Vasquez Presses USPS to Reverse Harmful Postmark Policy Change, Protect Seniors & Rural New Mexicans as Tax Season Starts

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On January 27, 2026 — one day into the 2025 tax filing season — U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) sent a letter to Postmaster General David P. Steiner raising serious concerns about a recent U.S. Postal Service policy change that could unfairly penalize New Mexicans who rely on USPS to send time-sensitive mail such as tax returns, rent payments, and Social Security or Medicare documents. 

In December, USPS changed its long-standing practice of postmarking mail on the date it is dropped off by customers. Under the new policy, mail is postmarked only once it is processed at a regional sorting facility, a shift that could delay postmarks by days and cause critical documents to be considered late through no fault of the sender. This new USPS policy will disproportionately harm rural communities, seniors, and folks with limited broadband access.

“This change puts New Mexicans at risk of facing late fees, delayed refunds, or even interruptions to essential benefits, simply because of where they live,” said Rep. Vasquez. “For decades, Americans have been able to trust that if they dropped their mail off on time, it would be postmarked on time. USPS must reverse this decision and restore that basic guarantee to American taxpayers.”

Rep. Vasquez emphasized that the policy change is especially harmful to rural communities, seniors, and individuals with limited broadband access who depend on USPS to submit tax returns, rent payments, and Social Security or Medicare documents. As the 2026 tax filing season begins, the change could mean that a New Mexican who mails their return by April 15 could still face penalties if their mail is postmarked days later at a distant processing center.

New Mexicans who need assistance navigating the federal bureaucracy — from Social Security and the VA, to assistance with passports or tax refunds — can contact Vasquez’s office at https://vasquez.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency. 

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