While the cost of postage will increase by one penny next year, the U.S. Postal Service says that the 46-cent “Forever” stamp will remain valid currency for mailing letters across the country, even as rates get higher.

Starting on January 27, Postal Service customers will pay a little more to mail standard one-ounce letters, but with the advent of the new Forever stamp, they will no longer have to worry about purchasing those annoying one-cent stamps to make up for the additional cost once the rates go up. The Postal Service also plans to release a new, global Forever stamp that will allow customers to send letters all over the world for a flat rate of $1.10.

Over recent years, the Postal Service has struggled with diminishing mail volume, as more Americans are relying on online sources to conduct their business rather than traditional carriers. And with two defaults in their back pocket already this year, it is plain to see that the agency has fallen on hard times: it lost $5.2 billion between April and June of 2012.

Still, even though postal officials have pleaded with Congress to allow them to make vital changes, lawmakers cannot seem to agree on exactly how to revamp the system in order to get it back into profitability.

Postal legislation is scheduled to be addressed by Congress after the November 6 election.

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