System and method for determining slack score

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for determining a financial slack score. The method can be applied to a mobile device, computing system, or platform, having one or more component servers or computers. The mobile device includes receiving account information comprising account balance data and account withdrawal data. The mobile device determines a daily total balance based on the account information. The mobile device determines a daily total withdrawal based on the account information. The mobile device determines a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal. The mobile device displays the financial slack score.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING SLACK SCORECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is based upon and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 697,873 fried on September 23, 2024, the entire content thereof is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This application is related to the field of financial data processing and analysis. In particular, the present invention relates to a computing device, mobile device, computing system, or platform, having one or more component servers or computers that acquires financial data and determines a financial slack score used to for assessing an individual’s financial health.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Currently, a large number of individuals and families are experiencing financial stress despite the resources available for financial education and literacy. Financial experts often suggest that people create budgets, set goals, track spending, pay bills on time, and complete qualitative surveys to improve their credit scores and overall financial well-being. Unfortunately, people from low-income and other disadvantaged communities are provided with no objective measure of their economic capacity to meet their daily living expenses.

[0004] Moreover, financial services firms and personal backers lack an objective tool to assess an individual’s economic situation for meeting their daily living expenses. Typically, financial services firms and financial advisors can only indicate that a person has less than a specific dollar amount of money considered essential for emergencies or unexpected repairs. This one-size-fits- all approach is ineffective since households have different spending and saving habits depending on their income profile. Moreover, financial services firms and personal bankers inaccurately assert various rules of thumb (e.g., $500) to generally define the amount of financial resources that define a person unable to meet an unplanned emergency expense or stressful financial situation. The actual amount can vary from person to person but is rarely accurate by these rules of thumb.

[0005] The rise of financial technology (FinTech) has further complicated this landscape. While FinTech solutions have made managing finances more convenient, they have also inadvertently contributed to financial inattentiveness. Many individuals now rely heavily on automated systems for their day-to-day financial activities, from direct deposit of paychecks toautomatic bill payments and subscription renewals. This automation, coupled with the ease of digital transactions, has made spending and withdrawing money effortless. However, it has also led to a disconnect between individuals and their financial health. Users often only glance at account balances or recent transactions without considering their overall financial picture. The simplicity of making purchases or transfers with just a tap or click can lead to impulsive financial decisions and unconscious overspending.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for a financial data processing and analysis system that can provide insights into an individual’s financial well-being.SUMMARY

[0007] Examples of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for determining a financial slack score.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for determining a slack score is provided. The method may be implemented on a mobile device, computing system, or platform, having one or more component servers or computers. The method may include receiving account information comprising account balance data and account withdrawal data. The method may also include determining a daily total balance based on the account information. The method may further include determining a daily total withdrawal based on the account information. The method may additionally include determining a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal. The method may also include displaying the financial slack score.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a computing device, such as a server, is provided. The computing device may include one or more processors, a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors may be configured to receive account information comprising account balance data and account withdrawal data. The one or more processors may also be configured to determine a daily total balance based on the account information. The one or more processors may also be configured to determine a daily total withdrawal based on the account information. The one or more processors may also be configured to determine a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal. The one or more processors may also be configured to display the financial slack score.

[0010] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions is provided. When the instructions are executed by one or more processors of the apparatus, the instructions may cause the apparatus to perform receiving account information comprising account balance data and account withdrawal data. The instructions may also cause the apparatus to determine a daily total balance based on the account information. The instructions may also cause the apparatus to determine a daily total withdrawal based on the account information. The instructions may also cause the apparatus to determine a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal. The instructions may also cause the apparatus to display the financial slack score

[0011] These and other aspects and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood that the foregoing summary is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit in any manner the scope or range of equivalents to which the appended claims are lawfully entitled.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate examples consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system, according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system, according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for determining a financial slack score, according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a computing system, according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for determining a financial slack score, according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating daily balances for various profiles, according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating daily balances for various profiles, according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 8 is a graphical user interface displaying financial health analysis, according to an example of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] While the present invention is capable of being embodied in various forms, for simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the invention are described by referring to certain embodiments thereof. It is understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the claimed subject matter and is not intended to limit the appended claims to the specific embodiments illustrated. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the invention. For example, while embodiments herein are described with reference to a financial slack score, it is understood that the system and methods may be implemented similarly with respect to a financial score more generally.

[0022] The terminology used in the present disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It shall also be understood that the terms “and” and “or” used herein is intended to signify and include any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the term “if’ may be understood to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to a judgment” depending on the context.

[0023] The present disclosure relates to a financial slack score. In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score is an objective measure of a financial well-being of an individual, household, or entity. The financial slack score relates to financial slack, which can be used to aid in the determination of a level of liquidity or ability to access monetary resources when there is an unforeseen or emergency expense without borrowing money, using a credit card or any type of credit line, or paying overdraft fees or other type of banking fees.

[0024] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score assesses an individual, household, or entity’s economic resources relative to income and spending habits. It can consistently and uniformly measure the amount of financial cushion or slack available for unexpected financial events. For example, a financial slack score can be determined by monitoringa person’s bank account(s) activity. The account receives deposits and processes withdrawals for payments such as daily expenses. Any remaining funds can be held in the account as reserve funds that can be used against future withdrawals or moved to a different account such as a savings account. Even if a person uses a single bank account or multiple accounts, the information stored within these accounts can be used to calculate a financial slack score for an individual. The single bank account or multiple accounts can be, for example, any account that gives individuals or entities access to money without incurring an expense (checking, savings, money market accounts). By contrast, a certificate of deposit (CD) account would incur a charge to access the money it has stored prior to maturity and therefore would not be used to calculate a financial slack score. If multiple accounts are used by an individual or entity, transfers among accounts are removed from the financial slack score calculation because those internal transfers have no effect on the combined balances of all accounts. Thus, the amounts transferred across a person’s multiple accounts are conserved and remain in the ending balance of the combined accounts.

[0025] In an embodiment, the financial slack score is based on the balance held in an individual’s account relative to daily withdrawals. A higher balance indicates greater financial slack, which can help manage unexpected expenses or economic shocks that might otherwise disrupt the ability to pay regular daily expenses. Such a disruption may cause the individual to borrow money through, for example, a credit card or any type of credit line, or to be charged an overdraft fee or other type of banking fee.

[0026] In an embodiment, the financial slack score (FS) is a measure of how long an account’s daily balance can cover daily withdrawals. The formula for calculating FS is:where FS is the financial slack score (in days), Xp=i i represents the sum of daily ending balances over n days (in dollars), andl / j represents the sum of daily withdrawals over the same n days (in dollars).

[0027] Formula (1) calculates the total daily balance and total daily withdrawals and divides the former by the latter to get a fraction. This fraction represents the number of days the average daily balance can cover the average daily withdrawals. Thus, building and maintaining adequatefinancial slack through reserve funds increases and sustains the number of days of expense coverage and therefore increases the financial slack score.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score can be calculated and analyzed over various time periods to provide a comprehensive view of an individual’s financial health. The financial slack score can be computed on a monthly basis and averaged to generate a quarterly, yearly, or decade-long outlook, offering a range of perspectives on financial well-being from shortterm to long-term. This flexibility allows for analysis of financial health across various time horizons, providing insights into both immediate financial stability and long-term financial trends. More generally, the system allows for flexible time-based analysis, where the financial slack score can be calculated for a shorter time period X and averaged over a longer time period Y, with Y being greater than X. This adaptability enables both granular and broad assessments of financial health. Determining the financial slack score over a longer period of time helps to smooth out short-term fluctuations and anomalies, reducing variations caused by temporary financial events or seasonal spending patterns. This approach provides a more reliable and stable score that better reflects the individual’s overall financial health, rather than being overly influenced by short-term financial volatility. Furthermore, the system can strategically collect information used to calculate the financial slack score at specific, meaningful times. For instance, data collection may be timed to coincide with paydays, occurring either just before or immediately after pay is deposited. This targeted approach helps identify slack patterns that provide deeper insights into an individual's financial behaviors and cycles. By analyzing these patterns, the system can more accurately gauge an individual’s overall financial health. The ability to determine the financial slack score based on different parameters and time frames allows for a nuanced and customizable assessment, catering to various analytical needs and providing a more comprehensive understanding of an individual's financial situation over time.

[0029] In an embodiment, the financial slack score provides financial advisors and consumers with an easy-to-understand and objective way to measure a person’s financial well-being. For example, two people who earn the same amount of money in a set amount of time and spend the same amount within that same of amount of time, can have varying financial slack scores based on a difference in reserve funds. For example, if the first person has a balance or reserve funds of over $10,000 at all times while the second person has a low balance or low reserve funds that cause a negative balance, even if they spend the same and make the same amount of money, the secondperson will have overdraft fees and would not be able to pay for unexpected expenses. Recognizing the differences in financial slack between seemingly similar profiles but varying reserve funds can help personal bankers or financial advisors provide tailored advice and guidance for improving an individual’s financial situation when discussing finances with individuals.

[0030] In an embodiment, the financial slack score can be determined for an individual with one or more accounts in a financial institution. For example, an individual with a checking and savings account in a credit union. The financial slack score can be used to consolidate the individual’s financial accounts into the credit union to better control their finances and receive tailored advice and guidance from the credit union. The credit union can have access to the individual’s accounts based on their membership identification or social security number. The credit union can provide tailored advice, guidance, and can intervene to help their members have a better control of their financial health. The credit union can further adjust the product solution for the member and change the account type and fee structure based on the financial slack score. For example, a credit union can change the product to fit the member’s usage need that also can reduce the fee structure for an individual who has a low financial slack score to avoid overdraft fees and allow the individual to improve their financial health. In another example, the credit union can recommend the individual consolidate their bank accounts into one bank account in order to avoid multiple overdraft fees and to have one account that can better handle daily expenses.

[0031] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score system can consolidate and analyze multiple accounts held by a single individual across different financial institutions, providing a comprehensive view of their financial health. The system identifies and aggregates account information from various sources, such as checking accounts, savings accounts, and money market accounts that provide access to funds without incurring penalties, this can also include less liquid assets like certificates of deposit (CDs). When consolidating these accounts, the system employs sophisticated data integration and normalization techniques to ensure consistent analysis across different institutions that may report data in varying formats or timeframes. It also uses a mechanism to identify internal transfers between the individual’s own accounts, which are flagged and removed from the financial slack score calculation as they do not affect the overall combined balance. The system calculates a combined daily total balance by summing the balances from all eligible accounts and tracks withdrawals across these accounts as if they were a single pool of financial activity. By neutralizing matching internal transfers in the daily total withdrawalsand deposits, the system avoids inflating these figures and provides a more accurate representation of the individual’s true financial position. This cross-account analysis allows for a more precise representation of the individual’s overall financial slack, recognizing that funds may be distributed across multiple accounts for various purposes. The financial slack score can be broken down by institution if needed, enabling more granular analysis. Additionally, the system incorporates advanced security measures to protect sensitive financial information when pulling data from multiple sources. This consolidation process allows for a comprehensive view of the individual’s finances, focusing on external cash flows rather than internal money movements, and ensures consistent application across all analyzed profiles for fair and accurate comparisons between members. By providing this holistic financial view, the financial slack score offers valuable insights that can be used by financial institutions, such as credit unions, to provide tailored advice, adjust product solutions, and implement appropriate fee structures to help individuals improve their financial health and avoid issues like multiple overdraft fees.

[0032] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score system can also gather information about fees from various financial institutions to enhance its analysis and presentation of financial health alongside the financial slack score. The system can collect data on overdraft fees, account maintenance charges, ATM fees, and other service-related costs associated with different account types across multiple institutions. This fee information is integrated into the overall financial health assessment, allowing the system to provide a more comprehensive view of how fees impact an individual's financial slack. By incorporating fee data, the system can offer insights on potential cost savings, recommend account types or institutions with more favorable fee structures, and highlight how reducing certain fees could improve the individual's overall financial health. This additional layer of analysis enables financial advisors and individuals to make more informed decisions about account management and institution selection, potentially leading to improvements in financial well-being over time.

[0033] To help build an understanding of the financial slack score, an example of an individual’s balance account activity is provided below. As shown in tables 1 and 2, this person’s schedule includes an income of $12,278 during the month and has spent $10,380 on expenses. This means the person saved more than they spent during the month, improving their financial slack. The financial slack score is 10.9, indicating that at current spending levels of $334 per day, this person has an average available balance of $3,646, equivalent to around 11 days of spending.Table 1. Example Financial DataTable 2. Financial Slack Score Illustration

[0034] In an embodiment, the average daily values can be displayed for individuals to understand their financial well-being. For example, the average daily values are displayed and used to discuss with individuals their financial well-being. The average daily balances are more accessible as language than aggregate balances.

[0035] In an embodiment, the financial slack score can be processed using predetermined thresholds for determining the financial health of an individual. For example, the predetermined thresholds, as shown in Table 3, can provide an explanation of the score and what the financial health includes. Thus, a user and financial advisor can understand what the financial health is based on an analysis of the score.Table 3. Financial Slack Score and Health

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack health can incorporate additional financial information, such as an individual’s lines of credit available, investments, credit card debt to determine the likelihood that an unexpected or emergency expense would occur and what other means the individual may have to meet those expenses. For example, the financial slack score can signify that the financial health is good or great but taking into account a high level of credit card debt may lower the financial health. This is because the individual may be using his credit card to meet his daily needs and the financial slack score may not wholly capture this.

[0037] In some embodiments, the financial slack score can be used in relation to making decisions related to the providing of financial products to a customer. For example, a financial slack score can be used to analyze whether a customer is eligible for a financial product such as a personal loan, mortgage, credit card, auto loans, small business loans, private student loans, lease agreements, insurance policies and other types of financial products. In some embodiments, the financial slack score can be used alone to evaluate whether an individual is eligible for a financial product. In some embodiments, the financial slack score can be used in combination with other information to determine whether a customer is eligible for a financial product. For instance, the financial slack score can be combined with a credit score to create a composite score, which canbe utilized to indicate the financial health of an individual and / or for determination of whether a customer is eligible for a financial product. Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows an environment 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The environment 10 is used to determine a financial slack score of an individual, household, or entity. The environment 10 includes a credit union system 12, database 14, network 16, and computing device 18. The credit union system 12 can be a branch of a credit union that includes members with checking and savings accounts. The credit union system 12 can be connected to the database 14 and network 16. The database 14 stores the information for the checking and savings accounts of the credit union system 12. The credit union system 12 can be accessed by the computing device 18 through the network 16. The computing device 18 includes an electronic device, such as a mobile device, personal computer, server, or platform.

[0038] In an embodiment, an individual can have a checking account in a credit union and can access their checking account information through a computing device 18 (e.g., mobile device, personal computer) that connects to the credit union system 12 through the network 16. The credit union system 12 can provide the individual their account information that is stored in their database 14 (e.g., data store). The credit union system 12 or the computing device 18 can access the individual’s account information and calculate the individual’s financial score. The financial slack score can then be displayed on the computing device 18, credit union system 12, or be communicated to financial advisor or the individual in other means such as through email, text, or print out.

[0039] In some embodiments, the financial slack score may not be displayed, but used in determining a recommendation or making a decision. For example, the financial slack score may be calculated and used to make a recommendation or decision to approve a user for a financial product (e.g., loan, credit card). In some embodiments, the financial slack score can further be used in the calculation of a composite financial score, that utilizes a credit score, among other possible types of financial information.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows an environment 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The environment 100 is used to determine a financial slack score for an individual, household, or entity. The environment 100 includes a financial slack score system 110, financial institution system 120, database 122, financial institution system 124, database 126, network 130, and computing device 140. The financial slack score system 110 can receive financial informationfrom multiple financial institutions. For example, the financial slack score system 110 receives financial information from the financial institution systems 120 and 124 through the network 130 to calculate a financial slack score. The financial institution systems 120 and 124 can be credit unions, commercial banks, investment banks, and other forms of financial institutions that an individual, household, or entity can use to secure and store their money. The computing device 140 can be a mobile device, personal computer, or server. The computing device 140 communicates with the financial slack score system 110 to determine the financial slack score. In some embodiments, the financial slack score system 110 can be used to determine the financial slack score. For example, an employee of a financial institution and / or third-party company can use the financial slack score system 110 to determine the financial slack score. In some embodiments, the financial slack score system 110 can be in communication with the computing device 140 and the financial slack score system 110 can determine the financial slack score at the request of the computing device.

[0041] In an embodiment, the computing device 140 can be a mobile device 140 with a mobile application for monitoring and managing a user’s finances. The mobile application can allow a user to access their financial accounts in the financial institution systems 120 and 124. The mobile application can then acquire the user’s financial information and calculate their financial slack score or provide the financial slack score system 110 the required information or access for determining their financial slack score. The mobile device 140 can then process and display the financial slack score to the user. For example, the mobile application can provide the user with their financial slack score, financial slack score history, financial guidance, recommendations, summaries, additional scores, alerts, and other financial information through a graphical user interface based on the financial slack score. In such an example, the mobile application can provide the user daily summaries of their financial slack score. In another example, the mobile application can provide the user an alert when the financial slack score meets a predetermined threshold value to notify the user of having a healthy or poor financial slack score. In another example, the individual can be provided a questionnaire, for example, through a graphical user interface on the mobile device 140 or a printout at the financial institution, for further assessing the individual’s financial health and providing them financial guidance. Thus, a user can have more control of their financial health and can take steps to avoid financial hardship. In a similar embodiment, the financial slack score system 110 may be utilized to monitor and manage a user's finances bycommunicating with the user, for example, via a computing device, or by communicating with an employee of one or more financial institutions.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows an example method for determining a financial slack score in accordance with the present disclosure. The method can be applied to a mobile device, computing system, or platform, having one or more component servers or computers.

[0043] In step 210, the mobile device receives account information that includes account balance data and account withdrawal data.

[0044] In step 212, the mobile device determines a daily total balance based on the account information. For example, the daily total balance is the ending balance of an individual’s account for a specific day. In another example, the daily total balance can be a real-time daily total balance.

[0045] In step 214, the mobile device determines a daily total withdrawal based on the account information. For example, the daily total withdrawal is the ending sum of withdrawals of an individual’s account for a specific day. In another example, the daily total withdrawal can be a real-time daily total withdrawal.

[0046] In step 216, the mobile device determines a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal. For example, the financial slack score can be the daily total balance divided by the daily total withdrawal.

[0047] In step 218, the mobile device displays the financial slack score. The financial slack score can be displayed on a graphical user interface on the mobile device. The mobile device can display additional information, for example, recommendations based on the score or a textual description of the score, such as critical, bad, good, excellent. The financial slack score can also be combined with a credit score or other financial score to provide an overall financial health score along with the financial slack score. In another example, financial advisors of the credit union can access the financial slack scores through a financial platform or personal computer displaying the financial slack score.

[0048] In an embodiment, the financial slack score can be determined for one or more of the members or customers of a financial institution. For example, these can include customers of a bank or members of a credit union. The financial slack scores can be determined in real-time or on a daily basis and accessed by financial advisors within the financial institution. For example, financial advisors of the credit union can access the financial slack scores through a financial platform or personal computer. The financial advisors can compare the scores and determine thefinancial status or health of individual members of the financial institution. In another embodiment, an automated system can compare the scores and determine the financial status or health of individual members of the financial institution and provide an overall recommendation or evaluation. For example, a thumbs up, thumbs down, pass, fail, or other type of indication of the financial status or health of individual members of the financial institution.

[0049] In an embodiment, the financial slack score can be determined across multiple financial institutions. The financial slack scores can be broken down based on each financial institution. For example, each branch of a credit union can be assessed for determining the financial status or health of its members and the overall health of the branch. In such a case, specific branches of the credit union can be intervened to better guide and help members that may have low financial status.

[0050] In an embodiment, the financial slack score can be determined for an individual with one or more accounts in multiple financial institutions. For example, the individual can have checking and savings accounts in a credit union and checking and savings accounts in multiple banks. The account information can be pulled from each financial institution and the financial slack score can be calculated. The financial slack score can take into account money being moved from an individual’s first account to their second account in order not to count the withdrawal and balance related to these transactions since an overall net amount of money included in the customer’s accounts remains the same. The score can be displayed to an individual on a mobile device.

[0051] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score can further be used with a Payday Insolvency Threshold (PIT) to assess an individual’s overall financial health and determine their risk for insolvency. PIT is a financial metric that establishes a benchmark for evaluating an individual’s financial slack score in relation to their pay cycle. PIT is calculated by dividing the number of days between paydays by a predetermined threshold value. For example, if the threshold is set at 2, and an individual is paid biweekly (14 days), the PIT would be 7 days (14 divided by 2). This threshold serves as a simple yet effective rule of thumb for assessing financial health. If an individual’s financial slack score falls below the PIT, it signals potential financial distress or insolvency risk. In this example, a slack score below 7 would be concerning for someone on a biweekly pay schedule. The PIT provides a method to gauge whether there’s sufficient financial slack to last until the next payday. It’s important to note that the PIT can be adapted for various income frequencies, including monthly payments, which is particularly relevant for retirees. Manyretired individuals receive income monthly from sources such as Social Security, pensions, or retirement fund distributions. For these individuals, the PIT calculation would use a 30-day cycle, resulting in a higher threshold (e.g., 15 days if using the same divisor of 2) and requiring the individuals financial slack score to be above 15 to avoid being labeled an insolvency risk.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a computing system 400 that is part of the credit union system 12, computing device 18, financial slack score system 110, and / or computing device 140 for determining a financial slack score for an individual, household, or entity. According to example embodiments shown schematically in FIG. 4, the computing system 400 includes a computing environment 410 and a communication unit 450. The computing environment 410 includes a processor 420, a memory 430, and an VO interface 440. The computing environment 410 is coupled to the communication unit 450 through the I / O interface 440.

[0053] The processor 420 can typically control the overall operations of the computing environment 410, such as the operations associated with data acquisition, data processing, and data communications. The processor 420 can include one or more processors to execute instructions to perform all or some of the steps in the above-described methods. Moreover, the processor 420 can include one or more modules that facilitate the interaction between the processor 420 and other components. The processor may be or include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a single chip machine, a graphical processing unit (GPU), System on a Chip (SoC), Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), Quantum Processor, Vision Processing Unit (VPU) or the like.

[0054] The memory 430 can store various types of data to support the operation of the computing environment 410. The Memory 430 can include predetermined software 431. Examples of such data comprise instructions for any applications or methods operated on the computing environment 410, financial data, user data, entity data, etc. The memory 430 may be implemented by using any type of volatile or non-volatile memory devices, or a combination thereof, such as a static random-access memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a programmable read-only (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a read-only memory (ROM), a magnetic memory, a flash memory, a magnetic or optical disk.

[0055] The I / O interface 440 can provide an interface between the processor 420 and peripheral interface modules, such as RF circuitry, external port, proximity sensor, audio andspeaker circuitry, video and camera circuitry, microphone, accelerometer, display controller, optical sensor controller, intensity sensor controller, other input controllers, keyboard, a click wheel, buttons, Touchscreen Controller, Pressure Sensor, Light Emitting Diode (LED) Controller, Universal Serial Bus (USB) Controller, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) Bus Controller, Digital- to- Analog Converter (DAC), Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Reader / Writer and the like. The buttons may include but are not limited to, a home button, a power button, and volume buttons.

[0056] Communication unit 450 provides communication between the processing unit, an external device, mobile device, and a webserver (or cloud). The communication can be done through, for example, WIFI or BLUETOOTH hardware protocols, Cellular Networks (4G LTE, 5G), NFC (Near Field Communication), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Satellite Communication, Ethernet or the like. The communication unit 460 can be within the computing environment or connected to it.

[0057] In one or more embodiments, the computing environment 410 can be coupled to a user interface that can include a speaker, lights, display, haptic feedback motor, Gesture Recognition System, Tactile Feedback Devices, Biometric Sensors, Voice Recognition System or other similar technologies for communicating with the user.

[0058] In some embodiments, there is also provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of programs, such as comprised in the memory 430, executable by the processor 420 in the computing environment 410, for performing the abovedescribed methods. For example, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, a RAM, or the like.

[0059] The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has stored therein a plurality of programs for execution by a computing device having one or more processors, where the plurality of programs for execution by a computing device having one or more processors, where the plurality of programs when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform the above-described method for motion prediction.

[0060] In some embodiments, the computing environment 410 may be implemented with one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs) digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), graphical processing units (GPUs), controllers, micro-controllers,microprocessors, or other electronic components, for performing the above methods.

[0061] In an embodiment, the financial slack score system 110 may utilize an Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to integrate with existing core banking systems. These APIs serve can act as an integration layer, enabling seamless and secure data exchange between the financial slack score system 110 and the financial institution’s existing infrastructure. The APIs allow realtime access to account information, transaction data, and other relevant financial metrics without compromising the integrity or security of the core banking system. This integration enables the financial slack score system 110 to calculate and update scores in real-time as new financial data becomes available, ensuring that the financial slack score always reflects the most current financial situation of the individual or entity. Furthermore, the API-based architecture facilitates the presentation of financial slack score insights through various channels, including mobile applications, online banking platforms, and in-branch systems, providing a consistent and up-to- date view of financial health across all customer touchpoints. The use of standardized APIs also allows for easier maintenance, updates, and potential future integrations with additional financial tools or services.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows an example method for determining the financial health of an individual in accordance with the present disclosure. The method can be applied to a mobile device, computing system, or platform, having one or more component servers or computers.

[0063] In step 510, the mobile device receives account information including account balance data and account withdrawal data. This step involves securely accessing and retrieving financial data from one or more linked accounts. For example, the mobile device may connect to a user's checking account, savings account, and credit card accounts to gather comprehensive financial information. The account balance data might include daily ending balances for each account over the past month, while withdrawal data could encompass all outgoing transactions such as debit card purchases, bill payments, and cash withdrawals.

[0064] In step 512, the mobile device determines a daily total balance based on the account information. This calculation aggregates the balances across all linked accounts for each day in the analyzed period. For instance, if a user has a checking account with $2,000 and a savings account with $5,000 on a given day, the daily total balance would be $7,000. This step may also involve handling complexities such as pending transactions or holds on funds to ensure an accurate representation of available funds.

[0065] In step 514, the mobile device determines a daily total withdrawal based on the account information. This involves summing all outgoing transactions across all linked accounts for each day. For example, if on a particular day the user made a $50 grocery purchase, paid a $100 utility bill, and withdrew $40 from an ATM, the daily total withdrawal would be $190. This step may also categorize withdrawals to provide more detailed insights into spending patterns.

[0066] In step 516, the mobile device determines a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and daily total withdrawal for a time period. This calculation might involve averaging the daily total balances and daily total withdrawals over the period (e.g., a month) and then dividing the average balance by the average withdrawal. For example, if the average daily balance is $5,000 and the average daily withdrawal is $200, the financial slack score would be 25, indicating 25 days of financial cushion.

[0067] In step 518, the mobile device determines financial health information based on the financial slack score. This step involves interpreting the numerical score in the context of predetermined thresholds and other financial factors. For example, a financial slack score of 30 or above might be categorized as “Excellent,” while a score below 7 could be deemed “Critical.” The system may also consider factors like income stability, debt levels, and savings rate to provide a more comprehensive financial health assessment.

[0068] In step 520, the mobile device displays the financial slack score and financial health information. For example, the financial health information includes a financial health rating, an average financial score over a period of time, a financial health rating trend, and insolvency risk. This step involves presenting the analyzed data in an easily understandable format on the device’s screen. For instance, the interface might show a financial slack score of 15 along with a “Good” financial health rating. It could display a graph showing the average financial score trend over the past six months, indicating whether the user's financial health is improving or declining. The interface might also include an insolvency risk indicator, such as “Low risk of insolvency in the next 30 days,” based on the current financial slack score and upcoming known expenses.

[0069] In similar embodiments, the financial slack score system 110 can assess the financial health of multiple individuals by retrieving their financial information, including deposits and withdrawals, and determining their respective financial slack scores and financial health ratings. This capability allows for comparative analysis and broader financial health assessments across a population.Table. 4 Financial information of three profiles

[0070] Table 4 presents an example of three distinct financial profiles, each with its own set of financial metrics. These metrics include age, membership year, annual deposits (income), annual withdrawals (spending), daily income, and daily spending. While these traditional financial indicators provide some insight, they do not fully capture the nuanced financial health of individuals. For instance, higher income or lower withdrawals may not necessarily correlate with better financial health.

[0071] FIG. 6 shows a chart displaying the daily balances for the three profiles described in Table 4. The financial slack score system calculates the financial slack score for each profile. Profile 1 : Financial slack score of 41; Profile 2: Financial slack score of 1.9; and Profile 3: Financial slack score of 355.8. These scores are then mapped to the financial health rating thresholds outlined in Table 3 to determine each profile’s financial health indicator: Profile 1 : Great financial health; Profile 2: Critical financial health; Profile 3: Excellent financial health.

[0072] While the chart visually demonstrates that Profile 3 is in a better financial position than Profiles 1 and 2, the financial slack score provides a quantifiable measure of this difference. This numerical representation allows for easy communication and further analysis of financial health across various individuals or groups.

[0073] FIG. 7 shows a chart of daily balances for three additional profiles. The financial slack scores for these profiles: Profile 4: Financial slack score of 31.6; Profile 5: Financial slack score of 31.2; Profile 6: Financial slack score of 31.2. Although these profiles have similar financial slack scores and all fall within the “Great” financial health rating, the system can provide additional insights by analyzing the trends in their financial slack scores over time. This trend analysis reveals: Profile 4: Oscillating trend, Profile 5: Increasing trend; Profile 6: Declining trend. An oscillating trend indicates that the financial slack score fluctuates up and down over time withouta clear overall direction, an increasing trend shows the score is generally improving overtime, and a declining trend suggests the score is progressively worsening over the observed period. These trend assessments offer an additional data point for evaluating an individual’s financial health, providing a more dynamic and forward-looking perspective. By considering both the current financial slack score and its trend, the system can offer a more comprehensive and nuanced evaluation of an individual’s financial well-being, enabling more targeted financial advice and interventions.

[0074] FIG. 8 shows a graphical user interface (GUI) 800 displaying the financial health of an individual. The GUI 800 displays the results of a financial health analysis. The GUI displays a user’s name, savings balance, checking balance, and financial information. The financial information displayed is the financial slack score, financial health rating, financial health rating trend, and insolvency risk.

[0075] The GUI 800 is designed to provide a comprehensive yet easily digestible overview of an individual’s financial status. At the top of the interface, the user’s name is prominently displayed, personalizing the experience and ensuring the individual knows they are viewing their own financial data. Directly below the name, the GUI presents two critical account balances: the savings balance and the checking balance. These figures offer an immediate snapshot of the user’s liquid assets, allowing for quick assessment of available funds.

[0076] Central to the financial health analysis is the display of the financial slack score. This score, which quantifies the number of days an individual can maintain their current spending level if their income stops, is presented as a numerical value. To enhance understanding, the score may be accompanied by a visual representation such as a color-coded meter or gauge. Adjacent to the financial slack score, the GUI shows the corresponding financial health rating. This rating translates the numerical score into a categorical assessment, such as “Excellent,” “Good,” “Poor,” or “Critical,” providing an intuitive interpretation of the individual’s financial standing.

[0077] The GUI also incorporates a financial health rating trend indicator. This feature may be represented by an arrow or a small graph, illustrating whether the individual’s financial health is improving, declining, or remaining stable over time. This trend information is crucial for both the user and financial advisors to track progress and identify potential issues before they escalate.

[0078] Another key element displayed on the GUI is the insolvency risk. This metric, which could be shown as a percentage or a qualitative level (e g., “Low” or “High”), indicates thelikelihood of the individual facing financial distress before their next income deposit. The insolvency risk is calculated based on the financial slack score in relation to the individual’s pay cycle, offering insight into short-term financial vulnerability.

[0079] By presenting these various financial metrics in a clear, visually appealing format, the GUI 800 enables users to gain a comprehensive understanding of their financial health at a glance. This interface serves not only as an informational tool but also as a platform for financial education and proactive financial management.

[0080] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score system provides a comprehensive framework for segmenting and analyzing a financial institution's membership based on their financial health. The system may present a detailed breakdown of members into percentile groups based on their financial slack scores, ranging from the lowest to highest percentiles. For each segment, the system may outline key financial metrics including average deposits (income), average withdrawals (spending), average ending balance, and average daily balance. This segmentation allows for a nuanced understanding of how financial behaviors and outcomes vary across different levels of financial health within the membership.

[0081] In one or more embodiments, the financial slack score system includes a technical analysis of fee impacts, particularly focusing on non-sufficient funds (NSF) and courtesy pay (CP) fees. The system may present data on the number of these fees incurred, total fees paid, and the percentage of total fees paid by each percentile group. This analysis may reveal contrasts in fee burden across different financial slack score segments, with the lowest percentiles potentially bearing a disproportionate share of the total fees. The system may also provide a detailed breakdown of how courtesy pay fees impact members with critically low financial slack scores, showing the average annual deposits, withdrawals, number of fees incurred, and total fees paid for members with scores ranging from 0 to 14 days of financial slack. This granular analysis enables financial institutions to identify which member segments are most vulnerable to fee-related financial stress and informs strategies for more equitable fee structures or targeted financial assistance programs. Furthermore, the system emphasizes using the financial slack score as a proactive tool for early identification of financial challenges, allowing financial institutions to monitor members' scores over time and identify negative trends before they escalate into severe financial distress.

[0082] The present disclosure represents an improvement on existing financial technology(FinTech) solutions by addressing a critical gap in financial data processing and analysis. While FinTech has revolutionized the convenience of financial transactions through automation, with features such as automatic paycheck deposits, bill payments, and fee charges, it has inadvertently led to a disconnect between individuals and their comprehensive financial health. Typical FinTech users often rely solely on checking account balances and recent withdrawals, failing to recognize broader patterns that are crucial indicators of their overall financial well-being. The present disclosure provides a sophisticated system for real-time financial health analysis that goes beyond simple transaction tracking. The financial slack score system offers insights into financial patterns and health that would be challenging for even skilled accountants to derive manually, especially in real-time. By analyzing data across multiple accounts and time frames, from daily transactions to yearly outlooks, the system provides a level of financial analysis that is practically impossible for an individual to perform consistently and accurately on their own. This comprehensive, automated analysis compensates for the reduced financial awareness that often accompanies the convenience of FinTech solutions, offering a deep understanding of an individual’s financial health without sacrificing the benefits of modem financial automation. As such, this invention enhances FinTech capabilities by reintroducing critical financial awareness and analysis in an automated, user-friendly format, addressing the unintended consequences of financial automation and empowering users with actionable insights for better financial management.

[0083] Multiple embodiments are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for practicing the claimed invention. Of these, variations of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing disclosure. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate (e.g., altering or combining features or embodiments), and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. In addition, while the invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that there are many alterations, permutations, and equivalents that fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are alternative ways of implementing both the process and apparatus of the present invention. For example, steps do not necessarily need to occur in the orders shown in the accompanying figures and may be rearranged as appropriate. It is therefore intended that the appended claim includes all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method comprising: receiving account information comprising account balance data and account withdrawal data; determining a daily total balance based on the account information; determining a daily total withdrawal based on the account information; determining a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal; and displaying the financial slack score.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a financial health based on the financial slack score and a predetermined slack score threshold; and displaying the financial health.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the financial health based on the financial slack score and the predetermined slack score threshold comprises: receiving financial information comprising credit card data; and determining the financial health based on the financial slack score and the financial information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the account information comprises a plurality of accounts.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: determining an internal transfer of funds from a first account to a second account; and updating the financial slack score to remove the internal transfer of funds from the determination of the financial slack score.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the account information comprises: receiving account information from a plurality of financial institutions.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying a financial questionaire; receiving financial questionaire information data; and displaying a recommendation based on the financial slack score and the financial questionaire infoarmation data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial slack score is displayed on a mobile device, personal computer, or platform.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: comparing the financial slack score to additional financial slack scores; determining intervening steps for improving an individual’s financial health based on the comparison.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving access information for accessing a financial institution system for acquiring the account information; accessing the financial institution system; and requesting the account information.

11. A computing device comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receive account information comprising account balance data and account withdrawal data; determine a daily total balance based on the account information; determine a daily total withdrawal based on the account information; determine a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal; and display the financial slack score.

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine a financial health based on the financial slack score and a predetermined slack score threshold; and display the financial health.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine the financial health based on the financial slack score and the predetermined slack score threshold are further configured to: receive financial information comprising credit card data; and determine the financial health based on the financial slack score and the financial information.

14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the account information comprises a plurality of accounts.

15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine an internal transfer of funds from a first account to a second account; and update the financial slack score to remove the internal transfer of funds from the determination of the financial slack score.

16. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors configured to receive the account information are further configured to: receive account information from a plurality of financial institutions.

17. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: display a financial questionnaire; receive financial questionnaire information data; and display a recommendation based on the financial slack score and the financial questionnaire information data.

18. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of programs for execution by a computing device having one or more processors, wherein the plurality of programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform: receiving account information comprising account balance data and account withdrawal data; determining a daily total balance based on the account information; determining a daily total withdrawal based on the account information; determining a financial slack score based on the daily total balance and the daily total withdrawal; and displaying the financial slack score.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of programs further cause the computing device to perform: determining a financial health based on the financial slack score and a predetermined slack score threshold; and displaying the financial health.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of programs cause the computing device to perform: determining an internal transfer of funds from a first account to a second account; and updating the financial slack score to remove the internal transfer of funds from the determination of the financial slack score.

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