Post Office Box

[Gunny]

While at the VA this morning I stopped and talked to the Eligibility clerk and asked about giving up my apartment and still be considered a Ft.Worth patient. He told me I could get a PO Box but I wouldn't get travel pay which is a whooping 7 dollars. It sounds too easy but he may be right.

My question, never having had a PO Box except while overseas, don't I have to have a mailing address to get one? 

Rob

 

[BobBski]

I had a po box for years and yes, I needed a physical address to get it

 

[ArtW]

My mailing address is my PO Box

 

[Ballenxj]

My question, never having had a PO Box except while overseas, don't I have to have a mailing address to get one?

Your P.O. Box will be your mailing address, (I knew what you meant) but now days they want a physical address to prove you live where you say you do?
I hear once you have set up your P.O. Box you're good to go, I understand your physical address can be an RV park that you have stayed at while proving this to the Post Office by showing them the receipt. You may have to do this once a year? I'm not sure about that.
I hear they are cracking down more on having a physical address. You might consider moving your physical address to a more friendly state if Texas gets tougher on the physical part.
Hopefully somebody with a better understanding than I will chime in here.

 

[ArtW]

They do check your info now and then, you might need a physical address. Maybe a relative or friend can provide one

 

[SoulRaven]

We are in an RV park taking care of "details" since we sold our house. We got a PO Box based on this address and use it as a physical address where one is needed, BUT some places, despite what you do, will send mail to the street address and if it is rejected and returned, with the government or financial institutions, you COULD hit a snag. This state, KS, won't let one use a mail forwarding service as a legitimate address for residency/domicile either, works since taxes are sky high here anyway. Working on the details, but the government doesn't make anything simple.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Many states do not recognize a PO Box as a legal residence. This mostly is not an issue until you start dealing with Government systems. Such as, in CA you can not vote if your residence is a PO Box (probably true for most states). You also can not go through a Federal background check to purchase a gun with a PO Box.

Basically, "homeless" by the government standards also includes "right-less". If you do not have a legal home/residence, you do not have some of our guaranteed and protected rights.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

A quick check online for the requirements for getting a P.O. Box from the Post Office includes presenting 2 forms of acceptable ID.

Does Livingston TX fall within the Fort Worth VA Hospital's area?  If so, I would take a hard look at joining Escapees and using their address.  They swear it's accepted for voting, TX Driver's License & Vehicle Registration, insurance, banking, and everything else.  You should talk to them.

 

[abnorm]

Hey Gunny.................OP beat me to it..............here's the link to Texas domicile at Escapees

https://www.escapees.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=199

doug

 

[Queen]

Timely thread. I'm getting ready to get a PO box too, but mostly because we're serviced by a rural carrier that cannot manage to deliver our mail. We get mail 2-3 times a week in a big bunch, important pieces have ended up in our neighbor's box or forwarded to our FL address accidentally. Hate to spend the money on it, but going into retirement we will be getting a lot of paperwork with important deadlines that need to be met.

One thing I found out, Rob, is they cost different amounts at different post offices, so maybe check that out beforehand. The closest one to me changes $16 more than the one that's four miles down the road.

 

[Weight]

I have had a US PO box for 50 years. Every year I have to present id and proof of a physical address. Once in a while they overlook the proof, but eventually catch up to me. When I am on the road, I have to have someone empty the box every couple of days, or it packs full of the junk mail. Then I get a notice that I have to rent a larger box. Most every thing important will mail to the PO Box, including Voter Registration, Insurance, banks, vehicle registration and licenses and all. But, they all require a physical address at first. There are non-delivery US Post Offices, they may have slightly different rules and prices.

 

[Gunny]

Thanks for the help everyone. Sorry I am late answering, I was up all night and laid down "for an hour"5 hours ago.

Rob

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Every year I have to present id and proof of a physical address.

Years ago, I had a PO Box for a decade or so and never had to do either.  But that was a small town where everybody knew everybody else.  Might as well have been Mayberry . . .

 

[Weight]

Years ago I did not have to present the red tape, just pay the bill. NOW, homeland security has changed all the rules. Last year I paid my PO Box bill online and everything went well. That was June. December I got a note in the box. Ignored it as I had a receipt. Then they closed the box until I updated the required proof of address.

 

[ArtW]

I have a free PO box due to no route delivery to my address, and they require me to come in and 'update my contact info' every year

 

[jimindenver]

I just started having a P.o. box right before I left. It is in a UPS store and it uses a street number instead of a P.O. box number as my address.

 

[Weight]

UPS store is not a US PO Box. The nearest, 5 miles, UPS store closed. Now the nearest is 15 miles. There are three US PO within 5 miles. They have been open since 1860.

 

[closeanuf]

Gunny I've had a  private mailbox at a locally owned place that's like a UPS Store.  I've had it for over 10 years and used a physical address I had at the time.  I have never been asked to update my information.  I did have to fill out a government form when I opened it way back when, but it was a one time thing.  I can leave an agreed upon amount of money with them in an account for them to forward mail to me if I want them to.   Personally I would not want a mailbox at the post office.  If you want to keep the Dallas VA I would check with them whether Livingston is in their area of service.  The main reason for me to keep my local mail service is so I have a place to keep my VA prescriptions coming.  The less complicated I can make it for them the better it is for me.

Good luck
Allen

 

[Gunny]

Thanks Allen, I am working on using a friends address (actually his son since the friend died) but he is not dependable. I just want to insure no packages go to him. 

The Post Office will not forward mail from Budget Suites or any long term hotel. Kind of starting from scratch. I have a call into the DAV , maybe I can get some guidance. 

So many of these things I should have figured out months ago. I got fixated on the pacemaker and let many things go. 

Thanks for the information, Allen.   Rob

 

[iloozyun]

fyi regarding all that darned junk mail:  i don't get ANY.  that's because when i first got my p.o. box, i took all the junk mail home instead of tossing it straight in the trashcan in the post office lobby like everyone else.  i contacted all the senders of the mailbox trash and told them to STOP.  3 years, no junk mail.  i've been on the road for three months, got back to town, and my tiny box was not even close to full.