[florida80]

6/30

Jun. 29—STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — You'll soon have to pay more to mail a letter, as the United States Postal Service (USPS) is raising the cost of its Forever First-Class stamps in July.

Starting July 9, the cost of a Forever stamp, or mailing a one-ounce letter, will increase from 63 cents to 66 cents.

Other mail services will also increase. Here's a full breakdown.

—Mailing a one-ounce letter — increase from 63 cents to 66 cents.

—Mailing a metered one-ounce letter — an increase from 60 cents to 63 cents.

—The price of a postcard — increases from 48 cents to 51 cents.

—One-ounce letter mailed to another country — an increase from $1.45 to $1.50.

—Postcard mailed to another country — an increase from $1.45 to $1.50.

—Additional ounces for letters will remain at 24 cents.

The Postal Service is also seeking price adjustments for special services products, including Certified Mail, Post Office Box rental fees, money order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item.

The proposed prices, approved by the governors of USPS, will raise the First-Class Mail prices by approximately 5.4%, to offset the rise in inflation, according to the postal service.

It marks the second time that prices will rise in 2023, as the first price adjustment went into effect on Jan. 22.

As operating expenses fueled by inflation continue to rise and the effects of a previously defective pricing model are still being felt, USPS said these price adjustments are needed to provide much-needed revenue to achieve the financial stability sought by the Delivering for America 10-year plan. According to USPS, its prices remain among the most affordable in the world.

The Postal Regulatory Commission will review the changes before they are scheduled to take effect.

USPS receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.