If you’ve walked into a post office lately and felt like your wallet was getting a little lighter every time you reached for a book of Forever stamps, you aren't alone. It’s been a wild ride. Honestly, keeping up with the United States Postal Service (USPS) price hikes lately feels like trying to track a moving target in a windstorm.
But here is the weird part. For once, the news isn't all bad.
If you are wondering when are postage stamps going up in 2026, the answer is actually: not right now. At least, not the stamps you use for your birthday cards and electric bills. In a surprising twist, the USPS decided to hit the "pause" button on First-Class Mail increases for the start of the year.
It's a rare breather.
The 2026 "No-Hike" Surprise
Back in September 2025, Postmaster General David Steiner—who took the reins of the agency—announced that the USPS would forgo a price increase for "Market Dominant" products in January 2026. If that sounds like corporate speak, basically it means your standard 78-cent Forever stamp is staying at 78 cents for a while longer.
Why the change of heart? The USPS has been leaning hard into its "Delivering for America" plan. They’ve been jacking up prices twice a year like clockwork since 2021 to try and dig out of a massive financial hole.
But for early 2026, they claim they’ve found enough cost savings to give our checkbooks a break. Steiner mentioned they want to "balance revenue needs" with keeping things affordable. Translation: they know we’re annoyed, and they’re trying to play nice while they fix their internal logistics.
Don't Get Too Comfortable: The Mid-Year Cliff
Here is the "kinda-sorta" catch. Just because they didn't raise prices in January doesn't mean the 78-cent stamp is here forever.
The USPS has explicitly stated they are only forgoing the increase until "mid-year 2026." Historically, "mid-year" means July. Since 2021, the Postal Service has almost always implemented a second round of changes in the heat of the summer.
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If you look at the track record, it’s a bit of a staircase:
- July 2024: 73 cents
- July 2025: 78 cents
- July 2026: ???
Most insiders expect a jump of at least 3 to 5 cents when July rolls around. If you’re a heavy mailer, or maybe you're planning a wedding and need to send out 200 invitations, buying your Forever stamps now while they are stuck at 78 cents is probably the smartest move you can make.
Shipping Is a Different Story
While the news is good for letters, it’s a total mess for packages. As of January 18, 2026, "Competitive Products"—the stuff that competes with FedEx and UPS—just got a lot more expensive.
If you’re running a small business from your kitchen table, you've probably already seen the impact. We aren't talking about pennies here.
On average, USPS Ground Advantage rates shot up by 7.8%. Priority Mail went up about 6.6%. Even the premium Priority Mail Express service saw a 5.1% hike. It’s a classic bait-and-switch: they keep the stamp price steady to keep the general public from complaining too loudly, while the people shipping boxes for a living foot the bill for the agency's modernization.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
It’s easy to get mad at the Postmaster General, but the math behind the USPS is genuinely brutal.
First-class mail volume—the stuff that actually makes them money—peaked way back in 2001. We just don't send letters like we used to. In 2001, they handled over 103 billion pieces of mail. By 2020, that was chopped in half.
Then you have the "Delivering for America" plan. It’s a 10-year strategy designed to turn the USPS from a sinking ship into a modern logistics giant. They are spending billions on new electric delivery trucks (those funky-looking Next Generation Delivery Vehicles) and massive new sorting hubs.
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They argue that frequent, predictable price increases are the only way to pay for a network that still has to visit every single house in America six days a week, regardless of how many letters are in the bag.
Real-World Math: What You’ll Pay Now
Since the January 2026 shipping changes are now live, here is what the landscape looks like for your typical trip to the counter:
- Standard Letter (1 oz): Still $0.78.
- Postcards: $0.61.
- International Letters: $1.70.
- Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope: Now $11.95 (Retail).
- Small Flat Rate Box: $12.65.
- Medium Flat Rate Box: $22.95.
It’s getting pricey. A Medium Flat Rate box used to be the "affordable" way to send a heavy gift to a relative, but at nearly $23, people are starting to look at alternatives.
New Stamps to Watch For
Even if the price isn't changing, the look of the stamps is. The 2026 stamp program is actually pretty cool this year.
If you’re a collector or just tired of the same old American Flag design, the USPS is rolling out some heavy hitters. We're talking about a Muhammad Ali stamp that launched in mid-January and a Bruce Lee commemorative coming in February. They’re also doing a "Year of the Horse" Lunar New Year stamp and a special 150th-anniversary stamp for Colorado Statehood.
The beauty of these is that they are all "Forever" stamps. You buy them at the current 78-cent rate, and even if the price jumps to 82 cents this summer, those Bruce Lee stamps will still get your letter where it needs to go without you having to add a 4-cent "make-up" stamp.
How to Beat the Next Hike
Since we know the "mid-year" increase is looming, the strategy is simple: stock up.
It sounds like such "grandma advice," but the ROI on Forever stamps is actually better than some savings accounts right now. If stamps go from 78 cents to 83 cents in July, that’s a 6.4% "return" on your money just by holding onto a book of stamps for six months.
Also, look into "Metered Mail" if you run a small office. Even though standard stamps didn't go up in January, the USPS usually keeps a small discount for metered mail (it's currently around 74 cents). It’s not much, but if you send thousands of invoices, those four cents add up to real money.
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Actionable Steps for Your Mailbox
- Audit your postage drawer. If you’re low on stamps, buy them now. The 78-cent price is guaranteed until at least early summer 2026, but it likely won't last past July.
- Switch to Commercial Rates. If you ship packages, stop paying the "Retail" price at the post office counter. Use online shipping software (like Pirateship or Stamps.com) to access the Commercial rates, which can be significantly lower than the new $11.95 flat rate prices.
- Watch the 22-inch mark. The USPS added significant "non-standard" fees for packages longer than 22 inches in the January 18 update. If you’re shipping something long, try to find a way to fold it or use a smaller box to avoid a massive surcharge.
- Check for "Peak" Surcharges. Remember that the USPS often implements temporary "peak season" rates starting in October for the holidays. Mark your calendar for late September to check for those announcements.
The days of the 5-cent stamp are long gone, and the "twice-a-year" hike schedule seems to be the new normal. While we got a lucky break this January, the smart money is on the 80-cent stamp arriving before the leaves start to turn this autumn.