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As the U.S. Treasury phases out the use of the penny, it’s creating a host of new challenges for businesses and consumers that could cost all of us a good chunk of change.

That’s because eliminating the 1-cent piece is more complicated than it seems, creating a two-tier system that treats customers who pay with cash differently than customers who pay electronically, whether that be with a debit or credit card or a digital wallet. This raises a host of legal and regulatory concerns, from unequal treatment of consumers to proper tax collection. While there’s still a lot to figure out, the bottom line is clear: We’ll all be paying more when it comes time to check out.

The crux of the problem is rounding. As pennies exit circulation, it is becomi

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