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Pillar Guide · 2026 Edition

USPS Change of Address vs Updating All Your Companies

USPS Change of Address forwards your mail. It does not update your address with your bank, insurance, subscriptions, or other organizations — and it does not notify your personal contacts. This guide explains the difference between mail forwarding and a complete address update, and shows how to finish your move in one place.

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  • Heads Up™ Moving Announcements (Gmail + Outlook)
  • Don’t Forget™ Moving Checklist (128 tasks)
  • Create account in under a minute
Free Heads Up™ Moving Announcements Free Don’t Forget™ 128-task hosted checklist No credit card required

Do it all — $39.95

  • USPS + your selected organizations (4,000+ available)
  • Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™ included
  • One step. Average time saved: 4+ hours
USPS + selected organizations (4,000+ in 20 categories) Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™ included One-time fee of just $39.95
4,000+
Organizations available
20
Categories
Free
Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™
1.5M+
Customers served
Side-by-side comparison: The Old Way shows a single USPS Change of Address form with crossed-out icons for banks, insurance, and contacts. The Complete Way shows the AddressGenie dashboard with company updates across 4,000+ organizations, Heads Up moving announcements, and Don't Forget checklist.

In this guide

Skimmable
What USPS change of address actually doesDefinition What USPS does NOT doThe gap Heads Up™ — Notify your personal contactsHowTo Side-by-side comparison tableProof What happens if you only file USPSRisks Who you need to notify (by category)20 categories Free account vs Get Started ($39.95)Pricing Don’t Forget™ Moving Checklist (free)Lead magnet Frequently asked questions7 FAQs

What does USPS change of address actually do?

Direct definition

The USPS Change of Address service (also called mail forwarding) redirects mail from your old address to your new address for a limited period. First-class mail is forwarded for 12 months. Periodicals are forwarded for 60 days. Standard mail and packages are not forwarded.

Filing costs $1.10 online (identity verification fee) or is free by visiting your local post office. It takes 7–10 business days to take effect.

Key takeaway: USPS forwards your mail. That’s it. It does not update your address with any other organization.

What USPS change of address does NOT do

The gap

Mail forwarding does not update your address with individual organizations. Your bank, insurance company, credit cards, subscriptions, employer, medical providers, and government agencies all maintain their own records independently.

Critical distinction: USPS forwards your mail temporarily. It does not notify anyone that you moved — not your companies, and not your personal contacts.

What USPS does

Redirects mail for 12 months. Your bank doesn’t know. Your insurance doesn’t know. Your friends don’t know.

What a full update does

Updates the organizations you choose, sends moving announcements to your personal contacts, and tracks every task with a hosted moving checklist.

Heads Up™: notify your personal contacts you’re moving

HowTo

USPS does not notify your personal contacts that you’ve moved. There is no government service, app, or built-in tool that does this — except Heads Up™ by AddressGenie.

Heads Up™ lets you import contacts from Gmail or Outlook, select who to notify, customize a moving announcement with your new address, and send beautifully designed e-cards — all in under 5 minutes. Recipients see your new address, a personal message, and an optional photo.

Why this matters: The average person has 50–200 personal contacts who need their new address — family, friends, doctors, accountants, neighbors. Without a notification service, most people never tell everyone. Mail gets lost. Holiday cards go to the old house. Important contacts fade.
1
Import contacts
Connect Gmail or Outlook
2
Choose recipients
Select who to notify
3
Pick a design
5 e-card themes available
4
Send
Delivered instantly, free
Heads Up™ E-Card Preview

We’re Moving!

Hi Sarah — just a quick heads up that we’ve got a new address. We’d love for you to update your records so we stay connected!

Our New Address
1234 Mountain View Lane
Boulder, CO 80302
Sent via AddressGenie · addressgenie.co
Import contacts from:
📧 Gmail
📬 Outlook
Create Your Free Account See full comparison
Free Heads Up™ Moving Announcements Free Don’t Forget™ 128-task hosted checklist No credit card required

USPS vs AddressGenie: side-by-side

Comparison
Feature USPS only AddressGenie
Forward mail to new address✓✓ (via USPS)
Update banks & credit cards✗✓
Update insurance providers✗✓
Update subscriptions✗✓
Update utilities✗✓
Update loyalty programs✗✓
Update government agencies✗✓
Notify personal contacts (email)✗✓ Heads Up™
Import Gmail / Outlook contacts✗✓
Send moving announcement e-cards✗✓ (5 themes)
Don’t Forget™ Moving Checklist (128 tasks)✗✓
Organizations covered1 (USPS)4,000+
Personal contacts notified0Unlimited
Time to complete~5 min (mail only)~15 min (full update)
Free tools available✗✓ Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™
Cost$1.10Free account or $39.95 (everything)

What happens if you only file USPS change of address?

Consequences

After 12 months, mail forwarding stops. Any organization that still has your old address will send correspondence there — not to you. And your personal contacts? They were never notified at all.

Missed bank statements Important financial documents sent to old address after forwarding expires.
Insurance lapses Policy renewal notices never reach you. Coverage gaps result.
Subscription billing failures Address verification fails, cards declined, accounts suspended.
Medical correspondence Test results, appointment reminders, and referrals go to the wrong address.
Legal notices Jury summons, tax documents, court notices — all undelivered.
Lost personal connections Holiday cards, invitations, and correspondence from people who don’t have your new address. Without notification, contacts silently lose touch.

Who do you need to notify when moving?

20 categories

Beyond USPS, here are the major categories of organizations — and people — that need your updated address:

Banking & Finance380+ companies
Insurance290+ companies
Credit Cards210+ companies
Subscriptions450+ companies
Utilities320+ companies
Government180+ agencies
Medical260+ providers
Loyalty Programs500+ programs
Personal ContactsGmail + Outlook

How AddressGenie completes your move

Solution

A complete address update means updating USPS and the organizations that have your address on file and the people who need to know you moved. AddressGenie puts all three into one workflow.

Your always-free account includes Heads Up™ Moving Announcements and the Don’t Forget™ Moving Checklist immediately. Get started for $39.95 and AddressGenie also handles USPS and your selected company notifications — saving an average of 4+ hours compared to doing it yourself.

USPS Only

$1.10
Mail forwarding only
  • Forwards mail 12 months
  • No company updates
  • No contact notifications
  • No Don’t Forget™ Checklist

Free Account

$0
Always free
  • Heads Up™ Moving Announcements
  • Gmail & Outlook contact import
  • Don’t Forget™ Checklist (128 tasks)
  • No credit card required
Free Heads Up™ Moving Announcements Free Don’t Forget™ 128-task hosted checklist

Get Started

$39.95
Take care of everything
  • USPS mail forwarding
  • Your selected organizations (4,000+ available)
  • Heads Up™ Moving Announcements included
  • Don’t Forget™ Checklist (128 tasks) included
  • Average time saved: 4+ hours
USPS + selected organizations (4,000+ in 20 categories) Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™ included One-time fee of just $39.95

Don’t Forget™ — 128 tasks, hosted for free

Free with every account

Your move is a sequence, not a single form. Don’t Forget™ is a hosted, interactive checklist with 128 tasks organized across 8 weeks — from pre-move prep through post-move cleanup. It stays in your account, updates as you go, and includes recommendations and resources for each step.

✓
File USPS change of address
✓
Update bank accounts
✓
Send Heads Up™ moving announcements
Update insurance policies
Transfer utilities
Update vehicle registration
Notify employer / HR
Update pharmacy records
+ 120 more tasks across 8 weeks
Create Your Free Account Do It All — $39.95
Free Heads Up™ Moving Announcements Free Don’t Forget™ 128-task hosted checklist No credit card required
USPS + selected organizations (4,000+ in 20 categories) Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™ included One-time fee of just $39.95

What movers say

Trust
★★★★★
"I had no idea USPS didn’t update my banks or tell anyone I moved. AddressGenie handled everything — and the Heads Up e-cards were such a nice touch. My mom loved hers."
— Sarah K., Denver CO
1.5M+
Customers served
A+
BBB Rating
15+ yrs
In business

Frequently asked questions

JSON-LD
Does USPS change of address update my bank? +
No. USPS mail forwarding only redirects physical mail. It does not notify your bank, credit card companies, or any other organization that you have moved. You must update each organization individually or use a service like AddressGenie to update USPS and 4,000+ companies in one step.
Does USPS notify my personal contacts that I moved? +
No. USPS does not contact your friends, family, or any personal contacts when you file a change of address. There is no government service that does this. AddressGenie’s Heads Up™ feature lets you import Gmail or Outlook contacts and send free moving announcement e-cards to anyone you choose.
How do I tell everyone I’m moving? +
You can manually email or call each person, or use AddressGenie’s Heads Up™ Moving Announcements to import your Gmail or Outlook contacts and send personalized moving announcement e-cards automatically. Heads Up™ is free with every AddressGenie account and takes under 5 minutes.
How long does USPS forward mail? +
First-class mail is forwarded for 12 months. Periodicals are forwarded for 60 days. After that, mail is returned to sender or discarded. USPS mail forwarding does not update your address with any organization.
Is there an alternative to USPS change of address? +
USPS handles mail forwarding — one part of moving. A complete address update includes USPS, the organizations that have your address on file, and the people who need to know you moved. AddressGenie offers a free account with Heads Up™ Moving Announcements and the Don’t Forget™ 128-task checklist. A full address update across USPS and 4,000+ organizations costs $39.95.
What happens if I forget to update my address with a company? +
After USPS mail forwarding expires (12 months), any organization with your old address will send mail there. This can result in missed bills, insurance lapses, legal notices going undelivered, and sensitive documents reaching the wrong person.
How much does AddressGenie cost? +
AddressGenie offers a free account that includes Heads Up™ Moving Announcements (Gmail and Outlook contact import) and the Don’t Forget™ 128-task hosted moving checklist — no credit card required. A full address update across USPS and 4,000+ organizations costs $39.95 and includes Heads Up™ and Don’t Forget™.
Create Your Free Account Do It All — $39.95
Free Heads Up™ Moving Announcements Free Don’t Forget™ 128-task hosted checklist No credit card required
USPS + selected organizations (4,000+ in 20 categories) Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™ included One-time fee of just $39.95

Don’t just forward your mail. Finish your move.

Next step

Start free with Heads Up™ Moving Announcements and the Don’t Forget™ Moving Checklist. Or get started now and take care of everything for $39.95.

Create Your Free Account Do It All — $39.95
USPS Approved BBB A+ Rated 1.5M+ Customers Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™ Free with Every Account
USPS + selected organizations (4,000+ in 20 categories) Heads Up™ + Don’t Forget™ included One-time fee of just $39.95
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