Mail Forwarding for Snowbirds

[Michael 61]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

[Michael G.]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

To my knowledge yes, forwarding mail for 6 months will work, but be vigilant.

We watch our snowbird neighbor's house, and they forward their mail up north.
When they left, we found mail every day for a week in their mailbox.
We called our neighbors and apparently there's was a mix up on how they contacted the post office and the mail delivery person.

So to answer your question it can be done.

[Michael 61]

To my knowledge yes, forwarding mail for 6 months will work, but be vigilant.

We watch our snowbird neighbor's house, and they forward their mail up north.
When they left, we found mail every day for a week in their mailbox.
We called our neighbors and apparently there's was a mix up on how they contacted the post office and the mail delivery person.

So to answer your question it can be done.
Thanks - and I will try to go paperless as much as possible with my bills and statements, and get everything on “auto pay”

[Michael G.]

Thanks - and I will try to go paperless as much as possible with my bills and statements, and get everything on “auto pay”

Good Idea.
I know many of us seniors have a hard time with the internet, but I use autopay when I can but still get receipts sent by mail.

Reason being is, if anything should happen to me, my wife, (who does not use our computer) could pay our bills by snail mail.

[stevecmo]

Will you have a "house watcher" at both locations? We use a service in TV that checks our mail once a week and lets us know if there is anything important. Our daughter does the same at our house up north.

[rjm1cc]

You can sign up and line and see the rules. USPS.com FAQs (https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Mail-Forwarding-Options)

[smurphy]

Will you have a "house watcher" at both locations? We use a service in TV that checks our mail once a week and lets us know if there is anything important. Our daughter does the same at our house up north.

We are snowbirds with a house up north and one in TV and we forward our mail. When transitioning, I set up the start date to be about 5 dates before we actually switch so that I can be sure that have actually stop delivering the mail. Also, I use the USPS's Informed Delivery service so that I am notified what is coming in the mail. With 2 addresses, you need 2 e-mail addresses to set it up. When we switch locations, we stop the southbound forwarding and set up northbound forwarding.

[DALEPQ]

We are "Seasonal Also" 6 /6, We change the USPS forwarding 7 days in advance,
for both ways. Haven't had any problems so far. We do use "Informed Delivery"
thru USPS, seems to work O.K. Suggest doing the same. Good luck.

[dewilson58]

We forwarded between two location for six years.

Worked great, no issues.

It did push me to use more electronic billing, paying, communications.

Good Luck.

[SIRE1]

We are snowbirds as well. Using the "Forwarding" function from the USPS works for almost everything but there are a few factors that you should consider. First, forwarded mail is usually delayed by 7 - 10 days so any bills that are not on autopay may arrive late and be past due. The second, is that some mail (like new credit cards or income tax statements) will not be forwarded even if you have submitted an address change. For that reason, for my credit cards, bank, and financial accounts I logon to the companies web site and change the mailing address to the new address. That way, the mail is sent directly to my new address. I do this 2 weeks before I leave for Florida and again 2 weeks before I head back north. Two weeks gives anything that is already in the mail pipeline to arrive while I am still at the old address and send anything new to the new address. I also do this for magazine subscriptions because the post office will only forward magazines for 2 months. All other mail is forwarded using the US Mail website to request an address change and I also use the 2 week time frame for that as well. I use the US Mail website to request the address change so that I can make sure the address is correct. When I first started coming to The Villages, I used the free card at the Post Office and they must have incorrectly typed in the address and my forwarded mail wasn't delivered until I went to the Post Office and found that the forwarding address was not correct.

[Keefelane66]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀
Keep it simple we get prepaid mailers from USPS and have a neighbor who picks up our mail, checks our home mail everything but junk mail when package full.
We usually compensate them with gift certificates of their choice.

[Aces4]

Keep it simple we get prepaid mailers from USPS and have a neighbor who picks up our mail, checks our home mail everything but junk mail when package full.
We usually compensate them with gift certificates of their choice.

Bingo, only we have it held for as long as possible and then put it on hold again. Our son picks it up once a week, sorts and tosses the junk. The rest goes in the prepaid mailer if we need it sent to us.
The post office hasn’t mastered forwarding mail, in our opinion, it was a huge headache.

[Catalina36]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

I believe you can only get mail forwarding for a max of 30 days. You have to actually do a "change of address". I usually start a week before I leave either house. It sometimes takes a couple of days for the mail change of address to start thats why I start a week in advance. This time, I started to use the postal service which sends you a email photo shot of your mail in the morning of your delivery. Its actually kind of cool, especially in The Villages. It could save you a trip to the postal station only to find you have no mail.
You can do everthing on line. When your leaving The Villages, The week before go to the postal station and talk with the mail person and fill out the paperwork directly with them.

[markusb741]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

Hi, go to your local post office and ask about Premium Mail Forwarding. We have used this service for six years without a problem. Good luck.

[Bay Kid]

I have nothing sent to TV home. My daughter picks up my mail at home.

[Dusty_Star]

I believe you can only get mail forwarding for a max of 30 days.

Standard mail forwarding lasts 12 months. You can get extensions of this up to 18 additional months. But since we are talking 6 months each way standard will work.

Standard Forward Mail | USPS (https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm)

[WingedFoot78]

We went paperless in 2008 when we started RVing. It has worked out well since. A bonus is saving on postage.

[Notsocrates]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

I do the same, 6 and 6. Mail is no problem. You can fill USPS form on its website. Journals and anything not 1st class will not be forwarded.

[bern916]

Will you have a "house watcher" at both locations? We use a service in TV that checks our mail once a week and lets us know if there is anything important. Our daughter does the same at our house up north.

Can you give me more info on the "service" in TV that checks your mail once a week? Like who do you contact and what's the cost?

[MrFlorida]

They will forward first class mail, but not the junk mail, you will need somebody to empty your box on occasion. Also, it takes a week for the forwarding to take effect.

[mkjelenbaas]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀
What did they tell you when you went there to get info??

[wamley]

Get the phone number of someone in the local Post Office that handles your forwarded mail. Sign up at least a month ahead and schedule your forwarding to start 3-4 days before your arrival in TV. It seems to take several days for this transition. If you see no mail after a week call that number and speak to your contact at the PO. Also, have a neighbor or close friend to check your mail box to collect mail that might have been delivered. They can forward it to you by Fedex.

[Berwin]

Another option is one full-time RVers use. You have your mail sent to a forwarding service. Some will open your mail, scan it, and send it to you by email. Here's one I investigated: Virtual Mailbox & Mail Forwarding | Traveling Mailbox (https://travelingmailbox.com/)

[PennyAnn]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

If you are planning to do forwarding, make it at least 10-14 days early, coming and going. That way, mail won't slip through after you've already left.
We do 6 and 6 months from Canada and just leave our mail as is and have our house checker also pick up the mail and call us each time.
Good luck and enjoy the Villages. There's nothing like it!

[Decadeofdave]

Usps premium forwarding service, $20 per week, put a credit card on file, all done on line

[GaryKoca]

The post office will not forward mail for short periods of time, like two months, for example. So have an arrangement with a neighbor to forward your mail. In the winter we will be here for 4+ months, so the post office said no problem. But have them start forwarding your mail 7-10 days before you leave at each end, because it takes about 7-10 days for them to start forwarding. I was surprised to see that they would not forward my mail for 6-8 weeks, but that is their system.

[admiral72]

we found the forwarding unreliable. Important item were retuned to sender creating many problems. We went to a P.O. box up North and once a week someone picks up the mail and overnights it to us.

[dtennent]

The post office will not forward mail for short periods of time, like two months, for example. So have an arrangement with a neighbor to forward your mail. In the winter we will be here for 4+ months, so the post office said no problem. But have them start forwarding your mail 7-10 days before you leave at each end, because it takes about 7-10 days for them to start forwarding. I was surprised to see that they would not forward my mail for 6-8 weeks, but that is their system.

We have had mail forwarded up north during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays for several years now. Is your experience within the past year?

[Ritagoyer]

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀
We have been doing this for years there is about a 2 week lag in getting the forwarded mail to the next address. We always forward about 1 week before we leave to get to TV and 2 weeks before we return north. That gets everyone time to get the process started. The one thing that you will not get is 3ed class mail aka junk mail that will not be forwarded. Since we live in a small town up north we have our mail held at the post office ( they will hold for one month) that lets us take a slow drive back to Wisconsin

[Ritagoyer]

We are snowbirds as well. Using the "Forwarding" function from the USPS works for almost everything but there are a few factors that you should consider. First, forwarded mail is usually delayed by 7 - 10 days so any bills that are not on autopay may arrive late and be past due. The second, is that some mail (like new credit cards or income tax statements) will not be forwarded even if you have submitted an address change. For that reason, for my credit cards, bank, and financial accounts I logon to the companies web site and change the mailing address to the new address. That way, the mail is sent directly to my new address. I do this 2 weeks before I leave for Florida and again 2 weeks before I head back north. Two weeks gives anything that is already in the mail pipeline to arrive while I am still at the old address and send anything new to the new address. I also do this for magazine subscriptions because the post office will only forward magazines for 2 months. All other mail is forwarded using the US Mail website to request an address change and I also use the 2 week time frame for that as well. I use the US Mail website to request the address change so that I can make sure the address is correct. When I first started coming to The Villages, I used the free card at the Post Office and they must have incorrectly typed in the address and my forwarded mail wasn't delivered until I went to the Post Office and found that the forwarding address was not correct.
We have also used UPS and setup a temporary PO box there and forwarded mail to them then leave instructions and a credit card on file for them to forward all mail in box to our address here in TV. This will also work if you are traveling to different places.

[SIRE1]

Be aware that all of these suggestions for having someone check your mail box and then having them send your mail in a bundled envelope means there will be a delay of at least 2 weeks. Plus, if that person goes on vacation or gets sick and cannot check your box, the delay will be even greater. So any bills you finally get will probably be Past Due by the time you receive it. That is why I recommended in my previous reply that you either set your bills for AutoPay, set up to receive the bill by email instead of a paper mailed copy, or go to the companies web site and change your mailing address in your Account /Profile section. Using the email or changed address might include credit cards where you want to review the charges as being yours before paying the bill. And the best part of either method is that you are not relying on mail being forwarded by the US Mail or someone else. . A little reminder, one of my credit cards requires me to enter my mailing zip code as a security verification when I use it at a gas pump and I have to remember to use the new zip code I've entered on their web site.

[TNKYGAL]

I believe you can only get mail forwarding for a max of 30 days. You have to actually do a "change of address". I usually start a week before I leave either house. It sometimes takes a couple of days for the mail change of address to start thats why I start a week in advance. This time, I started to use the postal service which sends you a email photo shot of your mail in the morning of your delivery. Its actually kind of cool, especially in The Villages. It could save you a trip to the postal station only to find you have no mail.
You can do everthing on line. When your leaving The Villages, The week before go to the postal station and talk with the mail person and fill out the paperwork directly with them.

That has been our experience also. When setting up "change of address", you will be prompted to select "temporary" or "permanent". Choose temporary and give starting and ending dates. When you get the confirmation email, be sure to keep it, or at least keep the confirmation number. You will need that if you ever want to adjust the end date or check on it. Like others, we start the service several days early, and stop the forwarding about 2 weeks before we leave TV just to be sure nothing comes to TV after we leave. We also use informed delivery, and whether forwarding mail or not, that has proven to be a valuable service! The only problem we have experienced was once when our individual mail carrier in KY inadvertently sent mail to TV after the cutoff date. We knew it because of informed delivery (plus we got no mail), and we were able to both track it down AND contact the senders for important mail. For the most part, USPS does a great job with this and setting it up is simple.
Good luck, welcome to TV, and get ready for a place like no other - you will love it here!!!

[justjim]

I do the same, 6 and 6. Mail is no problem. You can fill USPS form on its website. Journals and anything not 1st class will not be forwarded.

Magazines are forwarded for 60 days only. USPS forwarding system is not perfect but all in all it’s pretty darn good. We go north for about 3 months in the summer (cooler weather). Always use USPS web-site a couple weeks prior to the temporary move. I made the mistake once of filling out the card at Lady Lake PO and handed it to the postal clerk while there and they claimed there was no record following a call 3 weeks later. I was not happy and let them know it. Never did that again.

[njbchbum]

We have done it all - from forwarding, temp address change, neighbors - and found that the USPS Premium Forwarding Service [also a temp address change] is the most reliable way to redirect mail!

The service starts on a Wednesday and forwards every Wednesday thereafter until the end date - usually arrives on Saturday - billed weekly - expensive but reliable. EVERYTHING including the magazines, catalogs and junk mail is sent. No need to make a daily trip to your local box unless you want to or are expecting something sent direct or a package.

We start it on the Wed prior to our arrival so that it will not get there until we arrive. I process a Hold Mail for any days between our home departure and the Wed start date - that makes sure that there is mail to forward as of the start date.

On our return I stop the mail forwarding from home on the Wed prior to our TV departure - process a Hold Mail on the mail at home until our return there - process a mail forward from TV to home.

So basically it's a Hold Mail at home until the start of the PFS the Wed after we leave and an end date the Wed before we leave TV with a TV forwarding start the Monday of the week of our departure from TV with a Hold Mail/delivery restart date for our home delivery.

I also get the name of the person at our home P.O. who processes the Premium Forwarding Service so that I have someone to call directly in case there is any change to our travel plans and they can make any modification necessary for me. Most important - it allows me to send a FL fruit gift basket back to the P.O. while we are away as a thank you for their attention to our use of PFS!

As mentioned, it has been the most reliable way to insure delivery of our mail...and it relieves any family member/neighbor from any anxiety of forgetting to help us out. The one CAUTION I do have is a substitute mail carrier forgetting/not realizing that we have subscribed to PFS - so I have the chap who comes by to make sure the driveway/sidewalks have been plowed and who periodically starts our sitting cars check our mailbox for misdelivered mail - I leave pre-adressed Priority Mail envelopes with him when we give him the car keys.

Hope that helps you.

[jacRI]

Junk mail is not forwarded. The majority of my mail is forwarded but it is not unusual for multiple pieces to delivered to FL and not forwarded to my summer home. I have signed up for Informed Delivery on line. You get a picture of whatever is about to hit your permanent address. Those items that show up are not forwarded. I have arranged with a neighbor to check and put forwarding info on envelope and drop back at post office being sure to cross off bar code on bottom of envelope. Also for tax purposes see what your state considers the number of days you can remain in another state. . I am a legal FL resident but head north for summer. My former state is 6 months plus one day and my income becomes taxable at my old state's income level. There is no state income tax in FL. Check with your accountant.

[Papa_lecki]

We have done it all - from forwarding, temp address change, neighbors - and found that the USPS Premium Forwarding Service [also a temp address change] is the most reliable way to redirect mail!

The service starts on a Wednesday and forwards every Wednesday thereafter until the end date - usually arrives on Saturday - billed weekly - expensive but reliable. EVERYTHING including the magazines, catalogs and junk mail is sent. No need to make a daily trip to your local box unless you want to or are expecting something sent direct or a package.

We start it on the Wed prior to our arrival so that it will not get there until we arrive. I process a Hold Mail for any days between our home departure and the Wed start date - that makes sure that there is mail to forward as of the start date.

On our return I stop the mail forwarding from home on the Wed prior to our TV departure - process a Hold Mail on the mail at home until our return there - process a mail forward from TV to home.
Hope that helps you.

This is the best solution BUT
1) sign up online, then go to your post office and tell them
2) do it week early, to be sure it starts
3) get the name/number of who to call.

My first time, it never started. After that, i followed those 3 rules above

[Aces4]

Be aware that all of these suggestions for having someone check your mail box and then having them send your mail in a bundled envelope means there will be a delay of at least 2 weeks. Plus, if that person goes on vacation or gets sick and cannot check your box, the delay will be even greater. So any bills you finally get will probably be Past Due by the time you receive it. That is why I recommended in my previous reply that you either set your bills for AutoPay, set up to receive the bill by email instead of a paper mailed copy, or go to the companies web site and change your mailing address in your Account /Profile section. Using the email or changed address might include credit cards where you want to review the charges as being yours before paying the bill. And the best part of either method is that you are not relying on mail being forwarded by the US Mail or someone else. . A little reminder, one of my credit cards requires me to enter my mailing zip code as a security verification when I use it at a gas pump and I have to remember to use the new zip code I've entered on their web site.


I suppose if you only have one family member or friend you could run into a problem but we have no issues there. Of course, ACH is best for bills but not everyone accepts that arrangement. If you have any tech skills or a cellphone, have your family member or friend take a cellphone pic of the correspondence and not wait two weeks. Family comes in very handy in this instance.