Current CD News | Bankrate (2024)

FAQs

Is now a good time to put money into CDs? ›

If you're in a position to save in today's higher interest rate environment, investments like CDs could help accelerate your savings. CD rates have skyrocketed since 2022: 1-year CD rates have increased more than twelve-fold, with 3-year and 5-year CDs up nearly six-fold and five-fold, respectively.

The top nationwide rate in each CD term—from 6 months to 5 years—currently ranges from 5.20% to 6.18% APY. With a $10,000 investment in a top-paying CD, you can earn hundreds to thousands of dollars of interest on your money—and much more than if you keep it in a typical savings account.

It's unlikely that CD rates will go up in 2024. CD rates were very high going into 2024, and rates have remained relatively stable since. The Fed predicts that it will lower its rates in the latter half of 2024, which will in turn cause CD rates to lower more significantly.

You can find 6% CD rates at a few financial institutions, but chances are those rates are only available on CDs with maturities of 12 months or less. Financial institutions offer high rates to compete for business, but they don't want to pay customers ultra-high rates over many years.

There's one CD paying 9.50% APY for balances up to $3,000, but there are eligibility limitations. Since the Federal Reserve indicated it will cut rates, rather than increase them, by the end of 2024, it's unlikely that CDs or savings accounts offer CDs of 7% APY or more without significant restrictions.

How CDs work. Unlike traditional or high-yield savings accounts, which have variable APYs, most CDs lock your money into a fixed interest rate the day you open the account. That's why if you suspect that interest rates will soon drop, it can be a good idea to put money in a CD to preserve the high APY you would earn.

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.

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.

The most common way people lose money through a CD account is by withdrawing their funds before the term ends. When you take money out of your CD account before the maturity date, you'll typically have to pay an early withdrawal penalty.

However, federally insured banks and credit unions only insure up to $250,000 per depositor per account ownership category. If you put more than this amount in a single CD, some of your money will be at risk. You can still safely invest more than $250,000 in CDs by opening accounts at multiple financial institutions.

How high will CD rates go in 2024? ›

Key takeaways. The national average rate for one-year CD rates will be at 1.15 percent APY by the end of 2024, McBride forecasts, while predicting top-yielding one-year CDs to pay a significantly higher rate of 4.25 percent APY at that time.

Summary of best CD rates

LendingClub: 5.20% APY for 10-month CD. NASA Federal Credit Union: 5.15% APY for 15-month certificate. Synchrony Bank: 5.15% APY for 13-month CD. Sallie Mae Bank: 5.15% APY for 1-year CD.

In summary, a certificate of deposit gives you steady and safe returns. Investing $15,000 in a CD could lead to substantial gains, regardless of the CD's length. However, make sure you won't need that money while the CD is active because withdrawing early usually incurs hefty penalties.