USPS to raise the price of a Forever stamp to 82 cents on Sunday. Here's what to know. [View all]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: July 7, 2026 / 6:16 PM EDT


The U.S. Postal Service on Sunday will raise the price of a first-class Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents, the latest in a series of increases aimed at stemming the agency's mounting financial losses. The USPS announced the increase in April, saying the higher price was intended to bolster its finances. Over the past five years, the agency has raised the price of a first-class stamp six times, increasing the cost 34% from 58 cents in 2021 to 78 cents before the hike set to kick in on July 12.

The USPS has struggled for years with high costs and shrinking mail volumes, while policy changes implemented by Congress also weakened the agency's finances. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA) — which, among other changes, created a fund that required the agency to prepay health care benefits for postal service retirees — contributed to the agency's losses in subsequent years and sharply increased its debt load, according to a 2025 report by the USPS Office of the Inspector General.

"[T]he passage of PAEA in December of 2006 fundamentally altered the Postal Service's financial results by limiting revenue growth and adjusting retiree healthcare costs. Following 2006, the Postal Service recorded net losses each year," the agency watchdog stated.

The Postal Regulatory Commission, the federal agency that oversees the USPS, approved the postage rate hike in May. However, it flagged concerns with the agency's financial situation, its delivery performance and shrinking mail volumes. In fiscal 2025, the USPS recorded a $9 billion loss.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usps-forever-stamp-price-increase-july-2026/