Certificates of Deposit: All You Need to Know (2024)

FAQs

What do you need to know about 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.

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)

Traditional certificates of deposit (CDs) offer a fixed interest rate for a fixed term without the ability to withdraw or add to the principal. Specialty CDs include bump-up, add-on, no-penalty, jumbo, and individual retirement account (IRA) CDs.

Depending on the bank, a $5,000 CD deposit will make around $25 to $275 in interest after one year.

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.

One major drawback of a CD is that account holders can't easily access their money if an unanticipated need arises. They typically have to pay a penalty for early withdrawals, which can eat up interest and can even result in the loss of principal.

When Should You Get a 6-Month CD? 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.

If your goals have different timelines, multiple CDs with different maturity terms could help you create an effective savings strategy. This allows flexibility in saving money for short- and long-term goals.

What is a good CD rate? ›

Choice of issuer: If you go to your local bank to purchase CDs, you're limited to the one issuer. However, brokered CDs allow you to choose from banks all over the United States, and because FDIC insurance protects up to $250,000 per bank, it's a more convenient way to invest more and keep yourself insured.

The interest is significant and predictable

Let's say you put $10,000 into a 5-year CD with the rate discussed above – 4.75%. After the 5-year term is up you'll have earned $2,611 in interest for a total account balance of $12,611. That is a good rate of return for an option that comes with essentially zero risk.

The bottom line. Putting $5,000 in a 1-year CD today can be a prudent financial move, especially when interest rates are as high as they currently are. The combination of competitive returns, safety and predictability makes it an attractive option for individuals looking to grow their savings with minimal risk.

While CDs can provide some guaranteed returns over time and some level of security, they're not likely to provide you the returns needed to build wealth for retirement over time. Instead, it might make more sense to build wealth with other assets and only use CDs for a portion of your portfolio.

For some people, it can be worth putting money into a CD. 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.

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.

A CD is a time deposit account, so you're making a commitment to keep your money in the CD for a set length of time. If you want to take money out of your CD before it matures, you'll pay an early withdrawal penalty. At many banks, the early withdrawal penalty is based on the amount of interest you earn in a day.

That said, there are factors that could lead you to limit your deposit amount — including the maximum amount your CD account is insured for by the NCUA or FDIC, which is typically $250,000 per depositor, per account.