When you say mail forwarding, you probably think of a company that simply sorts out mail for you and ships it out to your overseas address. Although that’s one way to look at it, modern-day mail-forwarding companies do a lot more than just that.
By combining new-age technology with standard mail forwarding practices, a new type of service is born: Virtual Mailboxes.
As the name suggests, virtual mailboxes serve as a digital form of your traditional mailbox. I know you’re probably thinking, “Then how is it any different from an email inbox?”
Well, it’s largely different because, as opposed to email inboxes, which send and receive electronic mail, virtual mailboxes receive digital copies of what used to be actual mail that exists in the physical world.
So to speak, the nature of the mail didn’t start out as electronic. It was made electronic by mail-forwarding companies that offer such services. You can read more about that here.
Now that we’ve shed a little bit of light on what virtual mailboxes are, let’s dive in a little bit more and understand the extent to which these online mailboxes are used and who this service is for.
The Wide Range of Virtual Mailbox Services
You’d be surprised at how nifty these virtual mailboxes are. What’s even more surprising is that many people are still unaware that these exist, and they’re really missing out big time. So today, we made it our mission to close that gap and bring the world of VMs to you. Let’s start with who this service is for.
VMs are increasingly relevant due to the ease of staying connected internationally via the internet. Historically, many US retirees have relocated to Eastern tropical countries for a more affordable lifestyle as their dollars stretch further there.
The trend of moving abroad, particularly among younger adults in their late twenties to mid-thirties, has grown over the past two decades. These expatriates face challenges, such as maintaining a presence in their home country. A significant issue is keeping a US address to preserve residency status, allowing them to work for US companies remotely.
This is crucial as maintaining a residence in the US can be financially counterproductive to the goal of reducing living costs by moving abroad.
This is where virtual mailbox services come in. They provide a physical address to travelers, expats, and basically anyone in need of a US address that will serve as their official mailing address.
This is where all letters, documents, packages, etc., belonging to the person who is availing the virtual mailbox is addressed. Apart from providing the physical address for receiving mail, virtual mailboxes also have the following functions:
Notifying the recipient whenever a new mail comes in via email, text, or both.
- Provides them with options as to what to do with said mail – the company can scan documents and send a digital copy to the recipient, they can also forward the physical mail or package to the recipient’s overseas address.
- For packages, if the recipient does not wish to have it forwarded to their overseas address, the company can securely store it for them until such time that they can personally claim the package.
- Depending on where your mail forwarding company operates, they can also provide you with an address that has residency perks, such as a South Dakota address where there is no tax on personal income.
How Virtual Mailbox Services Simplify Your Life
Overall, virtual mailbox services are simple, easy, and convenient – three things that you really need most of in your life. It’s like having a personal assistant in your home country that you can 100% trust to handle and organize your mail for you at a fraction of the price you’d pay to officially hire someone for that role.
Best of all, you can access this service and most of its features by simply logging into your virtual mailbox on your phone. It really doesn’t get easier than that.
Apart from this, if you choose the right company, you can also maximize your earnings by enjoying tax advantages available to certain states in the US, like South Dakota.
This can help you run your life in the US with little financial inconvenience. All you really have to do is go back every 5 years or so to claim residency and make sure that your documentation is up-to-date, and then it’s back to the tropical islands.
Final Note
Many people, such as retirees, expats, and digital nomads, have chosen to live outside the country for cost efficiency and well, peace.
With virtual mailboxes now readily available for them to sign up for and use, living overseas while keeping your life running in the US without breaking the bank is now more than possible. Are you willing to try the digital nomad life?
