The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) changes to postal rates and services are effective as of January 27, 2013. This guide provides an overview of these changes and outlines several strategies to help you minimize the impact of the changes and maximize the value of your mail.

The latest USPS changes include increases to postage costs for all USPS mail classes as well as the introduction of new services. There are hundreds of pages of detailed USPS changes; we will summarize the key changes, focusing on those that will have the greatest impact for the majority of mailers.

The following table outlines the key postage increases by mail class:

Class	Percent Change
First-Class Mail®	+2.570
Standard Mail®	+2.570
Periodicals	+2.560
Package Services	+2.569
Special Services	+2.850