System and Method for Making and Tracking Government-Related Payments in a Cross-Jurisdiction Payment Environment

A computer-implemented method for the payment of financial obligations to a selected agency by a payment source including at least one of a credit card, a debit card, a prepaid debit card, a checking account, a brokerage account or an electronic payment, through an agency computing device located at any one of a plurality of participating agencies communicating with a transaction processor computer system via a communication network, the method comprising:

• a third-party electronic transaction processing business or similar entity with a central computing system to which each agency has delegated authority under a contractual arrangement or otherwise to act on behalf of such agencies in facilitating such payments;
• information related to such plurality of agencies stored in the database(s) of the transaction processing entity in the form of codes and instructions, such codes and instructions including, but not limited to information relating to the type of payment, applicable service fees for payment processing, payment conditions and limitations, financial settlement, and other information and instructions required by the transaction processing entity to execute electronic payment requests from paying parties;
• a link through an agency stationary, portable, mobile, or wireless computing device such as a personal computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or similar device accessing a communication network such as the Internet to connect with the web site of the transaction processing entity;
• an introductory web page generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device, such web page to be used by the paying party to initiate the payment process with respect to any agency participating in the method from the location of any other agency participating in the method;
• a drop-down box, map, search function or other process or system generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device for the paying party to select the participating agency or agencies the paying party intends to receive payment(s);
• payment-oriented web pages with instructions and fields generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device enabling the paying party to input information relevant to intended payment(s) to the selected agency or agencies from the paying party for transmission to the transaction processing entity's central computing device;
• instructions and fields provided by the payment web pages generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device for the paying party to enter amount(s) owed, transaction code(s), and other information the transaction processing entity requires to identify the intended payment(s) and route the intended payment(s) correctly to the agency(ies) the paying party identifies for receipt of payment;
• instructions and fields provided by the payment web pages generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device for the paying party to enter the information necessary to identify a payment source such as card or account numbers relating to credit card, debit card, prepaid debit card, checking account, brokerage account, Internet currency account, or similar electronic payment sources, devices, and such other means of electronic payment originating from a paying party's funds provider as may be developed which are capable of use over a communication network such as the Internet;
• the transaction processing entity's computing device applying codes and instructions stored in the database(s) on the transaction processing entity's computing device to calculate and display to the paying party any fees applicable to processing the payment(s) imposed by or through the transaction processing entity;
• the transaction processing entity's computing device applying codes and instructions stored in the database(s) on the transaction processing entity's computing device to display to the paying party any conditions, limitations, disclaimers, or other necessary or advisable information associated with the intended payment(s);
• a web page generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device providing an opportunity for the paying party to select more than one payment or obligation or more than one agency from the plurality of agencies to be made through a “shopping cart” function that will initiate the repetition of instructions and fields to assist the paying party in making additional payment(s) to an agency and/or to additional selected agencies;
• a web page generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device providing an opportunity for the paying party to review all items and obligations the paying party has selected for payment, all methods selected for payment, all agencies to be paid, payment amounts, and related payment fees, separately and in total;
• a web page generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device providing an opportunity for the paying party to approve the transaction(s) if satisfactory to the paying party, or, if unsatisfactory, providing an opportunity for the paying party to edit the information the paying party has provided until the paying party is satisfied with all details of the proposed transaction(s);
• upon the paying party's positive indication of approval of the transaction(s), the electronic transaction processor's computing device contacting the paying party's card issuer, bank, brokerage, or other funds provider over a communication network to obtain authorization of the transaction or, alternatively, receive from the funds provider the declination of a requested transaction and any reasons therefore (i.e., insufficient credit balance, insufficient funds on deposit, stolen card, frozen account, etc.);
• the transaction processing entity's computing device communicating over the public communication network back to the agency computing device and displaying to the paying party the approval of the paying party's requested transaction(s) if successful and, if unsuccessful in whole or in part, the reasons therefore;
• a web page generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device providing an opportunity for the paying party to re-attempt the unsuccessful transaction(s) or parts thereof using alternate electronic payment means or device(s);
• upon the paying party's positive indication, re-initiation of the transaction processing entity's authorization process with respect to such declined transactions, the paying party attempting to use alternate electronic payment means or devices until such time as the paying party has obtained full approval for the requested transaction(s) or abandoned the effort to complete all or parts of the transaction(s) previously declined by the funds provider;
• the transaction processing entity's computing device transmitting over the communication network to an agency's computing device or to a plurality of agencies the approved payment(s) and providing such agency(ies) an opportunity to manually accept or decline such approved transaction(s);
• in lieu of the transaction processing entity's computing device transmitting over the communication network to agency's(ies') computing devices any approved payment(s) without providing an opportunity for such agency(ies) an opportunity to decline transactions, each such transaction being considered by the transaction processing entity's computing device as accepted by the agency(ies);
• a web page generated and delivered by the transaction processing entity's computing device to the agency computing device providing an opportunity for the paying party to obtain confirmation and payment details for the approved and accepted transaction(s) through downloading a confirmation or executing a printable confirmation or requesting confirmation through an email, short message service number, interactive voice response, social media website, or other means of receiving payment confirmation and details generated by the transaction processing entity's computing device;
• and
• the transaction processing entity's computing device transmitting over the communication network to a plurality of agencies' computing devices information related to approved payment(s) to the agency(ies) including but not limited to paying parties' names, payment types, payment amounts, the Obligations paid, and other information necessary or appropriate to enable each such agency to properly apply funds related to the approved payments.