Higher postage rates go into effect

Mailing a letter now costs 39 cents, another hike likely next year

It now costs Americans 39 cents to mail a letter after new postage rates went into effect Sunday.

The increase follows legislation requiring the Postal Service to place $3 billion in an escrow account this year. Another rate boost is likely next year to cover rising costs for the agency. Stamp prices last went up in June 2002.

Many rates, such as parcel post and advertising mail, vary by distance or whether the material is presorted. Rate changes taking effect, including some estimates for typical mailed items:

* Post card, and each additional ounce in first class, up 1 cent to 24 cents.
* Letter to Canada or Mexico, 1 ounce, up 3 cents to 63 cents.
* Letter to other foreign countries, 1 ounce, up 4 cents to 84 cents.
* Priority Mail, 1 pound, up 20 cents to $4.05.
* Express Mail, 8 ounces, up 75 cents to $14.40.
* Certified mail, up 10 cents to $2.40.
* Money orders up 5 cents to 95 cents.
* Delivery confirmation, up 5 cents to 60 cents.
* Weekly news magazine, 5.8 ounces, presorted, up 1 cent to 18.5 cents.
* Household magazine, 13.8 ounces, presorted, up 1.5 cents to 28.9 cents.
* Small nonprofit publication, presorted, up 1.4 cents to 28.3 cents.

And the official Postage Rates Posted by the United States Postal Service:

Selected Rate Changes

Fee and Service Changes

Since 1775, the Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 143 million homes and businesses every day, six days a week and is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $69 billion, it is the world’s leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world’s mail volume-some 206 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves seven and a half million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide. Its website, usps.com, attracts more than 21 million visitors each month.