📬 USPS Postmark Rules Change: What You Need to Know (AARP Article)

[Winter2025VA]

FROM THE ARTICLE.

How USPS Postmark Change Could Affect Mail Deadlines.

Dates on mail now reflect when it’s processed by the Postal Service, not when it’s dropped off.

By Aaron Kassraie. Published December 31, 2025.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) implemented new procedures for dating mail on Dec. 24, postmarking letters and packages with the date they are processed at a postal facility rather than when they are dropped off in a mailbox — a shift that could affect whether time-sensitive mail is considered on time.

The USPS says the change is aimed at meeting strategic goals to cut costs and streamline mail processing by concentrating it in a smaller number of facilities. But it could create real challenges for consumers dealing with deadline-driven mail matters this tax season and beyond, from IRS filings and Medicare documents to mail-in ballots and government benefit notices.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE.

https://www.aarp.org/government-elections/usps-postmark-changes/