Discover Bank Offers Penalty-Free Withdrawals to 12-Month CD Account Holders Who Become Unemployed

Discover Bank announced today that it will allow penalty-free early withdrawals from 12-month certificates of deposit for new and renewing account holders who lose their jobs. As an added bonus, Discover is currently offering the best 12-month CD rate according to the BestCashCow rate tables.

Discover Bank is making this penalty-free offer on its most popular 12-month CD term at the same rate at which it would normally offer any CD for the same term.

If you're trying to make some headway by investing in your future, we don't want the fear of an unforeseen job loss to keep you from enjoying the higher interest rates our 12-month CDs offer,” said Steve Olszewski, vice president of deposit products at Discover Bank. “In these days when unemployment is at a 25-year high, our customers can be confident that they can access their money if they need it without paying penalties.

To be eligible, account holders must open or renew a 12-month CD with a minimum $2,500 balance between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2009. If the account holder involuntarily loses his or her job during the term of the CD, they will be allowed to make a partial withdrawal of the funds or close the account with a full return of their principal and any credited interest with no penalties. The program also applies to self-employed people under certain circumstances.

In addition to the 12-month CD, Discover Bank also offers CDs with terms from three months to 10 years, money markets, and IRA CDs. Discover Bank deposit accounts can be opened over via the phone or online.

About Discover Bank

Discover Bank is one of the 100 largest banks in the United States and an affiliate of Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS). Discover Bank offers certificates of deposit, money market deposit accounts and other consumer financial products and services. Founded in 1911, Discover Bank is FDIC-insured and chartered under the laws of the State of Delaware. The bank maintains a branch in Greenwood, Delaware, with deposit, finance and credit card operations in New Castle, Delaware.

Today's Highest Online CD Rates

Bank	Product Term	Interest Rate (APY)
Northern Bank Direct	1-Year	5.60% APY with $500 minimum
Finworth, a division of InsBank	1-Year	5.38% APY with $50,000 minimum
TotalDirect, a division of City National Bank of Florida	1-Year	5.35% APY with $25,000 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
Department of Commerce	5-Year	4.34% APY with $500 minimum

Bank

Product Term

Interest Rate (APY)

Northern Bank Direct

1-Year

5.60% APY with $500 minimum

Finworth, a division of InsBank

1-Year

5.38% APY with $50,000 minimum

TotalDirect, a division of City National Bank of Florida

1-Year

5.35% APY with $25,000 minimum