What You May Not Know About Postage and Your Mail Machine
By Paul Johnson, President CMS – Complete Mailing Solutions
If you have a mailing system, you know that postage must be added to your meter as needed. Typically, postage is funded in one of three ways:
- Through an ACH debit (direct funding from your bank account)
- Sending in a check to the Postal Service (via a specified lockbox operated by the USPS)
- Automatic downloads with billing at a later date (much like a credit card)
No matter which funding method used, you may have assumed that once funds are loaded onto your postage meter, that money still belongs to you and that your manufacturer is holding the funds for you.
Not true!
Once funds have been downloaded onto a postage meter, those funds immediately become the property of the US Postal Service. The USPS authorizes the manufacturer to rent or lease the meter thru a licensing agreement, but the postage meter can never be owned by an individual or company. (Beware of EBay scams selling meters!)
What happens when you no longer need your mailing system or change systems and postage meters?
If you are changing or upgrading to a new system with the SAME manufacturer, your postage money will be transferred to the new postage meter. However, if you are cancelling/returning the meter and not replacing it with a new one, the US Postal Service will be refunding your money. Your meter must first be deactivated and returned to the manufacturer for processing. A request will then be made by the manufacturer to the USPS and a check issued to you. This refund process may take up to 6-8 weeks. *
When Will Your Postage Funds NOT Be returned to you?
Be aware that if there is less than $25.00 on your postage meter, the USPS will not refund your money (pursuant to Federal Reg. Section 604.9.3.1 set on 11/06/2008).
Have questions? At CMS, we are here to help. Call us at 303-761-0681.
*Non-Neopost or Hasler equipment manufacturers may have a different process.