Some simple strategies for CD savers

By Lisa Gerstner
Posted on May 08, 2020

Since the Federal Reserve slashed the federal funds rate to near zero in March, yields on certificates of deposit, a federally insured savings account with fixed interest rates and fixed dates of withdrawal, have been tumbling.

“Unfortunately for savers, we will return to the ultra-low interest earnings that prevailed for years following the 2008 financial crisis,” said Greg McBride, of Bankrate.com. [For up-to-date information on CDs offering the highest rates, visit Bankrate.com and DepositAccounts.com.]

With most CDs, you’ll face a penalty if you pull out the funds before the CD matures, so they’re best for savings you won’t need for a while.

And when interest rates are scraping bottom, it’s often wise to focus on CDs with maturities of a couple years or less. That way, when yields rise again, your money isn’t trapped earning a low rate.

A CD ladder is another way to maintain flexibility: Spread your cash among CDs of varying maturities — say, of one, two, three, four and five years. Some of your savings will capture the higher rates that long-term CDs offer. Meanwhile, each time a CD matures, you could reinvest the cash or use it for other needs.

You can also hedge your bets by choosing long-term CDs with minimal early-withdrawal penalties. Five-year CDs from Ally Bank: 1.60% yield; Barclays: 1.85%; and Sallie Mae Bank: 1.70%, with a $2,500 minimum deposit, have relatively light penalties of no more than six months’ interest.

Or consider a no-penalty CD. Rates are usually lower than on standard CDs, but they sometimes offer better rates than online savings accounts. You can use them to squeeze out a little extra yield, said Ken Tumin, of DepositAccounts.com. For example, Ally’s 11-month no-penalty CD yields 1.55% on balances of at least $25,000, and the bank’s savings account yields 1.5%.

You could keep some of your savings in a no-penalty CD, then move it to the savings account fee-free if the money needs to be more accessible.