Surplus payment collection system and method

In a system for an account holder to conduct sales transactions at POS devices, wherein the transactions are conducted using funds from a financial account identified by an account ID, wherein transaction data is passed from the POS devices to a processing network maintained by a processing entity that authorizes transactions, and wherein the transaction data passed to the processing network includes the amount of a transaction and the account ID, a method for collecting surplus payments as part of the transactions at the POS devices, the method comprising:

• providing a surplus payment server at the processing entity;
• storing in a database associated with the server (1) an account ID associated with each account holder that desires to have surplus payments collected, (2) a surplus payment that is to be collected in the same amount in each of plural transactions conducted by the account holder, (3) a surplus payment account identifier that identifies a surplus account to which surplus payments are transferred, and (4) a maximum cumulative amount of surplus payments to be collected during a pre-established period of time;
• receiving transaction data at the processing entity when a transaction is being conducted at one of the POS devices;
• providing the account ID included in the transaction data to the surplus payment server;
• comparing at the server the provided account ID with account IDs stored at the database;
• if there is a match of the provided account ID to a stored account ID, authorizing the transaction to be conducted at the processing network using funds from the financial account of the account holder, with the authorized transaction having the surplus payment added to the transaction amount unless the maximum amount has been exceeded;
• and
• creating, at the surplus payment server, a record of each surplus payment so that the surplus payments to the surplus payment account.

In a system for an account holder to conduct sales transactions at POS devices, where the transactions are conducted using funds from a financial account maintained for the account holder at a financial institution, where the financial account is identified by an account ID, and where the transaction data including the amount of the transaction and the account ID is passed from the POS devices to a processing network maintained by a processing entity that is separate from the financial institution and that authorizes sales transactions, a method for collecting surplus payments as part of the transactions at the POS devices, the method comprising:

• providing a surplus payment server at the processing entity;
• storing at the server (1) an account ID associated with an account holders that desire to have surplus payments collected, (2) a surplus payment that is to be collected in the same amount in each of plural transactions conducted by the account holder, (3) a surplus payment account identifier where surplus payments may be transferred;
• and (3) a threshold amount of surplus payments to be collected during a pre-established period of time;
• receiving transaction data at the processing entity when a transaction is being conducted at one of the POS devices;
• providing the account ID included in the transaction data to the surplus payment server;
• comparing at the server the provided account ID with account IDs stored at the database;
• if there is a match of provided account ID to a stored account ID, authorizing the transaction to be conducted at the processing network using funds from the financial account of the account holder, with the authorized transaction having the surplus payment added to the transaction;
• communicating with the account holder if the threshold amount of surplus payments reached;
• and
• creating, at the surplus payment server, a record of each surplus payment collected, so that the surplus payments may be credited to the surplus payment account.