Change of Address Checklist: Who & When To Contact
The process of moving comes with a lot of changes. Unfortunately, nobody will do them for you, so you will have to be very organized so that you don’t forget about anything. Creating a moving checklist is a great idea for this purpose. Next up is a list of places you might want to contact or change your address in during the moving period.
1. Financial services
1.1 Bank and Credit Card companies
It is very important that you provide your bank and credit card company with your new address, so that they can send you any information you need about your account and your new cards there. Depending on your bank and credit card company, in most cases, you will be able to do this online, and if not, you can call them directly. Also, don’t forget about your loyalty programs or any other special cards you might have.
1.2 Insurance Companies
It is very important that insurance companies have your address right, especially if you have home insurance. In case anything happens, you might want to be covered, so make sure you notify them with enough time. Your car insurance company should also be informed prior to your move, as depending on where you move to, there might be higher associated risks. Remember insurance rates vary depending on where you live, so failing to inform them on time might come with penalties.
1.3 Brokerage, Planning & CPA Firms
It is of common knowledge that taxes are not the same all across the country. Depending on where you live, there are different ones you must pay. So, if you are moving, make sure to inform your accountant, to make sure that you obey the laws. Also, if you have any accounts in a Broker, make sure you don’t forget to change the address to the new one for security reasons.
2. Government Agencies
2.1 The United States Postal Service (USPS)
Ideally, once your move is fully confirmed, this should be the first thing you do. By notifying the USPS about your change of address, any mail sent to your old place will get forwarded to the new one from the date you set. This can be done online at USP.com/move.
2.2 IRS for federal taxes
If there’s any change to your address, tax authorities will want to be aware of it so that they can send important notifications over to you. You can notify the IRS by phone or by downloading Form 8822 and sending it over to them.
2.3 Social Security
If you receive social security benefits, you will have to let the Social Security Administration know about your move. This can either be done online or by phone.
2.4 Pet Licensing Department
If you have any pets at home, you might want to change your address at the Pet Licensing Department, just to keep everything in order and avoid issues with your pets at your new location.
2.5 Veterans Benefit Administration
If you are a US Veteran, don’t forget to update your address at the Veterans Benefit Administration. This will ensure that anything you might be sent over arrives at your new place, and will also avoid any potential issues with your benefits.
2.6 Local council
Updating your local council about your move is critical because of your household’s Council Tax. Make sure you update your council, and if you are moving into a different council area, make sure you update both of them, so that you can pay your tax correctly.
2.7 Driver’s license and Vehicle Registration
If you have a driver’s license, you will have to get your postal address changed upon your move. Same for vehicle registration. You will have to update your personal information.
2.8 Voter Registration
If you are a registered voter, you will have to change your address if you want your vote to count in the upcoming elections. In some states this change might be automatic, but always contact the office to confirm what your status is.
3. Utilities
3.1 Internet
When moving to a new place, one thing you will not want to live without is Internet service. For this reason, you must call your provider to transfer your existing service to your new place, ideally before the move.
3.2 Gas / Oil
You don’t want to live without gas, do you? For this reason, make sure that you set up your oil & gas service as soon as possible before your move. When you transfer the service, try to arrange the shut off for the day before your move, and the new installations for the day you move in at your new place.
3.3 Electric
Surely you don’t want to be moving boxes in the dark, do you? Same as for oil & gas. Make sure you arrange the activation of the service a few days prior to the move, when you request the transfer from your old place.
3.4 Cable / Satellite
Getting an appointment to get a new cable or satellite installation can take a few days. Make sure you contact your provider at least a week in advance to make sure that you have service as soon as possible after your move.
3.5 Home Security
If you have home security service, make sure to inform them about your move at least a week in advance. If you are planning to transfer that service, make sure you talk it over with time.
3.6 Landline Telephone
If you are one of those people who still use landline telephones, changing your service from one place to another might as well come with a new telephone number. Contact your phone company a week in advance, let them know about the move, and see what the possibilities are, to see if you can avoid switching to a new number.
3.7 Water
It is very important that you let your water provider know when your water usage will cease at your old place, and when it will begin at the new property. By not doing this, you might end up paying bills of your old house or even pay pending bills from the previous owners of your new place. Take a look at your water meter before you move out, so that you know what your final reading is.
3.8 Garbage
If you have garbage collection service, make sure you let them know you will no longer be inhabiting your place, and see if they can still do the service at your new location.
We have a whole article on the utility transfer topic. Check it out for further additional information.
4. Health
4.1 Physicians
Most likely, you will only inform your medical team about your move if you are moving out of the area. Apart from thanking them, you should also ask for suggestions on who could be your new doctor in the new area, as well as collect your medical records, as it is very important that you have them with you.
4.2 Veterinarians
If you are moving to a new area, you might want to let your veterinarians know that you will no longer be taking your pets to get their controls there. Go and thank them for what they’ve done for your furry friends!
4.3 Therapists
Moving away might impede you from continuing your treatment with your therapist. However, nowadays, there are a lot of alternatives. By informing them about your move, you could try to find a solution, such as online appointments, so that you don’t have to switch to another professional.
Also, therapists could be very important if you are dealing with moving stress. The whole moving process is very demanding mentally, so if this is your case, make sure you don’t abandon your treatment.
5. Online services
5.1 Streaming
It is very straight-forward to update your address online for digital streaming subscriptions. Make sure you do this to avoid service disruption at your new place.
5.2 Retail
Be careful when you buy stuff on the Internet once you have moved away. Don’t forget to change your address! At the end of the day, the last thing you’d want would be your packages heading to your old address!
5.3 Payment
Make sure you change your billing address to the new one. If not, when you find yourself wanting to pay for any service, the address will not be the same as the one associated with your bank account, which you must have changed by now.
5.4 Apps (Uber, Play Store)
There are some apps that require your address information. You will probably update that information once you use them. Examples of this are updating your address in Uber, or in the App or Play Store,
6. Community
6.1 Your Employer
It might be important that you let your employer know about your move. Mostly in case they need to ship anything to your house, for instance, a computer for virtual work. Also, for security concerns, it is important that they have it.
6.2 Family & Friends
While this will probably be a natural thing during the process, don’t forget to let your family and friends know about your move! You won’t want them to go knock on your old house’s door!
6.3 Your Neighbors
Before you leave your place, it is a great gesture to let your neighbors know about your move. Even if you didn’t have a great relationship, they must know that you will no longer be inhabiting there, and that new owners might come in soon.
6.4 Daycare Providers
If you have any employees at home, for example someone taking care of your children, you must not forget to inform them about your move. Again, this will very likely be a natural thing, as they will witness part of the process inevitably, but still, you must tell them where you are moving to, to see if they can keep working or not.
7. Memberships
7.1 School
If you are moving out of the area, you must remember to inform the school of your kids that they will no longer be attending. If your move is within the area, still, it is very important that you provide the school with your new address, for any emergencies that might happen.
7.2 Gym
A lot of people go to the gym these days. If you are moving away from the area, you will most likely have to switch to another gym. However, maybe you can find one of the same brand at your new place. In any case, if you are no longer going to attend, make sure to inform, so that you are not charged with any extra fees.
7.3 Magazines
If you are subscribed to any magazine that sends the editions to your place, make sure to edit your address information at your account, so that they no longer send them to your old place and you can receive them at your new one.
7.4 Church
If you are a religious person who goes to church and is moving out of the area, you might want to go for one last time, and say goodbye to the people over there.
7.5 Subscription boxes
If you have any periodic shipments, don’t forget to redirect them to your new place. Think of this in advance. You will not want to be missing any essentials for forgetting about this!
8. FAQs
8.1 What address changes need to be made when you move?
- Change your mailing address in the United States Postal Service
- Update your address on the Electoral Pole
- Request an address change for all your insurances (car, health, home, etc)
- Update your bank and credit card companies on your new address
- Contact social security and request an address change
Check the article above so as not to forget about anything!
8.2 When should you change your address?
At least 5 days prior to your move. Especially your mail, to make sure that your packages start arriving at your new place as soon as you move in.
8.3 What should you not forget when you change address?
Don’t forget to notify:
- The United States Postal Service
- Your bank & credit card company
- Your utility providers
Nor any of the mentioned during the article!
8.4 Who needs to know when I change address?
Notify your insurance companies first; car insurance, home insurance, health insurance, etc. If you don’t update them with your new address, you could potentially be fined. Then, follow with your bank, CPA firm, IRS, local council, etc. Bear in mind that in most cases, the change of address can be done online.
8.5 What happens if you don’t update your address?
Failing to update your address can be considered a violation of the law. These may result in various fines, depending on the state. Also, if you don’t update your address on your license, it may result in a suspension of it.
8.6 How long can you go without changing your address?
Make sure you make your address change within 30 days of your move. Ideally, if your move is well organized, you could start the switches even prior to the move. Bear in mind that changing your address everywhere will very likely take a few days.
8.7 How long does change of address take?
It might take up to 7 days until your change of address is fully processed. It depends on the institution.
8.8 Does Change of address happen immediately?
It doesn’t. Expect it to take around 7 business days to be fully processed.
8.9 When should I change my address with the post office when moving?
Ideally, get it done around two weeks before moving day. You can set the date of your move, so that from that day on, all your mail will be forwarded to your new place.
