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By Bank Specialist on Sep 14, 2009 |Finance
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In today's volatile markets, many people are looking for ways to even out swings in their earnings without tying up their cash reserves for long periods of time. Bank certificates of deposit or CDs are an excellent tool for saving money. Bank CDs are best used for investing and savings when you are able to set aside some funds for a defined period of time. With a CD, and investor or saver can enjoy the security of FDIC Insurance while maximizing the interest earned. Due to the backing of the FDIC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a certificate of deposit is as safe an investment as you will find. The FDIC is a part of your federal government and they back your investment up to $250,000.00. Banks offer CDs lasting three months, six months, a year, or any number of years the bank is comfortable offering a CD term for. Normally the term of a bank CD does not exceed five years but CDs can be found that run up to ten years in term. With a bank CD, you can choose the length of time that fits your needs. CDs typically pay higher interest rates than many other savings. The interest rate on a CD is normally higher than that of a savings account because institutions usually give higher interest rates on fixed term accounts than they do on accounts from which money may be withdrawn on demand. Which means the bank CD investment is not entirely liquid. With a bank CD, You cannot use the total amount of the money you have invested until the full term of the CD has been reached. Most bank CDs will usually have a penalty for early withdrawal. The money invested in the CD can be still be accessed but there will be an early withdrawal penalty imposed that is based on the term of the CD. The two biggest factors that usually apply to the interest rate on a bank CD are; the longer the term of the CD, the higher the interest rate and the larger the principal or amount invested, the higher the interest rate. Bank CDs generally compound the interest earned over short intervals. The frequent compounding of CD interest earned means interest earned today earns interest tomorrow as well. Many bank CDs also have low minimum investment requirements. Bank CD investments are a smart way to make your cash reserves and fixed assets work harder for you. CDs can vary widely in their characteristics, so shop around a bit so you know that you are getting the right investment for you. Read the details of the investment carefully before you buy, or ask a bank employee to help you to understand your options. For more information on CD rates visit www.selectcdrates.com .
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