The United States Postal Service (USPS), the U.S. Postal Service, has announced a price increase for its stamps effective July 13, 2025. According to the USPS, this increase is necessary in order to achieve the 10-year Delivering for America plan. The main question that has plagued users of the postal service is whether postal letters mailed on or after July 13 will be able to carry Forever Stamps purchased prior to the increase. Although the price of the stamps has risen to 78 cents, those purchased before the implementation of the increase will still be valid.
The United States Postal Service (USPS)
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a federal agency independent of the executive branch of the government that controls the postal service in the country. Its functions include collecting, processing and delivering mail and packages to businesses and individuals throughout the country. The USPS must ensure security, privacy and commitment to preserving deliveries in good condition. They must arrive at their destination the same way they left the place of origin, perfectly packaged and undamaged. Among the services offered are also express, cash on delivery, priority and certified shipments, among many others. It is a means of communication between people, which facilitates the connection between the different places of the North American geography.
USPS price increase
It is impossible to ignore that the boom of e-commerce has had its effect on the delivery of packages and documentation in physical form. While on the one hand it has reduced the sending of notifications, advertising or any type of documentation that can be sent in a digital way, the increase in purchases in electronic e-commerce platforms has led to an increase in the number of physical packages.The USPS launched the Delivering for America 10-year plan years ago, through which it seeks to restore its economic balance. That is why they have resorted to several price increases, this being the sixth time since 2020. Some of the services that increased their price were:
- First-Class Stamps Forever.
- National and international postcards.
- Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.
- USPS Ground Advantage.
- Parcel Select.
Which are the current price increases?
USPS has announced that the price increase since July 13 will be 7.4%. However, he explains that he is reducing by 12% the price of the total postal insurance for each item sent. Declared “price adjustments are necessary to achieve the financial stability sought by the 10-year plan of Delivering for America”. For future shipments compared to previous ones, the prices are:
- Letters (1 ounce), 73 cents. Planned price: 78 cents.
- Letters (metered 1 ounce), 69 cents. Planned price: 74 cents.
- Domestic postcards, 56 cents. Planned price: 61 cents.
- International postcards, $1.65. Planned price: $1.70.
- International letter (1 ounce), $1.65. Planned price: $1.70.
What will happen with the Forever-Stamps?
United State Post Service (USPS) “forever” stamps have a different value. These are stamps that will always keep the same value, used for the first class postage of a one-ounce letter, regardless of how much the price of the mail is worth. If you buy Forever stamps at a certain price, they can be used to postage one-ounce letters, whatever the changing postal price. This has been one of the main concerns expressed by users of USPS mail service.
Forward-thinking people who use this service regularly, and buy Forever stamps to have at home when they need them. Does this price increase affect the usefulness of “Forever” stamps? The answer is no. USPS will continue to accept their use even if they have been purchased before July 13, 2025 without any type of problem. This answer is almost common sense, since the nature of such seals is precisely that they can be used “forever”.
