So you have finally settled in, the last box finally arrived and most of your belongings are already in place, the utilities churning, and the internet working well. You have already settled into your new place and the planning and hard work you have put forth over the past few months and weeks have finally came to fruition. You have paid the last bill and have waved goodbye to your old life in your old place. Now, the only problem is that your important mails are not coming in, so you now have to deal with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to have your mailing address changed and start getting those important pieces of mail.
Here are easy ways to file a change of address with the USPS:
- File a Change of Address Form
The USPS keeps a record of your old address and will then automatically forward your mails to your new address within six months. There are three different ways to update your mailing address with the USPS:
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- Filing personally in a USPS office near you. Form 3575 can be picked up at your local post office and you can personally file it there without any fees.
- You can call USPS to process your change of address at 1-800-ASK-USPS. Changing address via phone has a corresponding $1 verification fee.
- Change your mailing address online via websites that allow postal change of address or at the USPS website. A $1 fee is also charged for this transaction.
- File Your Change of Address Accurately
Make sure that you file your forms accurately. Common cases of erroneous filing involve households with a variety of family names moving together. For a household who shares the same last names, a single request can complete the mailing address changed. However, for a household with different last names, an individual form must be filed by each person. This is the same for households with different maiden names and where family members with the same family names are moving to the same new residence.
- Confirm Change of Address
After filing Form 3575, you will receive a confirmation letter to your new address within 7-10 business days confirming that the change was already done. This letter will indicate your old address and the new one. You must review it to make sure that there are no errors, and if there are any, contact USPS immediately. As well, if no confirmation letter arrives within the 7-10 days period, you must contact USPS to inquire on the status of your application.
While many may easily put off the USPS change of mailing address tasks for later, you need to realize the importance of timely application. You may miss out on some very important documents mailed to you which may cause delays on important transactions. Once you moved on, make this task a priority and be sure to include this on your top things to do once arriving and settling in your new place.
