NBR: How to tell VA we moved? Long, sorry

slukd79

I will make this as short as I can.

We moved at the very end of September out of Virginia to the midwest. We moved in temporarily with family. To avoid mail confusion, I had our mail forwarded to a UPS box versus the actual address. Then we moved again 6 weeks later to our house. I had the mail forwarded from VA to the UPS store to our house until now. *Roughly 3 months.*

I have changed our address with everyone that I can think of. However the state of VA keeps contacting us for differing issues. First it was our personal property tax on our cars. Then I had to contact the DMV. Then I had to contact the Dept of Taxation regarding nanny taxes we paid in 2010, but not 2011. Each of these encounters takes several phone calls and is very stressful to figure out. None of these departments seem to communicate with each other.

My question: How can I tell Virginia we moved? We will no longer have our mail forwarded to us because it costs quite a bit to continue a box with UPS that we are only using *in case* something important needs to get to us.

I just want to cry because I am trying so hard and it seems to get me nowhere. (I hate checking the mail now. If there is anything from the State of VA I just want to throw it away, but I can't!)

Thanks.

umdbride

Sorry you're dealing with all that, it sounds really frustrating.  We moved recently (although locally) and just forwarded our mail from our old address to our new address via the USPS.  Apparently in addition to forwarding your mail, if you are sent something legit to your old address, the post office will forward it to you and also send a notice to the sender to udpate their records with your address.  This doesn't apply to junk mail, but real things like bills, subscriptions, etc.

I think I would just file another change of address with USPS to change from your original address in VA to your permanent address.  After that, I'd just ignore the mail from VA for a few months until they get their records straight.  If it's that important, they'll send you multiples. 

You might also want to write back instead of call, maybe include proof of your new address (copy of a driver's license or something) - then you wouldn't have to deal with getting bounced from person to person and not have the situation fixed. 

slukd79

Thank you.

Yes, that is exactly what I just did before reading your post. I know technically I am only supposed to change my address from the old one once with USPS, but the online system didn't seem to challenge me so I am trying it!

I am just terrified of some sort of unknown late fees that VA will rack up for us because they couldn't find us. (I have had to remedy several situations like that.)

But I never thought of not calling. Its always been my first response to the situation. You are correct-- there is no paper trail and that had been part of the problem.

umdbride

I think that as long as you have a record that you changed your address with USPS (and also now that you did with the DMV too) and keep a copy of whatever letters you send them they should waive any late fees - it's not your fault they take so long to update their records!

beck12803

So, I hope everything is fixed with your mail. This is totally off topic, but I just wanted to share the little coincidence.  At the very end of September, we moved from the midwest to Virginia. :-)