Is there a grace period for postage rate increase?

[s***@yahoo.com]

On January 9th and 10th, I mailed a total of 5 domestic letters (Credit
card bills; Estimated US & California taxes) with 37 cents postage
stamps, and an international airmail with 80 cents postage stamp. The
new domestic and international rates are 39 cents and 84 cents.

I just got back from a 6 week long overseas trip and did not know about
the increase in postage rates until yesterday.

Does post-office have any grace period for new postage (officially or
unofficially)? Or should I expect all the letters to be returned? I
have alerted the recipients of bills about this, and they are sensitive
about possible delays.

I am more worried about the estimated taxes being returned and then
being late. I would appreciate your input, especially if you work in a
post office.

Thanks.

[Mike T.]

Post by s***@yahoo.com
On January 9th and 10th, I mailed a total of 5 domestic letters (Credit
card bills; Estimated US & California taxes) with 37 cents postage
stamps, and an international airmail with 80 cents postage stamp. The
new domestic and international rates are 39 cents and 84 cents.
I just got back from a 6 week long overseas trip and did not know about
the increase in postage rates until yesterday.
Does post-office have any grace period for new postage (officially or
unofficially)? Or should I expect all the letters to be returned? I
have alerted the recipients of bills about this, and they are sensitive
about possible delays.
I am more worried about the estimated taxes being returned and then
being late. I would appreciate your input, especially if you work in a
post office.
Thanks.

I think that totally depends on the local postmaster. We live in a small
town where basically everybody knows your name. The rate increase snuck up
on us. We'd mailed several letters/bills/etc. with the old stamps on them.
We got a slip in our mailbox saying that we owed something like 20 cents for
postage due. But all that stuff we mailed was delivered, it didn't get
returned to us. Our local PM just trusts us to pay them back. (already
done) -Dave

[Long Gone]

Post by s***@yahoo.com
On January 9th and 10th, I mailed a total of 5 domestic letters (Credit
card bills; Estimated US & California taxes) with 37 cents postage
stamps, and an international airmail with 80 cents postage stamp. The
new domestic and international rates are 39 cents and 84 cents.
I just got back from a 6 week long overseas trip and did not know about
the increase in postage rates until yesterday.
Does post-office have any grace period for new postage (officially or
unofficially)? Or should I expect all the letters to be returned? I
have alerted the recipients of bills about this, and they are sensitive
about possible delays.
I am more worried about the estimated taxes being returned and then
being late. I would appreciate your input, especially if you work in a
post office.

Officially - No.
Unofficially - No. However, many will slip through because employees are
not fully programmed the first couple of days to catch them. If caught,
they should be attempted postage due unless it is a large mailing. In which
case, the entire mailing should be returned for additional postage.

If the estimated taxes are returned, I would not open the envelope or put
additional postage on it. I would mail it in a separate envelope so they
can see the original postmark. Might not work but it could and save you any
penalties.

[Mike Berger]

No -- since the increase was announced well in advance, there is
no grace period. Some post offices might forward the mail postage
due, and others may return it for additional postage.

Post by s***@yahoo.com
Does post-office have any grace period for new postage (officially or
unofficially)? Or should I expect all the letters to be returned? I
have alerted the recipients of bills about this, and they are sensitive
about possible delays.

[d***@yahoo.com]

Post by Mike Berger
No -- since the increase was announced well in advance, there is
no grace period. Some post offices might forward the mail postage
due, and others may return it for additional postage.

Well, I called my local post office yesterday, and they told me that
generally, they look the other way for about a week or so after a rate
change.

Also, the checks I had mailed to IRS (SF location) and California FTB
(Sacramento) cleared my account last night. So, obviously, the letters
were delivered, and I doubt that IRS or FTB paid USPS the missing 2
cents.

Thus, in effect, post office (or its scanners, rather) have a grace
period for a few days.

Thanks, USPS!