The worth of stamps is tipped to go up but once more. The US Postal Service stated this week that it is filed discover to extend the price of a first-class stamp for the third time in a yr, this time from 63 cents to 66 cents.
The Put up Workplace beforehand raised stamp costs from 60 to 63 cents in late January and, previous to that, from 58 to 60 cents in July 2022.
The newest enhance, which has already been authorized by the company’s Board of Governors, is meant to offset rising inflation, the USPS stated in an announcement. If authorized, it could go into impact on July 9, 2023.
You possibly can dodge the worth hike, a minimum of briefly, by buying Ceaselessly stamps earlier than July 9. Ceaselessly stamps are all the time legitimate, no matter after they had been purchased or the worth paid.
You will get Ceaselessly stamps at on-line retailers like Amazon or straight from the US Postal Service web site.
Different providers may even develop into costlier: a 1-ounce metered letter will go from 60 to 63 cents, for instance, and a home postcard will price 51 cents, up from 48 cents.
The Put up Workplace can be seeking to elevate the charges for licensed mail, cash orders, put up workplace bins and different providers.
“These worth changes are wanted to supply the Postal Service with much-needed income to realize … monetary stability,” the company stated. In 2021, Postmaster Normal Louis DeJoy unveiled a 10-year Delivering for America plan, supposed to chip away on the Put up Workplace’s mammoth debt.
The company has been carrying an annual funds deficit of $10 billion and greater than $188 billion in money owed and unfunded liabilities, in line with the Authorities Accountability Workplace, principally from the underfunding of staff’ pensions and retiree medical advantages.
The Postal Service typically receives no tax {dollars} for working bills and depends solely on the sale of postage, services and products for funding.
Regardless of the most recent hikes, the Postal Service stated its costs “stay among the many most reasonably priced on the planet.”
