Jim Karpen Tips

December 2000

Call this a revisionist approach to writing columns. Last week I found a better site for movies than the ones I had mentioned earlier. This week I've found a government site that is much better for the average user than FirstGov, which I wrote about a couple months ago. HiCitizen is a good first stop if you need government information.

The site gives quick access to the sorts of government information that your are most likely to need: getting a driver's license, registering to vote, registering your car, paying taxes, getting food stamps, obtaining Social Security information, changing your address, applying for financial aid, and more.

I had been wanting to get a passport, and thought this would be a good test for the site. Ironically, it failed. The section titled Travel & Recreation specifically mentioned passports under the link. But when I followed the link, I couldn't find any information about getting a passport.

But then I tried using its search, which is powered by Google. Searching the HiCitizen site still didn't bring satisfaction. However, it also offers a search of all government sites, and I immediately got what I wanted. I found out how to get a passport and was able to print out the form that I need.

Perhaps one of the most useful areas of the site is the Taxes category. It offers quick access to information on federal and state taxes. Not only are the various forms available online, but also help in filling them out. You'll also find links for checking on the status of your federal tax refund, changing your address, and paying property and business taxes. Other information includes IRS tax terms and tips for those who are self-employed.

Other categories include Auto, Business, Education, Family Services, Health & Food, Military & Veterans, Moving & Mail, Retirement, and Voting and Civics.

The section on Retirement offers information on Social Security, health insurance options for seniors, retirement housing, and more. It also includes useful information on perks for seniors such as discount passes for national parks. Look under the Health & Food category if you need information on Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, immunizations, and Social Security disability benefits.

In addition to the directory on the front page, there is a prominent section that has links to the most-requested federal forms and information: registering to vote, applying for a Social Security card, changing one's address, applying for federal student aid, renewing a driver's license, renewing vehicle registration, replacing a Social Security card, and receiving a Social Security benefits statement. There are also links to other government sites.

© 2000 by Jim Karpen, Ph.D. (#242)