Top CD rates today: Dec. 19, 2023 — Highest yield dips to 5.66% APY

A certificate of deposit (CD) is a type of savings account that typically locks in your funds for a set length of time, or term. A CD’s guaranteed annual percentage yield (APY) can be a terrific boon if going rates for deposit accounts start to fall.

What’s new for today: The new overall top CD rate is 5.66 percent APY, from CIBC Bank USA. Over the past several weeks, the highest earner was a 5.75 percent APY CD from Forbright Bank with a term of nine months. Forbright has since lowered that yield to 5.6 percent APY. Today, Popular Direct has also lowered APYs slightly for several of its terms. Alliant Credit Union and SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union join the list as leaders for the 18-month and five-year CD rates, respectively.

The Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates steady last week, as well as its penciling in 2024 interest rate cuts, are signs that rates are likely at their peak right now.

“Now is a great time to open a CD so you can both lock in a great rate and begin earning on your savings sooner, particularly as rates begin to stabilize,” says James Morgan, vice president of savings and deposits at Capital One. “We’ve seen the Fed continue to adjust interest rates throughout the year to fight inflation, and these higher rates have been reflected in the average CD APY rates.”

It’s important to shop around for a CD that earns a high APY. The guide below lists average rates and competitive ones for various terms, as well as how to find a CD with the best rate.

Key takeaways

• The top high-yield CD today has a 5.66 percent APY and a term of one year.

• Highest APYs are currently found on shorter-term CDs with terms up to two years.

• Competitive CDs are earning more than three times the national average yields.

Today’s CD rates by term

How to make the most of today’s CD rates

When shopping for the right CD, take note of rates over all available terms. Right now, you’ll likely find one-year CDs that pay higher yields than longer terms of three, four and five years. A benefit of choosing a shorter-term CD is your funds will be freed up relatively soon for reinvestment or for planned purchases. Consider a CD ladder if you prefer locking in some funds at a long-term rate as well as having access to some money sooner.

What’s happened with average CD rates in 2023?

National average CD yields have risen steadily in 2023, as the Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates four times this year. (In all, national averages began increasing after the Fed started hiking rates in March 2022. It raised rates seven times last year.)

How to find the best CD rates

You’ll often find the best CD rates from online-only banks, such as Synchrony Bank, which don’t have the overhead costs of running branches — and which also may offer competitive rates to draw customers away from traditional brick-and-mortar banks. Credit unions, such as Alliant Credit Union, also commonly offer high rates because their profits go back to members. Yields can vary significantly among banks, so it pays to shop around for the best CD rates.

CD FAQs

• How do CDs work?

  A CD is a deposit account that earns a fixed rate of return in exchange for locking in your funds for the entire term. CD terms often range from three months to five years, although it’s possible to find ones with terms shorter or longer than that. A CD can be a good place to stash money for savings goals, such as a down payment on a house or a new car. When choosing the best CD term, consider when you’ll need access to the money.

• Who should get a CD?

  Because a CD typically comes with an early withdrawal penalty, it’s best to only put money into a CD that you won’t need in the meantime for living expenses or emergencies. Money you may need sooner is best kept in a liquid account, such as a high-yield savings account, which provides access to your funds anytime.

• Why are CDs from credit unions called “share certificates”?

  Both CDs and share certificates are deposit accounts where your money typically grows at a fixed rate for a set amount of time. The main difference between the two is in the name: CDs are offered from banks, whereas share certificates are offered from credit unions. What’s more, CD earnings are referred to as interest, while share certificate earnings are called dividends. And because credit unions are not-for-profit, their profits are distributed among members (essentially shareholders in the credit union) in the form of dividends. Dividends act the same as yields on CDs, however some credit unions may offer higher rates or lower fees as a result of sharing profits.
  
  CDs and share certificates are insured through banks and credit unions, respectively, that are federally insured. For example, banks are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), whereas credit unions are insured through the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Under such federally insured banks and credit unions, CDs and share certificates are each insured for up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category.

Methodology

Bankrate calculates and reports the national average APYs for various CD terms. Factored into national average rates are the competitive APYs commonly offered by online banks, along with the very low rates often found at large brick-and-mortar banks.

In June 2023, Bankrate updated its methodology that determines the national average CD rates. For the process, more than 500 banks and credit unions are now surveyed each week to generate the national averages. Among these institutions are those that are broadly available and offer high yields, as well as some of the nation’s largest banks.