It’s Tax Time Again!

The other day I received my tax forms & instructions from the Alabama Department of Revenue (ADOR), reminding me that it’s once again tax season!

In case you’re new to the state, or to Tuscaloosa, here are some places where you can obtain tax forms and instructions :

For Federal Income Tax:

• IRS.gov’s 1040 Central – here you can download/print forms and publications, as well as read over some Frequently Asked Questions
• Don’t want to print out the forms and instructions?  You can pick some up at the Tuscaloosa Public Library or at the Ferg post office

For Alabama Income Tax:

• Individual and Corporate Tax Division (ADOR)
• Again, if you don’t want to fill out the form online or print one out, the Tuscaloosa Public Library has the main forms you’ll need to submit.

Please note that the University of Alabama Libraries do not have paper copies of the forms or instructions.  We will direct you to the web sites or the locations listed above.

Inaugural Activities

By now, hundreds of thousands of people have gathered at the National Mall to experience the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.  Millions of others are planning to watch the event on television or over the Web – and tons of parties are planned for this evening!

Some resources on this and past presidential inaugurations:

• ResourceShelf Resource on the 2009 Presidential Inauguration
• Inauguration Day Information (lots of .gov sites! from the SLA Government Information Division)
• Read or listen to inaugural addresses from Presidents 1-43 (the American Presidency Project)

In case you haven’t figured out where YOU are watching the inauguration, CNET has provided a list of sites that’ll be streaming the events.  And if you’re on campus, stop by Gorgas Library!  We’ve got the tv turned to CNN all morning.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

As you probably know, Monday is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.  The U.S. government has a website, www.mlkday.gov, which gives some background on the day itself and information on MLK Day service projects by state. The site also includes resources for individuals and resources for organizations.

Other government resources on Martin Luther King, Jr. include:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site (U.S. Park Service)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. (Library of Congress)
• King’s FBI file (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Something to keep in mind, if you’re in Alabama and don’t already have plans for Monday: admission to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is free.

And a quick note: the University of Alabama Libraries are closed on Monday.

New Year’s Resolutions: Travel

Another popular resolution that people make is to travel more, or take a big trip.  If that’s the case for you, the government has a TON of resources to check out.

If you’ve decided to visit another country, the State Department’s Travel site includes information on how to obtain a passport, country information, travel warnings, and even includes ‘Tips for Traveling Abroad.’

Other resources include:

• Travelers’ Health (Centers for Disease Control) – Includes information specific for travelers on Cruise Ships and Airplanes
• Travel Spotlight (Customs and Border Protection)
• International Travel (USA.gov)
• Information for Travelers (Transportation Security Administration)
• Consumer Information: Travel (Federal Trade Commission)
• Travel, Transportation and Recreation (USA.gov)

The government can also be a source of information for travel destinations in the U.S.  Most states have a tourism web site, highlighting the numerous attractions their state has to offer. The National Park Service provides information about national parks, such as hours, fees, directions, activities, etc. (There’s even a map for each state, noting the different parks & their locations. Alabama has 6 historic parks/sites, and 2 trails that run through the state.)

• Alabama Tourism Department (This year happens to be The Year of Alabama History).
• Recreation.gov
• Recreation and Tourism (USA.gov)

And while you’re preparing for your trip, a couple of things to keep in mind:

• Vacation health care (Medlineplus.gov)
• Hold Mail Service (USPS.gov)

Safe travels!

Financial Crisis Timeline

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis recently launched The Financial Crisis: a Timeline of Events and Policy Actions, a site that provides information on “market events and the actions taken” by various government entities.  The timeline begins in February 2007 and continues to the present.  Every event listed in the timeline includes a link resource – in some cases a press release, in others a company’s SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) filing. In some cases the information provided is not U.S. government-authored – company press releases and foreign government resources are also included.

Also included on the site are links to relevant financial data and publications produced by the St. Louis Fed, as well as links to external resources such as the FDIC Failed Bank List and the GAO Report on the TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program).

New Year’s Resolution: Money – Saving/Not Spending

I began my resolution series by compiling some government resources on health and fitness. The next post in the series relates to money: saving it, not spending it, paying down debt, etc.  Below are some government resources I found about managing one’s money:

• mymoney.gov – “dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education”
• Money Smart – A Financial Education Program (FDIC)
• Personal Finance (USA.gov)
• Saving and Investing (USA.gov)
• 66 Ways to Save Money (FCIC)
• Money (Consumer.gov)
• Managing Finances (Alabama Learning Exchange Lesson Plan)

And on a somewhat related note, while I was searching for Alabama  web sites that might have personal finance information, I found out about CommuteSmart Alabama.  It’s a project funded by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, and it helps commuters in Montgomery, Birmingham, and Mobile find carpool buddies or alternative commuting options. There’s even a cost calculator so that commuters can determine how much they spend commuting each month and each year.  (The results could surprise you – I know they did me!)

That’s all for now – stay tuned for more resolution resources later in the week!

Welcome the 111th Congress

The 111th Congress has now convened.  I watched the new class of Senators take the Oath of Office on CSPAN2 (random fact about me: the Senate is my favorite legislative body).  Footage from the House will also be available.

For some demographic info about the 538 Members of Congress (as of December 31st), see this CRS report (Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile).

Additional Coverage of the 111th Congress can be found at:

• C-SPAN.org
• Congresspedia
• And, of course, the official House and Senate web sites

Happy New Year!

I’m amazed that it’s 2009 – another year done and gone. I don’t know about you, but I always manage to make some resolutions for the new year. In fact, one of my work-related resolutions is to post here more consistently! I want to average 2 posts per week – and if I don’t make my quote, I’m hoping that y’all will call me on it!

One resolution that many, many folks make has to do with losing weight and/or becoming more active. Even the Governor’s Cabinet is doing it!

Again for 2009, the Alabama Department of Public Health wants to help those people out, continuing their Scale Back Alabama initiative. The program is open to teams of 4 – and you don’t have to be a part of a specific organization to participate.  If you decide not to participate formally (and have a chance to win a prize!) you can always use some of the resources and lesson plans listed on the site.

For additional information on health and weight loss, check out some more government web sites:

• HealthierUS.gov
• medlineplus includes several helpful links under the topics Fitness and Exercise, Weight Control and Healthy Living.
• Food Labeling and Nutrition (FDA)
• Partnership for Healthy Weight Management (Consumer.gov)
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Food, Nutrition, and Fitness (USA.gov)

As part of my work towards my own resolution, I’m going to try and post similar lists for other common New Year’s resolutions.  If you have a suggestion, feel free to leave it in the comments!