In accordance with some embodiments, a method includes receiving, in a proximity coupling system, holder consent to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance associated with a payment account; and providing a human understandable indication of the account balance associated with the payment account via an output device, in response at least in part to the consent; wherein receiving holder consent comprises receiving holder consent provided via a proximity payment device associated with the payment account. In accordance with some embodiments, a method includes storing account data and preference data in a proximity payment device, the preference data indicative of a preferred method to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance. In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus includes a proximity payment device, the proximity payment device including preference data, the preference data indicative of a preferred method to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance. In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus includes a proximity payment device wherein the proximity payment device generates data indicative of whether there is consent to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance based at least in part on whether a holder has actuated a switch.