Will County Departments to Stop Accepting Pennies, Rounding Down Cash Transactions

Will County Board Finance Committee Meeting | May 5, 2026

Article Summary
In preparation for the U.S. Mint ceasing production of the penny in November 2025, the Will County Finance Committee approved a resolution instructing all county departments to round cash transactions down to the nearest five cents.

Penny Elimination Policy Key Points:

• Resolution 26-4784 establishes a policy to round down cash transactions to the nearest nickel.

• The policy applies strictly to cash transactions; checks and electronic payments will still reflect exact change.

• The Treasurer’s Office estimates the absolute maximum cost in lost revenue to be $20,000, though actual losses will likely be under $3,000 annually.

• Due to the separation of powers, the policy will not mandate changes for the Circuit Clerk or the 12th District Court.

The Will County Board Finance Committee on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, passed a resolution officially establishing a policy to round down cash transactions to the nearest five cents across county departments, preparing for the impending demise of the American penny.

Resolution 26-4784 was brought forward by the Office of the Will County Treasurer. The U.S. Mint announced it will cease production of the one-cent coin in November 2025, which will inevitably lead to a severe shortage of pennies for local government agencies tasked with making exact change for taxpayers.

The resolution mandates that Will County Departments engaging in cash transactions round down to the nearest nickel. For example, a tax bill ending in eight cents paid in cash would be rounded down to five cents.

Board Member Daniel J. Butler (R-Frankfort) praised the “rounding down” methodology, noting that it provides a minor incentive and benefit to the taxpayer rather than overcharging them. The policy explicitly applies only to physical cash transactions; payments made via check, money order, or online electronic banking will still require and process the exact penny amount.

According to the resolution provided in the agenda packet, the Treasurer’s Office calculated a “worst-case scenario” for the lost revenue. If property taxes on every single parcel in Will County were paid entirely in cash, and every single transaction had to be rounded down by the maximum four cents, the total cost to the county would be approximately $20,000.

However, because the vast majority of residents pay their property taxes via check, escrow, or online portal, the Treasurer estimates the actual cost to the county will be less than $3,000 annually.

During the meeting, Circuit Clerk Andrea Chasteen asked for clarification on whether the mandate applied to court fines and fees. An Assistant State’s Attorney confirmed that due to the legal separation of powers, the County Board’s resolution dictates policy for county departments (such as the Treasurer, Recorder, or Building Department) but does not supersede the authority of the unified court system or the Chief Judge.

The resolution was passed unanimously by the committee and will advance to the full Will County Board for final approval.