Stamp prices to increase
The U.S. Postal Service is raising the price of Forever stamps from 73 cents to 78 cents, part of a broader set of postage and shipping rate hikes approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission. Postcard rates will increase from 56 cents to 61 cents, and metered letters from 69 cents to 74 cents.
The price changes, first announced in April, mark the resumption of USPS’s twice-yearly rate hikes after a pause in January. Shipping rates are also rising: Priority Mail will see a 6.3% increase, USPS Ground Advantage 7.1%, and Parcel Select 7.6%.
The price hikes come amid efforts to address the USPS’s growing financial challenges. The agency reported a $9.5 billion loss in 2024. Leadership changes under the Trump administration and discussions involving the Department of Government Efficiency reflect a growing preference for higher rates to manage deficits. Though officials considered “exigent” price hikes outside the regular schedule, those did not proceed.
Alongside rate increases, USPS is reducing some delivery speed commitments to streamline operations. Some service standards were adjusted in April and July, including longer delivery windows for mail traveling over 50 miles. Acting Postmaster General Doug Tulino said modernization is helping the USPS become "more efficient, more capable and more competitive."
Read more: Money
The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.