Story perspectives

USPS Raises Forever Stamp 4.8% to $0.82

7/10/2026

Summary

USPS Raises Stamp

United States Postal Service will raise the First-Class Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents on July 12, 2026.
Postal Regulatory Commission approved the increase on May 27, 2026.
USPS says the 4.8 % price hike offsets $1.8 billion cost growth versus $1 billion revenue rise in FY 2025.
Postmaster General David Steiner warned that without additional hikes the agency could face cash-flow trouble within a year.

Summary

USPS Rate Hike

July 12 hike lifts First-Class rates from 58 cents in 2021 to 82 cents, a 41 % increase.
The 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act forced USPS to prepay retiree health benefits, swelling its debt.
USPS has posted net losses every year since the law’s start, citing those obligations.
Postmaster General David Steiner warned that without hikes to 90-95 cents, USPS could run out of cash in 12 months.

Summary

USPS Faces Loss

USPS will temporarily suspend employer contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuities to preserve cash for payroll and operations.
A December filing shows four more stamp hikes through 2028, potentially raising the Forever stamp to about 96 cents by year-end 2028.
Mail volumes keep falling even as revenue rises, leading to a $2 billion net loss in Q2 FY 2026.

History

Historical Context

President Richard Nixon signed the Postal Reorganization Act on August 12 1970, turning the Post Office Department into the United States Postal Service and granting unions collective-bargaining rights. The self-sufficiency rule has driven rate hikes, leaving the USPS exposed to a $2 billion Q2 FY 2026 loss and prompting Postmaster General David Steiner to raise the Forever stamp to 82 cents, a move that may trigger further regulatory-approved increases.

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USPS Raises Stamp

United States Postal Service will raise the First-Class Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents on July 12, 2026.
Postal Regulatory Commission approved the increase on May 27, 2026.
USPS says the 4.8 % price hike offsets $1.8 billion cost growth versus $1 billion revenue rise in FY 2025.
Postmaster General David Steiner warned that without additional hikes the agency could face cash-flow trouble within a year.

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