Postal Rate Outlook: A Rate Hike, a Decrease, an Extension of Exigent Increases—All Are Possible

A rate hike, a decrease, an extension of the temporary "exigent" increase, and an even an increase and decrease a few months apart are all plausible 2015 scenarios for First Class, Standard, and Periodicals mailers. That uncertainty is a far cry from the past few years, when "market-dominant" postal rates inched up each January based on the rate of inflation.

The three-judge panel considering an appeal of the exigency case seems unlikely either to eliminate the rate hike or to make it permanent, according to Stephen Kearney, executive director of the Alliance for Nonprofit Mailers.