What is the purpose of a certificate of deposit?
A certificate of deposit, or CD, is a type of savings account offered by banks and credit unions. You generally agree to keep your money in the CD without taking a withdrawal for a specified length of time. Withdrawing money early means paying a penalty fee to the bank.
Compared to savings accounts or money market accounts, CDs potentially can offer higher interest rates on deposits. That's because you agree to keep your money in the CD for a set time period. The interest rate and APY you earn depends on the bank, the CD term and the current interest rate environment.
CDs offer higher interest rates than traditional savings accounts, guaranteed returns and a safe place to keep your money. But it can be costly to withdraw funds early, and CDs have less long-term earning potential than certain other investments.
- A fixed interest rate. When you open a CD, you decide exactly how much you want to invest and how long to invest. ...
- Higher returns. Those average rates are typically higher than you'll receive in a traditional savings account. ...
- Predictable returns. ...
- Interest options. ...
- Ladder options. ...
- Security.
Top Nationwide Rate (APY) | Total Earnings | |
---|---|---|
6 months | 5.76% | $ 288 |
1 year | 6.18% | $ 618 |
18 months | 5.80% | $ 887 |
2 year | 5.60% | $ 1,151 |
While CDs currently have higher yields than before, they still may not be right for everyone. After accounting for taxes and inflation, the real return on a CD in a taxable account is pretty low.
A one-year CD typically offers a higher interest rate than shorter-term CDs, such as three-month CDs and six-month CDs. Offers higher interest rates than traditional savings accounts.
CD drawbacks
There are a few key points to keep in mind before opening one. Lower returns: If you're looking for a way to build wealth, CDs may offer only limited benefits. You could get better returns for your money by putting it into the market and buying stocks, mutual funds, or other investments instead.
CD rates continued to climb in 2023
The national average APY for one-year CDs ended the year 0.7 percent higher than at the beginning of the year, while the average for five-year CDs ended the year 0.3 percent higher than at the start.
Yes, CDs are generally still safe even if a stock market crash occurs. CDs are a type of bank account. Many accounts offer a set rate of return for a specific timeframe that won't fluctuate.
Why is my CD losing money?
Inflation erodes the purchasing power of your money over time, and if your CD's interest rate isn't keeping up with inflation, you're essentially losing money. For example, if your CD earns a 2% annualized return but inflation is running at 3%, you're actually losing 1% of your purchasing power every year.
CDs don't have monthly fees, but most have an early withdrawal penalty and don't let you add funds after the initial deposit. Like regular savings accounts, certificates of deposit are insured, so you get your money back in the unlikely event your bank goes bankrupt.
CDs tend to offer higher yields than traditional savings and money market accounts, especially in a low-interest rate environment. A 6-month CD may be a good option if you know that you won't need access to your funds for at least six to nine months.
That said, here's how much you could expect to make by depositing $20,000 into a one-year CD now, broken down by four readily available interest rates (interest compounding annually): At 6.00%: $1,200 (for a total of $21,200 after one year) At 5.75%: $1,150 (for a total of $21,150 after one year)
Type of account: As of February 2024, no banks are offering a 7% interest savings account. However, two credit unions are offering that rate for one of their top-tier checking accounts. Get to know the differences between checking and savings accounts to see if the APY is worth the switch.
Here's how much money you can expect to earn on a $5,000 CD from each institution after a year (CD rates are current as of November 6, 2023): Popular Direct at 5.67%: $283.50 (for a total of $5,283.50 after one year) LendingClub Bank at 5.65%: $282.50 (for a total of $5,282.50 after one year)
The average yield on a one-year CD in December 2023 was 1.86%, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), while a 60-month CD was 1.40%. While those rates aren't exactly robust, they're well above recent levels.
Consider also the rate of inflation; over 10 years, inflation could outpace the fixed return you'd be earning with a 10-year CD. It may make more sense to put your money in a shorter-term CD, like a five-year CD, that likely offers a higher guaranteed APY than a 10-year CD and then reevaluate again in five years.
CD rate forecast: 2024
The Fed kept its rate the same after its first meeting of 2024 on Jan. 30-31. Projections suggest that we may see no rate increases in 2024, and that the Fed might start dropping its rate as soon as March, according to the CME FedWatch Tool on Jan. 31.
That all said, here's how much a $1,000 CD will make in a year, based on four possible interest rate scenarios: At 6.00%: $60 (for a total of $1,060 total after one year) At 5.75%: $57.50 (for a total of $1,057.50 total after one year) At 5.50%: $55 (for a total of $1,055 total after one year)
Can you lose money on a 1-year CD?
While it's unlikely, a certificate of deposit (CD) could lose money if you withdraw funds before you've earned enough interest to cover the penalty charged. Typically, CDs are safe time deposits that guarantee an interest rate for the term that you agree to keep money at a financial institution.
You'll earn $850.50 for a total of $15,850.50 after one year when you open a $15,000 1-year CD with Popular Direct when calculating the returns at current rates. A 1-year CD at LendingClub Bank or CIBC Bank USA will produce $847.50 or $843.00 in returns, respectively. Lock in strong returns with a one-year CD today.
- Lafayette Federal Credit Union – 5.56% APY.
- Salem Five – 5.55% APY.
- CIBC Agility – 5.51% APY.
- DR Bank – 5.50% APY.
- nbkc – 5.50% APY.
- TotalDirectBank – 5.50% APY.
- NexBank – 5.50% APY.
- Vibrant Credit Union – 5.50% APY.
You could lose money in a CD if you withdraw before you've earned enough interest to cover the penalty. Brokered CDs don't allow early withdrawals, but you could lose money if you sell them on a secondary market at a bad time.
As part of a portfolio that includes cash, CDs can provide stability and security. However, CDs are unlikely to provide you with the returns you need to build wealth for the future or live off the interest — unless you already have a large amount of money and ladder your CDs to avoid penalties.
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