Complete Change of Address Checklist 2024

Moving is a part of life and you will be doing it a few times in your lifetime. The average person moves three times in life.

Moving comes with finding a new place, packing your belongings, maybe finding a professional moving company, moving, and unpacking. But, there might be something missing once you have fully moved.

Now, once you are settled in, who do you inform about your address change?

Here is a complete checklist of all the important people and places you should notify of your address change.

It is time to now share your location, but who are you informing about the address change? 

1. Insurance Companies

Home or renter’s insurance should be notified before you move so your coverage kicks in. It is recommended to purchase a separate insurance during the move, since home or renter’s insurance often won’t cover damage resulting from the move. 

Here are other insurance companies you should notify.

• Care insurance

• Life insurance

• Medical Insurance

Not updating your address with your insurance companies can result in a voided policy or in the worst case, insurance fraud charges.

2. Government Agencies

Your life is tied to government agencies, whether you like it or not, which include local, state, and federal agencies. In many cases you can update by going online or making an appointment with your local offices.

3. USPS

The only way to make sure your mail reaches your new address is to set up a forward through your local post office. This literally takes minutes and can be done online through the USPS website. Mail will be forwarded from your old address to the new one for six months up to a year.

4. The IRS

The IRS is known to be the ones who send you your tax return and other important documents, and if your current address isn’t up to date, how can you receive it? Everyone looks forward to their tax return, and it would suck if it gets lost or is sent to the wrong address. Once you are in the process of moving, please update your address as soon as possible. To make it easy, you can also link your tax return electronically through your bank account so you can get money from the IRS easily.

5. DMV

Change your address within 30 days of your move. In many states, this is required by law. If you are moving out of state with a licensed vehicle, the vehicle registration usually needs to be updated. 

Here are other documents you can update while you are at the DMV.

• Voters registration

• Passport

If you receive benefits from the government like Social Security, you should update your address to keep receiving the payments. You can complete the Social Security Administration form to update your address and contact information. 

If you receive any of the following, you will need to update your address.

• Retirement

• Disability

• Medicare

• Survivor benefits

• Supplemental Security Income

When you think of financial services, think of places like your bank, credit card companies and other financial institutions similar. Most of the time, these services send you important documents or paper statements through the mail. To avoid mail theft, identify theft, or just getting your mail lost, it’s best to notify them of your address change. Below are other financial services that you need to notify when you move. 

• Lenders

• Investments

• Accountant/tax specialist

• Credit reporting agencies

• Pension plans and IRA/401k administrators

Your utilities should be one of the first places you notify as soon as you decide to move. You don’t want to be late on bills. A rule of thumb is to notify them around a month before you move so everything is situated in the new place.

Here is a list of utilities you should notify.

• Gas and Electricity

• Water

• Internet, phone, and cable

• Garbage and recycling services

• Sewer utility

• Home security service

It’s best to inform those who take care of you, your home, and your animals if you move. They will have to figure out if they need to find a new client, if they can keep you, or if they can let you know when to expect the final payment. Here are some places to notify.

• Your employer: Your employer must have an updated record of you, which means you will have to notify them of your new address.

• Your care providers: Your care providers consist of doctors, dentists, and lawyers.

A lot of the time, these providers send you the bill through your mail. You don’t want to be late on payments.

• Veterinarian: You want your fur baby to be taken care of. Inform the vet about their new home and address. If your pet is microchipped, please change the address on the microchip registry.

Other care providers include:

• Pool maintenance services

• House cleaner

• Lawn Care service

• Pest control

If you have any subscription services that require items to be delivered to your door, it’s best to update your address. It’s even more important if you regularly receive food deliveries or other perishable items. Here are some popular subscription services for which you should update your address.

• Amazon Prime

• Subscription boxes: Hello Fresh, Dollar Shave Club, BarkBox

• Streaming services: Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, MAX

• Print subscriptions: Magazines, newspapers

Moving can be a headache and sometimes we need advice on all the processes from before the move, during, and after.

Check out our blog for more information about moving.

Now, if you are in the process of moving and are thinking that the packing, lifting, and moving is a lot of work and stressful, let iMoving help you.

iMoving puts all the best moving companies in your area in the palm of your hands. All you need to do is go to the IMoving website, let us know what you need, and we will do all the work for you. 

You can rest assured that all your belongings are being taken care of and handled with care by the top professional moving companies.