What is a CD in banking?
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.
Top Nationwide Rate (APY) | Balance at Maturity | |
---|---|---|
1 year | 6.18% | $ 10,618 |
18 months | 5.80% | $ 10,887 |
2 year | 5.60% | $ 11,151 |
3 year | 5.50% | $ 11,742 |
Certificates of deposit, known as CDs, are bank deposit products that hold your funds for a set period of time. In exchange, the bank pays you a fixed annual percentage yield, or APY, making CDs a safe, reliable way to grow your money.
If a person is seeking a riskless investment with a modest return, CDs are a good bet—you'll earn a higher rate than you would with a checking or savings account, but you'll have to commit your funds for a fixed period.
Depending on the bank, a $5,000 CD deposit will make around $25 to $275 in interest after one year. Online banks and credit unions pay appealing CD rates, and you can earn more interest than at big brick-and-mortar banks. When choosing a CD, consider other factors beyond the interest rate of an account.
CD interest is subject to ordinary income tax, like other money that you earn. The IRS requires investors to pay taxes on CD interest income. The bank or financial institution that holds the CD is required to send you a Form 1099-INT by January 31.
With such high interest rates, the earnings on CDs are impressive. 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.
Banks and credit unions often charge an early withdrawal penalty for taking funds from a CD ahead of its maturity date. This penalty can be a flat fee or a percentage of the interest earned. In some cases, it could even be all the interest earned, negating your efforts to use a CD for savings.
That's up to each issuer. In practice, however, most CDs compound either daily or monthly. The more frequent the compounding, the more interest your interest will earn. The frequency with which your CD compounds is reflected in the annual percentage yield (APY) that the CD's issuer promises you when you buy a CD.
The FDIC Covers CDs in the Event of Bank Failure
But the recent regional banking turmoil may have you concerned about your investment in case of a bank failure. CDs are treated by the FDIC like other bank accounts and will be insured up to $250,000 if the bank is a member of the agency.
What are 2 drawbacks of putting your money in a CD?
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.
Are CDs safe if the market crashes? Putting your money in a CD doesn't involve putting your money in the stock market. Instead, it's in a financial institution, like a bank or credit union. So, in the event of a market crash, your CD account will not be impacted or lose value.
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.
Here's how much money you stand to earn: $20,000 at 4.5% APY: $4,923.64 in interest (for a total of $24,923.64 after five years) $20,000 at 4.55% APY: $4,983.32 in interest (for a total of $24,983.32 after five years) $20,000 at 4.60% APY: $5,043.12 in interest (for a total of $25,043.12 after five years)
Plus, you can often earn more in a six-month CD than you would in a high-yield savings account. Six-month CDs are worth it if you know you need to make a major purchase within the year and want to earn as much interest as possible on your money without putting it at risk.
Once the CD matures, you may have a grace period, established by the bank, to decide whether to renew the CD or withdraw the funds. The bank will pay interest, if any, once the CD matures in accordance with your account agreement and bank policy during the grace period.
Shawn Valco, CFP®, former financial advisor, explains that the difference between regular CDs and IRA CDs is that with regular CDs, interest you earn is taxable in the year you receive it. Valco notes that with Traditional IRA CDs, tax on interest is deferred, allowing more money to stay in the IRA.
Most CD accounts require a minimum of $500 to $2,500 to open an account, although some have no minimum deposit requirements. A major difference between CDs and regular savings accounts is that if you withdraw cash from a CD before it reaches its maturity date, you'll typically pay a penalty.
What Is the Minimum Deposit for a CD? Minimum deposits vary based on account and financial institution, but a required deposit of around $500 to $1,000 is typical when opening a CD. However, it is possible to find CDs with no minimum deposit requirement.
A certificate of deposit (CD) is a product that offers an interest rate payment in exchange for the customer agreeing to leave the lump-sum investment with a bank for a specific period of time. Standard CDs are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) for up to $250,000, so they cannot lose money.
Should I buy a CD now or wait?
Why it's probably time to buy a CD. Rates will remain high for a bit longer, but it's unclear how long. The Fed has indicated that there will three rate cuts in 2024, which means it's unlikely that CD rates will continue to climb . Waiting to open a CD could mean missing out on some stellar rates.
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)
Early withdrawal penalties
One way you can lose money in a CD is by withdrawing your funds before the term ends. Most CDs have early withdrawal penalties, which can be steep depending on the length of the term and the amount of your deposit.
CD accounts may offer better interest rates than savings accounts. Longer terms will usually also have more favorable rates.
Having multiple CDs can be a great way to diversify your portfolio without sacrificing as much liquidity. Risk is low, and CDs provide steady returns. Just know that owning too many CDs could cut you off from other high-return investments. Investing is one part of the financial journey.
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