USPS plans to raise stamp prices to 82 cents in July and suspend retirement fund contributions to avoid running out of cash

The U.S. Postal Service is seeking Postal Regulatory Commission approval to raise First-Class Mail Forever stamp prices from 78 cents to 82 cents on July 12, with other Market Dominant products including Periodicals and Marketing Mail rising an average of 4.8%, as part of an emergency cash conservation plan after telling Congress it will run out of money by end of 2026. USPS is also suspending its employer contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System starting April 10, a move it expects to free up about $2.5B in the current fiscal year, with the agency's CFO saying current and future retirees will not be immediately affected. Beyond these measures, USPS is urging Congress to raise its borrowing authority from $15B to $34.5B and reform its retirement fund obligations to address what the agency describes as an ongoing liquidity crisis.