The Financial History of the U.S. Postal Service

Over the last two decades, historical events, legislative enactments, and operational performance have shaped the U.S. Postal Service’s financial results. Throughout the 1990s, the Postal Service’s profitability fluctuated, and the early 2000s saw more net losses than net incomes. Fiscal year (FY) 2006 was the last year the Postal Service recorded a profit, as First-Class Mail, its most profitable product, declined with the emergence and normalization of email and electronic bill payment options.