Virtual subaccounts

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

an actual account module that receives information for an actual user account at a financial institution;

a virtual account module that creates a virtual account, the virtual account comprising a simulated user account at the financial institution that is not an actual user account at the financial institution and does not maintain real funds, wherein the virtual account mimics functionality of the actual user account by executing simulated transactions that do not directly modify balances of the actual user account;

a linking module that programmatically interfaces with an application programming interface (“API”) of the financial institution to link the virtual account to the actual user account and to one or more third-party accounts belonging to the actual user such that, in response to completion of a simulated transaction, a corresponding real transaction is completed using funds within the actual user account that have been flagged for use with the virtual account, the flagged funds being withheld from availability for other use until completion of the corresponding real transaction;

a verification module that evaluates each simulated transaction for compliance with one or more rules, available flagged funds, or configuration constraints prior to causing completion of the corresponding real transaction; and

an interface module that:

presents a variable graphical user interface associated with the virtual account on a display of an electronic device, the graphical user interface comprising interactive interface elements for performing financial tasks associated with management of the virtual account, the interactive interface elements comprising input receiving interface elements adapted for an age of the user;

determines the user's age associated with the virtual account; and

dynamically configure the variable graphical user interface based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account by:

exposing different interactive interface elements to a user within the graphical user interface based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account, the interactive interface elements allowing the user to perform various virtual tasks associated with the virtual account; and

exposing different types of input that are allowed for the user for interacting with the interactive interface elements based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account, including enabling or restricting typed text, numeric entry, gesture input, and drag-and-drop input.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a conversion module that converts the virtual account to an actual user account at the financial institution.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the actual user account comprises a monetary balance that is used to send and receive funds to/from the virtual account; and

funds that are recognized in the virtual account remain in the actual user account balance but are not available to a user associated with the actual user account while the funds are recognized in the virtual account.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an education module that presents financial education material within an interface associated with the virtual account.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the education module analyzes usage of the virtual account and dynamically selects financial education material to be presented that is relevant to the usage of the virtual account.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a task module that:

presents a task within an interface associated with the virtual account, the task comprising a monetary value for completing the task; and

provides the monetary value to the virtual account from the actual user account in response to the task being completed.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the task module further verifies that the task has been completed prior to providing the monetary value to the virtual account, the verification comprising an image of the completed task.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the task module further:

receives a user-defined task and an associated monetary value for completion of the user-defined task from a user associated with the virtual account; and

receives approval of the user-defined task from a user associated with the actual user account such that the monetary value is provided to the virtual account from the actual user account in response to completion of the user-defined task.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a goal module that allocates at least a portion of a balance in the virtual account to one or more goals, the portion of the balance allocated to the one or more goals deducted from an available balance for the virtual account.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising an allocation module that allocates at least a portion of funds that are provided to the virtual account to one or more goals based on one or more rules that a user of the actual user account defines.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a payment module that allows making payments from the virtual account using a balance in the virtual account, funds for the payments deducted from the actual user account that is linked to the virtual account and actualized in the virtual account balance.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the payment module allows making payments from the virtual account by one or more of a physical spending card, a virtual spending card, a mobile payment, a digital wallet, and a mobile application.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the payment module further prompts a user of the actual user account for approval for a payment from the virtual account prior to processing a payment from the virtual account.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an interface module that provides an interactive interface for the virtual account, the interactive interface comprising interactive interface elements for providing hands-on experience with performing various tasks associated with management of the virtual account.

15 . A method, comprising:

receiving information for an actual user account at a financial institution;

creating a virtual account, the virtual account comprising a simulated user account at the financial institution that is not an actual user account at the financial institution and does not maintain real funds, wherein the virtual account mimics functionality of the actual user account by executing simulated transactions that do not directly modify balances of the actual user account; and

programmatically interfacing with an application programming interface (“API”) of the financial institution to link the virtual account to the actual user account and to one or more third-party accounts belonging to the actual user such that, in response to completion of a simulated transaction, a corresponding real transaction is completed using funds within the actual user account that have been flagged for use with the virtual account, the flagged funds being withheld from availability for other use until completion of the corresponding real transaction;

evaluating each simulated transaction for compliance with one or more rules, available flagged funds, or configuration constraints prior to causing completion of the corresponding real transaction;

presenting a variable graphical user interface associated with the virtual account on a display of an electronic device, the graphical user interface comprising interactive interface elements for performing financial tasks associated with management of the virtual account, the interactive interface elements comprising input receiving interface elements adapted for an age of the user;

determining the user's age associated with the virtual account; and

dynamically configuring the variable graphical user interface based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account by:

exposing different interactive interface elements to a user within the graphical user interface based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account, the interactive interface elements allowing the user to perform various virtual tasks associated with the virtual account; and

exposing different types of input that are allowed for the user for interacting with the interactive interface elements based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account, including enabling or restricting typed text, numeric entry, gesture input, and drag-and-drop input.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising converting the virtual account to an actual user account at the financial institution.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

presenting a task within an interface associated with the virtual account, the task comprising a monetary value for completing the task; and

providing the monetary value to the virtual account from the actual user account in response to the task being completed.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising allocating at least a portion of a balance in the virtual account to one or more goals, the portion of the balance allocated to the one or more goals deducted from an available balance for the virtual account.

19 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therein, the program code readable/executable by a processor for:

receiving information for an actual user account at a financial institution;

creating a virtual account, the virtual account comprising a simulated user account at the financial institution that is not an actual user account at the financial institution and does not maintain real funds, wherein the virtual account mimics functionality of the actual user account by executing simulated transactions that do not directly modify balances of the actual user account;

programmatically interfacing with an application programming interface (“API”) of the financial institution to link the virtual account to the actual user account and to one or more third-party accounts belonging to the actual user such that, in response to completion of a simulated transaction, a corresponding real transaction is completed using funds within the actual user account that have been flagged for use with the virtual account, the flagged funds being withheld from availability for other use until completion of the corresponding real transaction;

evaluating each simulated transaction for compliance with one or more rules, available flagged funds, or configuration constraints prior to causing completion of the corresponding real transaction;

presenting a variable graphical user interface associated with the virtual account on a display of an electronic device, the graphical user interface comprising interactive interface elements for performing financial tasks associated with management of the virtual account, the interactive interface elements comprising input receiving interface elements adapted for an age of the user;

determining the user's age associated with the virtual account; and

dynamically configuring the variable graphical user interface based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account by:

exposing different interactive interface elements to a user within the graphical user interface based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account, the interactive interface elements allowing the user to perform various virtual tasks associated with the virtual account; and

exposing different types of input that are allowed for the user for interacting with the interactive interface elements based on the age of the user associated with the virtual account, including enabling or restricting typed text, numeric entry, gesture input, and drag-and-drop input.

20 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interface module further exposes the interactive interface elements to the virtual account user based on settings established by a user of the actual user account and disable one or more of the interactive interface elements exposed to the virtual account user.