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A letter should always begin with the return address (usually two lines) followed by a third line with the date. Most business letters will be typed on Letterhead Stationery which already contains the return address and therefore the return address does not need to be typed.
Why is this important information to include?
If someone wants to respond to your letter and you have not given them your address, how will they buy your product, etc. You may have placed your return address on the outside of the envelope, but if the envelope is damaged or gets misplaced then the addressee will not know your address.
The date is important for documenting the time frame. Is the information still within a reasonable date, or is this piece of paper out-of-date and new information should be requested?
If you are not writing the letter on letterhead, then put your return address at the top of the page. Follow this with a blank line, and then type the current date. In a BLOCK FORMAT, the return address would be aligned along the left margin. Again, if you are writing a less formal letter, the return address and the current date may be aligned starting at the center of the page (this is not center aligned, but start with your cursor at 3" - this is also where the closing is aligned.)
The Inside Address contains the name/department and complete address of the Addressee. Include the 2 letter state abbreviation with no spaces or periods in between the 2 letters of the abbreviation. The inside address should follow 3 blank lines (hit enter 4 times) after the current date. If the letter is written to a specific person instead of a department or company, include the first name in the inside address as well as on the envelope, but do not use their first name on the salutation.
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