One needs to consider several things when moving to a new residence; one of those is how they will be receiving emails to their new address.

When changing services like internet, TV, or telephone, remember to change your physical address with the U.S Postal Services to allow mail forwarding. Typically, this can happen only through mail forwarding services requests.

In this post, we outline various details you should know about the USPS mail forwarding services. Read on to discover more.

What are mail forwarding services?

Mail forwarding services is a practice by the U.S postal service of arranging mails and packages that should be delivered to an old address forwarded to a new address. Most people usually benefit from these services when they are temporarily away or working far from their mailing address.

Families having second homes, travelers who are constantly on the move, and people who are working overseas can all benefit from the USPS mail forwarding services.

When you request a change of address form the U.S postal services, the local post office will send first class mails to your new address at no extra fees every week for a given period of time. Remember the mail forwarding address cannot be reversed once set.

However, other mailbox forwarding services currently feature digital mailbox services, allowing you to see a picture of the outside of your mail package, provide flexibility of forwarding emails to multiple addresses on demand and choose the delivery speed and carriers fitting your needs and budget.

Types of USPS mail forwarding forms you can use.

First things first, when you have decided to change your address, you must use the correct form for doing so. Basically, there are three types of USPS change of address forms you can use depending on the nature of your stay.

Look at the summary of the forms below.

• Individual; this form is used when just one person is changing the address in the household or several people moving to different locations. This form is also perfect for people living as roommates. In this case, both of you will fill separate individual COA forms. Also, if you are living with your sibling with whom you share the same last name, you will still need separate change of address forms if you are shifting to different locations.
• Business; with USPS mail forwarding services, businesses too have to change their addresses. If you have the power to forward mails on behalf of the brand, you are allowed to change the whole business address using a single business change of address.
• Family; if you are living in the same house and both have the same last names and are moving to the same place, you can sign one family change of address.

So, how can you change your mail address with the U.S postal service?

Well, there are two available options to choose from when you want the postal services to know that you want to change your mail address so you can start getting them in the new address.

• Visit the postal service website to change your address online.

This is the easiest and fastest method you can use to change your mail address. It also gives you a notification message confirming the change immediately. However, you will be required to pay $1.10 for an online change of address which you’ll need to pay through a debit or credit card using a valid email address.

The $1.10 charge is paid using debit or credit cards to help verify your identity to ensure you are truly the one making the change and prevent fraud.

Be warned not to pay a different company to perform the address change for you. Separate entities can charge as much as $50 for something you can do for $1.10.

• Visit your local post office and ask for a mover's guide.

Once you are provided with the user guide packet, check inside for PS form 3575. Fill out the COA form and submit it to the secretary at the post office. After returning the letter, you should wait for five business days to receive confirmation of the change of address to your new location.

How to forward mail with USPS.

The United States Postal Services allow you to choose from their three types of forwarding services: premium, permanent, or temporary. Premium and temporary mail forwarding services are used for short-term moves, and permanent is applied for long-term relocations.

Besides, apart from marketing packages and mails, permanent and temporary services majorly send first-class mails. The premium option forwards all mails in the old address to the new one.

How USPS premium forwarding works.

The USPS Premium Forwarding Mail Services Residential is an option that ensures you receive every piece of the mail. For a sum of $21.80 that covers the first setup and the continuous monthly fee, you will have peace of mind that your emails reach your new destination.

The premium forwarding option works by collecting all pieces of mails sent to you or a member of the house, and the agency forwards the package to the new address in one shipment every week. This service is set to last for a minimum of two weeks, with a room for extension up to twelve months after moving. To forward mails using this method to new addresses, you'll part with a sum of $20.10 initial online setup fee, or $21.90 when you go physically, and a weekly payment of $21.90 after that.

Another great advantage with this option is that it forwards Priority Mail Express packages straight away without keeping them waiting for weekly mails. The remaining mails are packaged by Wednesday and are delivered to your new address’s doorstep through priority mail.

Any extra first class mail packages not fitting the weekly bulk shipment will be forwarded to you separately at no additional costs. On the other hand, standard mails that do not fit the weekly shipping will be delivered at an added 1 pound payable on delivery. This amount covers the Parcel Select Non presort rates.

How to forward mails for deceased loved ones.

Managing the mails of a deceased loved one or family member can be an unfortunate end-of-life reality that is hard to deal with. Fortunately, you can successfully forward the deceased mails to your home address with the available USPS tools and guidelines.

Unlike change of address when you want to forward your mails, changing the deceased address involves only one step that includes visiting the local post office. The agency does not allow doing it online through the postal service’s website.

1. Visit the post office.

While the agency does not allow processing of change of address of the deceased online, they have an alternative (see the next step). Instead, you are required to file a request at the nearest post office.

Remember to bring with you the proof that you are the appointed deceased administrator or executor. This is important because you'll be asked to provide evidence that you have the legal authority to transact on behalf of the dead.

Once you are at the post office, you’ll go through the Forwarding Change of Address process, where the USPS officials will assess your address and not the deceased.

2. Unless you had a common address.

If you lived together with the deceased, you can as well forward separate emails to the various authorized executor. Do this by neatly crossing your address on the mail, then write “Forward to:” and the recipient’s address on the back of the envelope.

Drop the copy on your mailbox to be picked by the carrier and taken to the post office drop box. Also, if you share the same address, you can always open and manage the deceased's mails and parcels.

3. Deactivate advertising mails.

Advertising mails will continue to come into the deceased mailbox, and if you are left to manage the deceased's estate or business, these mails can be a real nuisance. However, the good news is, the Data and Marketing Association includes a section of "Deceased Do Not Contact," DDNC, to address the issue of sending advert mails to deceased addresses.

But if you are still getting the Ads in the deceased address, ensure your register their names with DMAchoice.org.

Conclusions.

USPS mail forwarding services is a great program that ensures if you are relocating, you can continue getting your emails delivered to the new address normally. It also comes in handy when you are managing your deceased loved one's estate.

However, remember that forwarding emails using USPS is only applicable to mail deliveries across the United States, meaning parcels and packages shipped by UPS or FedEx won't be affected. Also, the forwarding period only lasts for a year.