Systems and methods for opening, funding, and managing financial accounts

1 . A method for opening a financial account, the method comprising:

electronically receiving application information for a first account from a customer;

verifying the identity of the customer;

establishing the first account when the identity of the customer has been verified;

automatically depositing one or more microdeposits into a preexisting second account of the customer, wherein the microdeposits have a monetary value;

providing secure access to the customer at the first account after receiving and verifying personally-identifying information from the customer;

electronically receiving an input associated with the monetary value of the one or more microdeposits from the customer at the first account after providing secure access to the customer at the first account; and

automatically confirming the monetary value of the one or more microdeposits and, after confirmation, electronically funding the first account using a funds transfer from the second account.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein verifying the identity of the customer comprises:

obtaining credit information related to the customer;

presenting multiple questions to the customer based on a profile generated from the credit information; and

comparing the responses by the customer to the questions with the credit information and, if the responses match, approving establishment of the first account.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising requesting a user identification and password from the customer after establishing the first account and before automatically depositing one or more microdeposits into the preexisting second account.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

electronically receiving application information from a customer comprises receiving the account information from a remote customer via a communications network; and

verifying the identity of the customer further comprises checking the Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or other HTTP-type information of the customer.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein electronically receiving application information for a first account from a customer comprises receiving at least the customer's name, home address, date of birth, social security number, state driver's license or state identification number, electronic mail address, and phone number.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein automatically depositing one or more microdeposits into a preexisting second account of the customer occurs one or more business days after electronically receiving application information and verifying the identity of the customer.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and verifying personally-identifying information from the customer comprises receiving and verifying at least the customer's electronic mail address, mother's maiden name, and social security number.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein providing secure access to the customer at the first account after receiving and verifying personally-identifying information does not include providing a system-generated string and/or a user identification and password.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

presenting one or more legal disclosures to the customer for review and acceptance before verifying the identity of the customer; and

receiving an input from the customer confirming agreement to the terms of the one or more disclosures before establishing the first account.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein electronically funding the first account using a funds transfer from a second account includes using an Automatic Clearing House (ACH) funds transfer from the second account to the first account.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein electronically funding the first account using a funds transfer from a second account includes using a payment card, a debit card, a credit card, and/or a peer-to-peer payment system.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first account is at a first financial institution, and wherein electronically funding the first account using a funds transfer from a second account of the customer includes funding the first account from a second account at a second different financial institution.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first account is at a first financial institution, and wherein electronically funding the first account using a funds transfer from a second account of the customer includes funding the first account from a second account at the first financial institution.

14 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions causing one or more computers to perform a method comprising:

receiving application information for a first demand deposit account from a remote applicant;

obtaining credit information related to the applicant and creating multiple out-of-wallet identity verification questions based upon the credit information;

comparing responses by the applicant to the multiple questions and, if the responses match, establishing the first account; and

electronically funding the first account using a funds transfer from a preexisting second account of the customer, wherein the funding process includes

automatically depositing two or more microdeposits into the second account after establishing the first account, wherein the microdeposits having a monetary value;

providing secure access to the applicant at the first account after receiving and authenticating selected personally-identifying verification information from the applicant;

receiving an input from the applicant at the first account associated with the monetary value of the two or more microdeposits after providing secure access to the applicant; and

after automatically confirming the input from the applicant at the first account matches the monetary value of the two or more microdeposits, funding the first account using an electronic funds transfer from the second account.

15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising:

presenting one or more legal disclosures to the applicant for review and acceptance; and

receiving an input from the applicant confirming agreement to the terms of the one or more disclosures before establishing the first account.

16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein electronically funding the first account using a funds transfer from a second account comprises using an ACH funds transfer, using a payment card, and/or using a peer-to-peer payment system.

17 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein receiving and authenticating selected personally-identifying verification information from the applicant comprises receiving and authenticating at least an electronic mail address, a mother's maiden name, and a social security number of the applicant.

18 . A system for opening, funding, and managing a financial account, the system comprising:

means for receiving application information for a first account from a remote applicant and establishing the first account after verification of identity and credit information related to the applicant;

means for depositing one or more microdeposits into a preexisting second account of the applicant;

means for receiving from the applicant at the first account an input confirming a monetary value of the one or more microdeposits, wherein the input confirming the monetary value is received after the applicant has securely logged into the first account; and

means for funding the first account using a funds transfer from the second account.

19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the means for funding the first account from the second account comprises an ACH funds transfer, a credit card, a debit card, and/or a peer-to-peer payment system.

20 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising:

means for presenting one or more legal disclosures to the applicant for review; and

means for receiving an input from the customer confirming agreement to the terms of the one or more disclosures before establishing the first account.