Anthropic has introduced a Personal Finance feature in Claude that allows users to connect their bank and credit card accounts and ask questions about their money in everyday language.The feature can analyze account balances, transactions, spending patterns and upcoming payments, helping users understand their finances without manually checking multiple banking apps.Personal Finance is rolling out in beta this week for Claude Pro, Max and Ultra subscribers in the US. Users can connect accounts through Plaid, a financial technology service that links applications with banks.Anthropic said the feature provides read-only access, meaning Claude cannot move money, manage accounts or make investments on a user’s behalf.The company is positioning the feature as a way to make financial information easier to understand, rather than as a financial management or investment service.Track spending across accountsUsers can ask Claude questions such as “Where did my money go this month?” and receive a breakdown of their spending across connected accounts.In one example shared by Anthropic, Claude analysed $4,309.37 in monthly expenses, identifying rent and utilities as the largest spending category and $1,024.51 spent on food and drink.Users can then ask follow-up questions to compare their spending with previous months, identify recurring payments or check how much money will remain before their next payday.Claude can also flag unusual transactions, duplicate charges, unexpected fees and bills that have gradually increased. Users can ask broader questions, including whether they are spending more than they earn or how much they have paid in credit card interest.The feature can also generate weekly spending charts, payment calendars and custom dashboards based on the financial information users want to track.Anthropic said Claude can explain unfamiliar financial terms, such as annual percentage rates (APR), and calculate the interest charged across connected accounts.Read-only access protects accountsPersonal Finance connects to bank accounts through Plaid. Users sign in directly with their financial institution and approve the requested access, rather than sharing their banking passwords with Claude.For accounts users choose to connect, Claude can access the bank’s name, account name and type, the last four digits of the account number, balances, credit limits, and up to two years of transaction history.Anthropic said conversations within the Personal Finance hub will not be used to train its models. Users can also unlink an account at any time, ending Claude’s access to its data.The company cautioned that Claude can make mistakes in its responses and advised users to check important figures with their banks. It also said the feature is not designed to provide investment advice.Personal Finance is an early step in Anthropic’s broader plans for financial services. The company said it is exploring ways for Claude to work alongside licensed professionals and regulated firms to support more complex financial decisions.Anthropic has invited banks, wealth managers and other financial services companies to help shape these future capabilities.