining card account activity based on the card balance.  
     
     
         41 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the reward accrues according to a first period, and wherein the reward can vest to be applied to the investment account according to a second period, wherein the second period is longer than the first period.  
     
     
         42 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the investment account is a new investment account established upon acceptance of the offer, the new investment account being linked to the card instrument account.  
     
     
         43 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the investment account is an existing investment account, the cardholder designating the existing investment account to be linked with the card instrument account.  
     
     
         44 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the second statement further designates an accrued reward value which has not yet vested to be applied to the investment account.  
     
     
         45 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the second statement provides a computed reward for the most recent period, an accrued reward value, and a vesting date.  
     
     
         46 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the funding for the reward is shared between the card issuer providing the card account and the investment account provider providing the investment account.  
     
     
         47 . A computer-implemented method, comprising: 
 establishing a card instrument account for a consumer having a reward feature for funding an investment account using a computer;    establishing an investment account for a consumer using a computer;    providing an offer to the consumer to link the card instrument account and the investment account;    linking the card instrument account and the investment account upon an indicia of acceptance from the consumer;    periodically calculating a reward using a computer based on card instrument account activity according to a first period, the calculated reward aggregating into an accrued reward value;    applying the accrued reward value from the card instrument account to the investment account according to a second period using a computer;    wherein the second period is longer than the first period;    thereby providing a reward feature which accrues according to a shorter first period and vests according to a longer second period.    
     
     
         48 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 47 , further comprising issuing a communication identifying the reward value applied to the investment account.  
     
     
         49 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 47 , wherein the communication further identifies an accrued reward value which has not yet vested to be applied to the investment account.  
     
     
         50 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 47 , wherein the communication provides a calculated reward for the most recent period, an accrued reward value, and a vesting date.