Government now offering electronic payment options

by TMG

by: Brian Day

Last year, U.S. government agencies collected more than $3 trillion in revenue. This equates to some $90 billion a day the public pays into government treasuries. The Treasury recently announced Americans can now settle up with the government through payment platforms PayPal and Dwolla.

This initiative shows a willingness on Uncle Sam’s part to experiment with new technologies, which could ultimately save taxpayers money. The Treasury is starting small, with a pilot program on the secure web portal Pay.gov. The website processes some $110 billion in collections ranging from loans and fines to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and National Parks filming permits.

“Digital wallets provide convenience, simplicity and a trusted customer experience, while achieving cost effectiveness for the federal government,” Corvelli McDaniel of the Fiscal Service said in a statement.

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