USPS raises Forever stamp price to 82 cents

Effective Sunday, July 12 2026, the United States Postal Service increased the cost of a First‑Class Mail Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents, a 4‑cent rise that is part of a broader 4.8 percent price adjustment for mail services. The increase also affects metered letters (74 cents to 78 cents), domestic postcards (61 cents to 65 cents), and international postcards and letters (from $1.70 to $1.75). The USPS said the adjustments respond to a “severe financial crisis” and rising operational costs. The agency, a self‑financing independent federal establishment that receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, reported a net loss of $2.7 billion for the fiscal year ended September 30 2025 and has not posted a profit in a decade. The price hike is intended to help sustain its universal service obligation as it approaches its 250th anniversary and continues a network modernization plan.