A Five-Year Certificate of Deposit Paying 3% in 2018 - Revisited
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A Five-Year Certificate of Deposit Paying 3% in 2018 - Revisited

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When we began 2018, I wrote an article predicting that that we would see 5-Year CDs offering 3% in 2018, and recommending that depositors wait for the 3-handle before pulling the trigger and buying these products.

We have seen 5-year CD, offered in some markets, that yield 3% for over a month. Now, midway though 2018, we see 3% CDs offered nationally. This morning, with Marcus raising their 5-year CD to 3%, we even see the better-known names beginning to hit 3%.

Given that rates have been compressed for over a decade, a 3% rate seems like an attractive place to lock-in for the long-term. Even with the Fed raising rates, many are predicting that we have seen the top of long-term rates, and even more are predicting that the President’s disastrous economic policies will throw the economy into a tailspin that will force the Fed to curtail its actions.

We, however, think it is equally likely that the Fed will be forced to move still faster to fight off incipient inflation caused by poor China policy. It is possible, if not likely, that 5-year CDs will rise to 4% by this time next year. Therefore, we’d recommend depositors continue to focus on savings and shorter-term CDs.

If you do decide to invest in long-term CDs, we strongly recommend doing so judiciously and looking for lower early withdrawal penalties. Capital One, Barclays and Sallie Mae all offer 5-year CDs with a 6-months penalty should rates rise or should you need the money. Marcus’s 5-year CD penalty is 270 days. We would avoid those products that have penalties of 1-year or longer.

Read our 65 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a CD.

Ari Socolow
Ari Socolow: Ari Socolow is the Chief Economist and Editor-in-Chief at BestCashCow. He is particularly interested in issues relating to bank transparency and the climate crisis. Since co-founding BestCashCow in 2005, Ari has been frequently cited in the media as an expert on local and national savings accounts, CD products, mortgage and loan products and credit card rewards products.

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Today's Highest Online CD Rates

Bank Product Term Interest Rate (APY)
CFG Bank 1-Year 5.40% APY with $500 minimum
TotalDirect, a division of City National Bank of Florida 1-Year 5.35% APY with $25,000 minimum
Navy Federal Credit Union 1-Year 5.30% APY with $50 minimum
Dollar Savings Direct, a division of Emigrant Bank 3-Year 5.00% APY with $1,000 minimum
First Internet Bank of Indiana 3-Year 4.66% APY with $1,000 minimum
IncredibleBank 3-Year 4.58% APY with $1,000 minimum
First Internet Bank of Indiana 5-Year 4.55% APY with $1,000 minimum
BMO Alto, a division of Bank of Montreal Harris 5-Year 4.50% APY with no minimum
Popular Direct 5-Year 4.35% APY with $10,000 minimum

See More Online CD Rates →

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