Two shoppers. Same groceries. Same $12.98 total. One pays cash. The other taps a card. CASH: $13.00 CARD: $12.98 So where did those two cents go? Welcome back to Penny Ante Crimes™. The register has some explaining to do. Here’s how penny rounding works. The U.S. has stopped producing new pennies. Existing pennies retain their value, and stores can continue accepting them. As penny change becomes harder to supply, some retailers are rounding the final cash transaction total to the nearest five cents. Under the standard rounding method recommended by the U.S. Treasury, the last digit determines the adjustment. THE FIVE-CENT RULE - Ends in 1 or 2: Round down to 0. - Ends in 3 or 4: Round up to 5. - Ends in 5: Keep it at 5. - Ends in 6 or 7: Round down to 5. - Ends in 8 or 9: Round up to the next 0. - Ends in 0: Keep it at 0. WATCH WHAT HAPPENS Example 1 | Original total: $10.91 - Cash payment: $10.90 - Card payment: $10.91 Example 2 | Original total: $10.94 - Cash payment: $10.95 - Card payment: $10.94 Example 3 | Original total: $10.97 - Cash payment: $10.95 - Card payment: $10.97 Example 4 | Original total: $10.98 - Cash payment: $11.00 - Card payment: $10.98 These examples assume ordinary nearest-nickel cash rounding, with no additional discounts or payment fees. FOUR DETAILS WORTH KNOWING 1. Rounding happens after tax. The store calculates the purchase total, including applicable taxes and fees, before applying cash rounding. 2. Individual item prices stay the same. Rounding applies to the final transaction amount. 3. Electronic payments keep their exact cents. Under Treasury’s recommended approach, credit cards, debit cards, and other noncash payments retain the original amount. Separate payment fees or discounts may affect the final price. 4. Store policies and state requirements can differ. Treasury’s recommendations are guidance. Some transactions, particularly totals of just one or two cents, may require special treatment.

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