Best Certificate of Deposit & High Yield Savings Accounts

Conor Keenan By: | Last updated: May 30, 2026
Conor Keenan, AWMA®, is the Co-Founder of CompareAccounts. An Accredited Wealth Management Advisor® professional with over a decade of experience covering consumer banking and investing trends, his work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Yahoo Finance, and more.

Editorial Independence: Our opinions, reviews, and recommendations are our own. Partner commissions keep our site free, but our content remains independent.

You’re in the right place. Every day, we help thousands earn 10x the sad 0.38% national average savings APY* through vetted, FDIC-insured accounts we trust for our own families & friends. Find yours below to start earning more today.

Top Rated High Yield CDs:

 High APY 

EverBank Powered by Raisin

5.0

CompareAccounts™ Score

APY

4.05%

6 Month Term

  • High-Yield CD
  • Min. Initial Deposit: $1.00
  • Term: 6 Months
  • 4.05% APY
  • No Monthly Fees
  • Founded in 1961, EverBank has over $47 billion in assets
  • Open through Raisin; manage in one dashboard
  • FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor
  • $10K+ Deposit? Get a $70 - $1,500 Cash Bonus
  • Use Code: FRESHSTART
  • Exclusive APY powered by the Raisin platform
  • See Site for Details

On EverBank's Secure Site
Powered by Raisin,
Member FDIC

Synchrony Bank Logo

5.0

CompareAccounts™ Score

APY

4.00%

 9 Month Term 

  • High Yield CD
  • Term: 9 Months
  • Min. Initial Deposit: $0.00
  • 4.00% APY — far above the national average
  • No Monthly Fees
  • Daily Compounding Interest, Credited Monthly
  • Member FDIC
  • No Minimum Balance
  • Terms Apply
  • Trusted Fortune 500 Bank with Nationwide Reach Serving Millions of Customers
  • See Site for Details
Q

Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is subject to change at any time without notice. Offer applies to personal non-IRA accounts only. Fees may reduce earnings. For CD accounts, a penalty may be imposed for early withdrawals. After maturity, if your CD rolls over, you will earn the offered rate of interest in effect at that time. Visit synchrony.com/banking for current rates, terms and account requirements. Member FDIC.

On Synchrony Bank's
Secure Site, Member FDIC

Synchrony Bank Logo

4.5

CompareAccounts™ Score

APY

3.80%

 13 Month Term 

  • High Yield CD
  • Term: 13 Months
  • Min. Initial Deposit: $0.00
  • 3.80% APY
  • No Monthly Fees
  • Daily Compounding Interest, Credited Monthly
  • Member FDIC
  • No Minimum Balance
  • Terms Apply
  • Trusted Fortune 500 Bank with Nationwide Reach Serving Millions of Customers
  • See Site for Details
Q

Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is subject to change at any time without notice. Offer applies to personal non-IRA accounts only. Fees may reduce earnings. For CD accounts, a penalty may be imposed for early withdrawals. After maturity, if your CD rolls over, you will earn the offered rate of interest in effect at that time. Visit synchrony.com/banking for current rates, terms and account requirements. Member FDIC.

On Synchrony Bank's
Secure Site, Member FDIC

 Compare With

Chase Bank Logo

Not Recommended.
For Comparison Only.

APY

0.01%

6 Month Term

Chase Bank Details

  • Certificate of Deposit
  • Term: 6 Months
  • Standard CD Rate
  • 0.01% APY
  • Relationship Rates only available with linked eligible personal Checking Account

Top Rated High Yield Savings Accounts:

American-Express-National-Bank_Logo

4.5

CompareAccounts™ Score

APY

3.10%

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • High Yield Savings Account
  • Min. to Earn APY: $0
  • Min. to Open2: $0
  • 3.10% APY1
  • APY as of May 30, 2026
  • Interest Compounded Daily
  • $0 Monthly Fees
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • FDIC Insured up to $250,000
  • Backed by the Service & Reliability of American Express
  • Terms Apply
  • See Site for Details
Q

Terms Disclosure:
1. The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as advertised is accurate as of May 30, 2026. Interest rate and APY are subject to change at any time without notice before and after a High Yield Savings Account is opened. Interest Rate and APY of a Certificate of Deposit account is fixed once the account is funded

2. There is no minimum balance required to open your Account, to avoid being charged a fee, or to obtain the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) disclosed to you.

3. iOS and Android only. See app store listings for operating system info.

4. For purposes of transferring funds to or from an external bank, business days are Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Transfers can be initiated 24/7 via the website or phone, but any transfers initiated after 7:00 PM Eastern Time or on non-business days will begin processing on the next business day. Funds deposited into your account may be subject to holds. See the Funds Availability section of your Consumer Deposit Account Agreement and Savings Schedules for more information.

 On American Express National Bank's Secure Site, Member FDIC

American-Express-National-Bank_Logo

4.5

CompareAccounts™ Score

APY

3.10%

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • High Yield Savings Account
  • Min. to Earn APY: $0
  • Min. to Open2: $0
  • 3.10% APY1
  • APY as of May 30, 2026
  • Interest Compounded Daily
  • $0 Monthly Fees
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • FDIC Insured up to $250,000
  • Backed by the Service & Reliability of American Express
  • Terms Apply
  • See Site for Details
Q

Terms Disclosure:
1. The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as advertised is accurate as of May 30, 2026. Interest rate and APY are subject to change at any time without notice before and after a High Yield Savings Account is opened. Interest Rate and APY of a Certificate of Deposit account is fixed once the account is funded

2. There is no minimum balance required to open your Account, to avoid being charged a fee, or to obtain the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) disclosed to you.

3. iOS and Android only. See app store listings for operating system info.

4. For purposes of transferring funds to or from an external bank, business days are Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Transfers can be initiated 24/7 via the website or phone, but any transfers initiated after 7:00 PM Eastern Time or on non-business days will begin processing on the next business day. Funds deposited into your account may be subject to holds. See the Funds Availability section of your Consumer Deposit Account Agreement and Savings Schedules for more information.

 On American Express
National Bank's Secure Site,
Member FDIC

 Up to $400 Bonus

sofi logo

5.0

CompareAccounts™ Score

up to

3.80%​

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • Checking & Savings Account
  • Min. to Open: $0
  • Bonus: up to $400 with Direct Deposit
  • Up to 3.80% APY on Savings Balances with Qualifying Activities
  • $0 Monthly Fees
  • FDIC Insured up to $250,000
  • Earn $50 or $400 with direct deposit, terms apply
  • Limited Time Offer: +0.70% Boost to 3.80%​ APY for up to 6 Months on New Accounts with Eligible Direct Deposit.
  • Terms Apply
  • See Site for Details
Q

1. Up to $400 Bonus Tiered Disclosure
New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct
Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more) OR $400 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible
Direct Deposit of $1 or more). Cash bonus amount will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more. If you have
satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct
Deposit Promotion begins on 5/15/2026 and will be available through 12/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking/checking-offer/

2. APY disclosures
Annual percentage yield (APY) is variable and subject to change at any time. Rates are current as of 5/28/26. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional rates and information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet

3. Fee Policy
We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Bank Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

4. Additional FDIC Insurance
SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.


5. ATM Access
We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees
may be incurred when using out-of-network ATMs. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

6. Early Access to Direct Deposit Funds
Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

7. Overdraft Coverage
Overdraft Coverage is a feature automatically offered to SoFi Checking and Savings account holders who receive at least $1,000 or more in Eligible Direct Deposits within a rolling 31 calendar day period on a recurring basis. Eligible Direct Deposit is defined on the SoFi Bank Rate Sheet, available at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Members enrolled in Overdraft Coverage may be covered for up to $50 in negative balances on SoFi Bank debit card purchases only. Overdraft Coverage does not apply to P2P transfers, bill payments, checks, or other non-debit card transactions. Members with a prior history of unpaid negative balances are not eligible for Overdraft Coverage. Eligibility for Overdraft Coverage is determined by SoFi Bank in its sole discretion. Members can check their enrollment status, if eligible, at any time by logging into their account through the SoFi app or on the SoFi website.

8. 0.70% Savings APY Boost
Earn up to 3.80% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.10% APY) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking & Savings account with
Eligible Direct Deposit by 12/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at sofi.com/banking#2. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

On SoFi's Secure Site,
Member FDIC

Western Alliance Bank Savings Account Logo

4.5

CompareAccounts™ Score

APY

3.80%

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • High-Yield Savings Account
  • 3.80% APY
  • Min. Opening Deposit: $500
  • Min. to Earn APY: $0.01
  • $0 Account Fees
  • Interest Accrues Daily and is Paid Monthly
  • Open an Individual or Joint Account
  • FDIC Insured up to $250,000 per depositor
  • U.S.-based Customer Service Available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PDT Monday – Friday
  • Ranked #1 Top-Performing Large Bank with Assets $50 Billion and Above in 2021, 2022, 2023, & 2024 by American Banker
  • See Site for Details
Q

Western Alliance Bank APY Disclosure

ⓘ The annual percentage yield (APY) is accurate as of January 20, 2026 and subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. Refer to product’s website for latest APY rate. Minimum deposit required to open an account is $500 and a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY.

On Western Alliance Bank's
Secure Site, Member FDIC

Western Alliance Bank Savings Account Logo

4.5

CompareAccounts™ Score

APY

3.80%

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • High-Yield Savings Account
  • 3.80% APY
  • Min. Opening Deposit: $500
  • Min. to Earn APY: $0.01
  • $0 Account Fees
  • Interest Accrues Daily and is Paid Monthly
  • Open an Individual or Joint Account
  • FDIC Insured up to $250,000 per depositor
  • U.S.-based Customer Service Available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PDT Monday – Friday
  • Ranked #1 Top-Performing Large Bank with Assets $50 Billion and Above in 2021, 2022, 2023, & 2024 by American Banker
  • See Site for Details
Q

Western Alliance Bank APY Disclosure

ⓘ The annual percentage yield (APY) is accurate as of January 20, 2026 and subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. Refer to product’s website for latest APY rate. Minimum deposit required to open an account is $500 and a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY.

On Western Alliance Bank's
Secure Site, Member FDIC

To recap our recommendations.

Best Certificate of Deposits According To CompareAccounts™

EverBank® Certificate of Deposit: 4.05% APY - 6 Month Term - use Promo Code: FRESHSTART

U.S. Bank® 5 Month CD Special: 3.50% APY - 5 Month Term

U.S. Bank® 5 Month CD Special: 3.50% APY - 5 Month Term

To recap our recommendations.

Best Savings Accounts According To CompareAccounts™

SoFi® Checking and Savings: 3.80%​ APY & Earn up to $400 with qualifying activities

Customers Also Viewed These Checking Accounts

 Up to $400 Bonus

sofi logo

5.0

CompareAccounts™ Score

up to

3.80%​

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • Checking & Savings Account
  • Min. to Open: $0
  • Bonus: up to $400 with Direct Deposit
  • Up to 3.80% APY on Savings Balances with Qualifying Activities
  • $0 Monthly Fees
  • FDIC Insured up to $250,000
  • Earn $50 or $400 with direct deposit, terms apply
  • Limited Time Offer: +0.70% Boost to 3.80%​ APY for up to 6 Months on New Accounts with Eligible Direct Deposit.
  • Terms Apply
  • See Site for Details
Q

1. Up to $400 Bonus Tiered Disclosure
New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct
Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more) OR $400 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible
Direct Deposit of $1 or more). Cash bonus amount will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more. If you have
satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct
Deposit Promotion begins on 5/15/2026 and will be available through 12/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking/checking-offer/

2. APY disclosures
Annual percentage yield (APY) is variable and subject to change at any time. Rates are current as of 5/28/26. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional rates and information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet

3. Fee Policy
We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Bank Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

4. Additional FDIC Insurance
SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.


5. ATM Access
We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees
may be incurred when using out-of-network ATMs. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

6. Early Access to Direct Deposit Funds
Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

7. Overdraft Coverage
Overdraft Coverage is a feature automatically offered to SoFi Checking and Savings account holders who receive at least $1,000 or more in Eligible Direct Deposits within a rolling 31 calendar day period on a recurring basis. Eligible Direct Deposit is defined on the SoFi Bank Rate Sheet, available at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Members enrolled in Overdraft Coverage may be covered for up to $50 in negative balances on SoFi Bank debit card purchases only. Overdraft Coverage does not apply to P2P transfers, bill payments, checks, or other non-debit card transactions. Members with a prior history of unpaid negative balances are not eligible for Overdraft Coverage. Eligibility for Overdraft Coverage is determined by SoFi Bank in its sole discretion. Members can check their enrollment status, if eligible, at any time by logging into their account through the SoFi app or on the SoFi website.

8. 0.70% Savings APY Boost
Earn up to 3.80% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.10% APY) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking & Savings account with
Eligible Direct Deposit by 12/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at sofi.com/banking#2. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

On SoFi's Secure Site,
Member FDIC

 $400 Bonus 

Truist Bank & Online Banking Logo

4.5

CompareAccounts™ Score

  • Checking Account
  • Visa® Debit Card
  • Minimum Deposit: $50
  • Overdraft Fees: $0
  • Mobile Check Deposit
  • No ATM Fees at Truist ATMs
  • Earn $400 with qualifying activities. For new checking clients only.
  • Offer valid through 7/09/2026.
  • Terms & Conditions Apply
  • See Site for Details

Q

Terms and Conditions for Truist One Checking Affiliate $400 Online Offer Q2 2026: AFL400TR1Q226

Offer Information: Open a new Truist One Checking account online from 3/26/26 through 7/9/26, complete the following activities within 120 days of the account opening and earn $400. You must open the account online and enter the promo code to be eligible to participate in the promotion. 

  • Receive at least two qualifying direct deposits* totaling $2,000 or more AND
  • Complete at least 20 qualifying debit card purchases** within 120 days of account opening. All debit purchases must be posted to your account to qualify.

 

Account must be opened online. Enrollment in the promotion is required at the time of account opening using promo code AFL400TR1Q226. Please refer to the Account Opening and Enrollment section below for full instructions.

 

*A qualifying direct deposit is an electronic credit (greater than $5.00) deposited into your new checking account via ACH.  Person to person payments (such as Zelle®), Real Time Payments (RTP), pre-authorized transfers made from one account to another, or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible direct deposits.

 

**Qualifying debit card purchases include any purchase made with a Truist debit card and posted to the new checking account within 120 days of account opening. ATM withdrawals using your debit card are not qualifying transactions.  Zelle® transactions are not qualifying transactions. Bank fees are not included.

 

Offer Eligibility: Clients that are the primary account holder on an existing personal checking account with Truist or who have closed a personal checking account with Truist on or after 3/26/25 are not eligible to participate. Offer valid for Truist One Checking accounts only. Primary account holder must be 18 or older at the time of account opening. Truist employees, Directors, Officers, and Local Boards/Advisors are not eligible. Offer available only to US residents with a valid US taxpayer identification number. The qualifying checking account must be opened online and have a physical address in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC.

 

Reward Processing: The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. Promotion is only applicable once per checking account and per client. Truist may report the value of any offer reward received to the IRS as required by law. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the recipient.

Reward Forfeiture: Reward forfeiture will occur if: (1) the new checking account is changed to an account type not included in this client offer (2) the new checking account has a $0.00 or negative available balance or is restricted at the time Truist verifies the qualification requirements have been met or (3) the new checking account is closed at the time of payout. An account is considered restricted if it has a temporary or permanent block that prevents credits from posting to the account. Truist verification will occur one time after the qualification requirements are initially met.

 

Other Terms: Minimum opening deposit is $50. The offer is non-transferable, may not be combined with any other checking offers, is subject to change, and may be discontinued at any time. Truist reserves the right, in its sole discretion: 1) to prohibit a reward payout for any offers claimed through third-party websites with no affiliation or prior authorization from Truist; and 2) to disqualify any account if Truist suspects accounts are being opened for the purpose of exploiting this promotional offer. All standard account terms and conditions apply.

 

Account Opening & Enrollment Instructions: To open and enroll your new account in the promotion, visit the offer website and click on “Open an account online.” Enter AFL400TR1Q226 into the promo code field provided, review the offer Terms and Conditions, and then select “Accept this offer”. Accounts opened without the promo code applied will not be eligible to participate in the offer. Once enrolled in the promotion, clients may receive promotional updates via the email address provided or by calling 800.709.8700.

 

Version 3 02182026 AFL400TR1Q226

 

2 The Balance Buffer is only available with Truist One Checking and allows clients to overdraw their account up to $100. There is no decision required as this feature is automatically available when a client qualifies.

To INITIALLY QUALIFY for the Balance Buffer, the requirements below must be met:

  • Account must be opened for a minimum of 35 calendar days
  • Account must be funded with a positive balance
  • A single direct deposit of at least $100 made within the last 35 calendar days

To REMAIN QUALIFIED for the Balance Buffer, the requirement below must be met:

  • A single direct deposit of at least $100 made within the last 35 calendar days. After qualifying, if 35 calendar days pass without a Direct Deposit of at least $100, you will no longer have access to the Balance Buffer.

For accounts that qualify for the Balance Buffer, once the account is overdrawn by $100, additional transactions will typically be declined or returned.

For accounts that qualify for the Balance Buffer and also have Overdraft Protection, Truist will use the Balance Buffer first. If the account has neither, transactions that exceed the account balance will typically be declined or returned.

3 The Monthly Maintenance Fee (MMF) can be waived for the Truist One Checking account for each statement cycle by any one of the following:

 

Maintenance fees are waived for primary account owners under the age of 25 or age 62 and older.

 

Making $500 or more in total qualifying Direct Deposits per statement cycle. A qualifying direct deposit is an electronic credit via ACH deposited to your account during the current statement cycle. Pre-authorized transfers made from one account to another or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit card/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible to meet this requirement.

 

Maintain a total combined ledger balance of $500 or more in your Truist related accounts. Related accounts automatically include all applicable accounts associated with primary and secondary account owners. Your total combined ledger balance is the sum of the actual balances of all your Truist related accounts across personal deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CD, or IRA) and brokerage accounts introduced through Truist Investment Services, Inc. (TIS) including TIS accounts managed by Truist Advisory Services, Inc., as reflected on the business day before your statement cycle end date (the actual balance in your account does not reflect any holds or pending transactions). Truist HSA is excluded from total combined ledger balance.

 

Having a personal Truist credit card, mortgage or consumer loan, including LightStream®.  

 

Having a linked Small Business Checking Account. Eligible Small Business account types include: Truist Dynamic Checking, Business Interest Checking, Simple Business Checking and Business Value 200.

 

Primary account owner is a student. The waiver for a student requires they are listed as the primary account owner and they provide their anticipated graduation date. The waiver expires on the provided graduation date. On this date, the account is subject to the Monthly Maintenance Fee unless at least one waiver criterion is satisfied.

 

Truist Bank, Member FDIC. © 2026 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, the Truist logo, Truist Purple, Truist One, Truist Marquee, LightStream, and the LightStream logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation.

On Truist's Secure Site,
Member FDIC

What to Look for in a Certificate of Deposit Account

It’s always wise to compare your options when opening a new certificate of deposit account.

Small differences in interest rates and fees can quickly add up over time, especially if you’re keeping a large balance in the account.

Here are the top features to look for and compare:

1. Interest Rate

The interest rate of a certificate of deposit is one of its most important features. However, a very high interest rate can get completely wiped out if you have to pay a penalty fee because you need to withdrawal your funds before the term is complete.

Besides interest rate, term length is the second most important factor. Other important features of your certificate of deposit account include the required initial deposit, and minimum balance required.

2. Term Length

Most banks will charge you what’s called a “penalty fee” for withdrawing your funds before the term length has been completed.

This means, that if you open a 12-month CD, but withdraw your funds within 6 months, then you’ll pay a penalty fee.

Therefore, you need to decide when you’ll need these funds again.

For any term less than a year, we recommend a high-yield savings account.

If this is your first CD account, we recommend starting with a 12 – 15 month term.

If you’ve opened a CD account in the past, then you choose which term is right for you and your unique situation.

3. Required Initial Deposit

Initial deposit is another important factor when deciding to open up a certificate of deposit. Most banks require at least a $500 initial deposit to open a CD account.

While others require much more than $500 to open the account.

Again, because the initial deposit is in the hundreds if not thousands, we recommend you open a high-yield savings account if you need these funds within a year.

*National Savings Rate Average as published by FDIC