APY GUY: Maximize Your Savings & Earnings

editorial staff

Varo Money – Earn up to 3.0% APY!


image credit: varomoney.com

Varo Bank is a trendy, one-hundred percent digital bank based out of San Francisco that offers its entire product suite through its mobile apps on IOS and Android.

Varo has two main accounts. An online checking account that comes with a Varo Debit card, and an online savings account.

The checking account is about as hassle-free as they come and provides many services for free that typical brick and mortar institutions generally do not. These include:

  • no monthly maintenance fees of any kind,
  • no transfer fees or debit card replacement fees and
  • no foreign transaction fees.

There is also no minimum balance requirement to keep the account open and you can activate it with a minimum deposit of just $0.01.

The online savings account features one of the top yields on the market for FDIC-insured accounts and has the ability to earn even more if you open and use the online checking account and its debit card.

With the savings account, you’ll immediately earn one of the top APY (annual percentage yields) on the market at 0.50% APY.

If you open it with a checking account, you’ll have the ability to earn up to 3.0% APY on balances under $5,000. You’ll have to meet a couple monthly requirements to earn the APY. The details are listed further below.

Like the checking account, the savings account has no fees or minimum deposit requirements and you can start earning the exceptional APY once you place your first deposit into the account.

Full details on both accounts and Varo Bank continue reading our review below.

Varo Money Online Savings Account Details + APY

Like other online banks, Varo is member FDIC and accounts are insured up to $250,000 combined.

Varo Bank’s online savings account offers tiered yields. You immediately start earning an APY of 0.50% but can earn up to 3.0% APY on balances of $5,000 and below if two specific conditions are met each month.

These are:

  1. You must receive a minimum of $1,000 in qualifying direct deposits, AND
  2. Keep a daily savings balance under $5,000 for each calendar month, AND
  3. Keep at least 1 penny in both your Varo bank account and Varo savings account.

Varo Bank Online Savings Account Rate Tiers

Min BalanceAPYConditions Met?
$0 – $5,0003.0%Yes
$0 – $5,0000.50%No

To give the yields above some context, the current national average for a savings account sits at just 0.06% APY according to recent FDIC data. That said, there are still a handful of online banks paying 0.40% – 0.50% APY on all balances, but they are growing slimmer by the day.

Outside of the exceptional yield, Varo’s savings account has some helpful tools that allow you to automate your savings (more in the features section below). Plus, package your savings and checking account together for better insights into your spending habits and how much you’re able to save each month.

Opening a Varo Checking Account

Getting your Varo Money checking account set-up is a fairly quick and straightforward process that can be done online in minutes.

To get started, navigate to the Varo checking account page and either submit your email, or click on the black “Get Started” button in the upper right. If you choose to submit your email, they will email you a link to navigate to the same sign-up page, but your email field will be filled out already.

When filling out your basic information you will want to have the following pieces of information handy:

  • email address (if you haven’t submitted it already)
  • full name
  • date of birth
  • address
  • social security number

After you complete the application process, you will be directed to download the app from the Apple or Google Play store to begin funding and managing your account(s). Remember, the entirety of this digital bank’s products and services are accessed and managed solely through their native apps.

Once you’ve downloaded the app and opened the checking account, you’ll be ready for your first deposit. If you have any questions or get stuck during this process you can email – help@varomoney.com – and you should receive a prompt response.

Varo Money Checking Account Features

Three noteworthy features of Varo’s online checking account.

The Varo Money checking account has several noteworthy features and very little drawbacks.

For starters, the nature of Varo Bank and its digital product suite allow for Varo to save on costs and pass these savings along to consumers in the form of no-fee accounts with above average interest rates. Without an expensive branch network, staff, rent and utilities, Varo is able to simplify its product offerings and make them extremely low cost.

Second, Varo Checking account consumers are provided a debit card that can be used for free at 55,000+ AllPoint ATMs around the country. These ATMs are generally found in places like Walgreens, CVS, and target.

If you have cash to deposit into the account, you can do this at any of the 90,000+ retail locations using Green Dot Reload. We should note that fees and cash deposit limitations will apply. You can see a complete breakdown of these fees by retailers in our table further below.

On top of this, you can easily transfer money freely between Varo accounts and even connect a popular payment app like Apple Pay™, Google Pay™, PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo to pay for everyday purchases.

No credit checks of any kind will be run by Varo to open their checking account. In some instances they may request identity documentation, but your credit report, history, or FICO score will not be checked.

If you set up direct deposits with Varo checking, you’ll also be provided access to your funds up to two days in advance.

If you choose to open the savings account along with the checking account, Varo has some great tools available that allow for automatic transfer from your checking to savings to allow idle cash to grow with a lucrative APY.

The two noteworthy automated savings features are:

  • Save Your Pay lets you choose and set up the automatic transfer of a certain percentage of your direct deposits to your savings account. This is similar to Wells Fargo’s Way2Save product, except in Varo’s case you get to select the percentage.
  • Save Your Change rounds up every transaction from your checking account to the nearest dollar and automatically transfers these funds to your savings.

ACH Transfers

As mentioned, Varo Money stands out from the pack with its lack of fees – especially when it comes to moving money around.

The average domestic wire charge in the US sits at a hefty $25. With Varo Money, you have the ability to move money around via ACH transfers for free.

There are two kinds of ACH transfers, both of which can be set up by Varo Money. These are:

  1. ACH debit transactions “pull” the money from your account, like for an automatic bill payment.
  2. ACH credit transactions “push” money into your account, like a direct deposit of your paycheck or tax refund.

To set up either of these kinds of ACH transfers, you will need your Varo Bank account number and the routing number of the other party’s financial institution.

The time frame in which the money is received is generally between 1 – 4 days. Here a more specific breakdown:

  • If you initiate the ACH transfer in your Varo app to or from an external bank account you own, it will take 2–4 business days.
  • If you initiate the ACH transfer from an external bank account to Varo, it will generally take 1–2 business days.

Potential Fees to Look Out For

Depending on where you use your debit card and how you add funds to your account, you may encounter fees from time to time.

If you plan on making cash deposits, you will encounter a fee each time. These fees will vary by retailer. Below is a list of fees and limitations when depositing cash into your Varo account. You can read more about the fees and limits listed below on Varo’s support page here.

Varo Cash Deposit Fees & Limits by Retailer

RetailerLimitPrice
7-Eleven$500$4.95
Albertsons$500$4.95
ACE Cash Express$1,500$4.50
CVS$500$4.95
Dollar General$500$3.95
Dollar Tree$500$4.95
Family Dollar$500$3.95
Rite Aid$500$4.95
Safeway$500$4.95
Vons$500$4.95
Walgreens$500$4.95
Walmart$1,000$3.74

The other potential fee to look out for is usage of non-Allpoint ATMs. Varo imposes a $2.50 fee per transaction, but the bank or ATM owner may charge an additional fee on top of that.

Final Thoughts

The powerful checking/savings combo by Varo Money is hard to beat. On the checking side the lack of any and all fees make this product stand out from its peers.

On the savings side, Varo boasts one of the top APYs of any FDIC-insured institution, and also features no minimums or monthly fees of any kind.

That said, make sure you are perfectly comfortable going 100% digital as Varo Money provides no access to in-person banking or branches.

Bank of America CD Rates – Are they Worth Opening in 2021?


[Update October 2021: Unlike some of the other major US banks, Bank of America’s CD rates have not changed at all throughout the course of 2021. The APY remains a flat 0.05% for their “featured CDs” and 0.03% APY for “standard CDs.” This is true for all terms and deposit amounts. See below for more details.]

Bank of America hardly needs any introduction. They’re the second largest bank in the United States by assets, with over $2.61 trillion in total and they are the third largest bank in the country by branch locations with roughly 4,559 across all 50 states.

That said, their savings rates – both fixed and variable – leave much to be desired and lag the current national average(s) for their respective terms by considerable margins.

This isn’t unique to Bank of America though, as all the big banks at the moment offer abysmal rates to savers. Both Citibank and Chase Bank have kept their savings rates significantly under the national averages for all of 2020.

For those considering opening a fixed-rate, certificate of deposit with Bank of America continue reading our full review below.

Bank of America CD Rates + Account Details

Bank of America CDs are federally insured by the FDIC up to the applicable limits. These are $250,000 per depositor or $500,000 on joint accounts.

Bank of America has two sets of certificates of deposit available to consumers currently: “Featured CDs” and “Standard CDs.”

The Featured CDs come with a higher minimum deposit requirement of $10,000 compared to just $1,000 for the Standard CDs. Bank of America’s Featured CDs also offer five oddball terms to choose from. These are:

  • 7 months
  • 10 months
  • 13 months
  • 25 months
  • 37 months

Bank of America Featured CD Rates

TermAPY
7 months0.05%
10 months0.05%
13 months0.05%
25 months0.05%
37 months0.05%

To put these yields in perspective the current national average for a 12 month CD and a 60 month CD sits at 0.22% APY and 0.47% APY, respectively. There are also several nationally available credit unions with CD rates still above the 1.0% APY mark for longer terms.

Their Standard CDs have much more flexible terms ranging from 1 month to 10 years (120 months). Consumers may choose the exact number of months within that range. Current rates, however, are flat across the board for all terms.

Bank of America Standard CD Rates

TermAPY
1 month (28 days)0.03%
3 months0.03%
6 months0.03%
12 months0.03%
2 years0.03%
3 years0.03%
4 years0.03%
5 years0.03%
6 years0.03%
7 years0.03%
8 years0.03%
9 years0.03%
10 years0.03%

Interest is compounded and credited monthly on both featured and standard CDs.

In normal interest rate environments two variables may affect the overall APY (annual percentage yield) applied to your CD from Bank of America. These are:

  1. Your Location
  2. Your Deposit Amount

While these variables do not change your rate at the moment, Bank of America still requires you to select these before disclosing the yields they offer on their website.

Your location is determined by the zip code you reside in and the deposit amount is broken up into four ranges for the Featured CDs and three ranges for Standard CDs. For Featured CDs, the deposit ranges are:

  • Less than $10,000
  • $10,000 to $100,000
  • $100,000 – $1m
  • $1m +

For all of Bank of America’s Standard CDs the deposit ranges are:

  • Less than $10,000
  • $10,000 to $100,000
  • $100,000 +

Early Withdrawal Penalties

Bank of America’s early withdrawal penalties vary by length of the term of the deposit. Below is a breakdown of what you can expect to pay if you need to make an early withdrawal to your CD. You should note that for CDs with terms of 60 months (5 years) or greater, fees can potentially add up to more than the overall interest earned if withdrawals happen often enough.

CD TermPenalty
90 days or less7 days’ interest
90 days – 12 months90 days’ interest
12 months – 60 months180 day’s interest
60 months +365 days’ interest

The interest penalties above are applied to the amount withdrawn.

Grace Period

The grace period is the brief window of time after your CD matures and before it gets renewed in which you have the ability to add or withdraw funds penalty free.

Bank of America’s grace period is slightly lower than the standard 10 days at just 7 days.

Bank of America’s CDs also automatically renew, so if nothing is done within this 7 day period your CD will automatically renew with the same terms and whatever the current APY happens to be at that time.

Bank of America will send you reminders leading up to the grace period of your deposit but be sure to set up your own notifications as well.

Final Thoughts

While banking with large institutions such as Bank of America has its advantages such as easy in-person branch access, vast network of ATMs, and a wide range of financial products, their current CD rates are simply not competitive at this time.

In normal interest rate environments having both featured CDs with higher APYs and standard CDs with customizable term lengths is a major advantage, however Bank of America’s current yields make these standout features inconsequential today.

If you’re after a high yield CD, a nationally available credit union or online bank is going to be able to provide you with much better rates.

CIT Bank Savings Accounts & Money Market – APYs up to 0.50%


CIT Bank has three variable rate savings products with APYs ranging from 0.40% to 0.50% currently. These are:

  • CIT Bank Savings Builder
  • CIT Bank Savings Connect
  • CIT Bank Money Market

The Savings Connect just had its APY upped to 0.50% recently, while the Savings Builder and Money Market accounts earn 0.40% and 0.45%, respectively.

Each comes with their own minimum deposit requirements and account details which we’ll cover in detail below.

If you haven’t heard of CIT Bank before it might be because they’ve gone through several re-brands, mergers and acquisitions over their century-plus history since their founding in 1908.

Today they hold over $50 billion in assets and regularly offer some competitive rates on their deposit accounts.

To see if any of CIT bank’s savings products are right for you, continue reading our comprehensive review below.

CIT Bank is member FDIC and all funds held in any CIT bank account are federally insured up to the applicable limits.

CIT Bank Savings Builder APY + Account Details

The CIT Bank Savings Builder account requires a rather steep minimum deposit of $25,000 to earn the advertised APY. However, if you do not have $25k to open the account but can manage to add at least $100 to it monthly, CIT will still provide you with the 0.40% APY. If you don’t have $25k nor can you commit $100/mo to the account, you’ll earn just 0.28% APY on your balance. More details below.

Minimum Balance + ConditionsAPY
$100 – $25,0000.28%
$100 + $100/mo deposit0.40%
$25,000 +0.40%

To put these APYs in perspective, the current national average on a savings account sits at just 0.06% according to recent FDIC data.

Remember, if you have a balance of less than $25,000 AND you do not deposit or transfer $100 each month into the account you will earn just 0.28% on your balance. So if you wish to open the account but are under the $25,000 limit, you may want to hold some funds back or be sure you can commit to maintaining a $100 deposit each month to earn the higher APY.

You should also note that all new accounts will get an introductory APY of 0.40% during what CIT Bank refers to as the “Introductory Period.” When this period ends, all accounts will be evaluated on “Evaluation Day” to determine the APY paid for the next period.

The introductory period begins the day you open the account and ends on Evaluation Day. The Evaluation Day is the fourth business day prior to the end of the month. If you aren’t maintaining a monthly balance of $25,000 or more, you’ll want to make a deposit of at least $100 during this period if you want to keep the higher APY.

Regardless of your balance, interest is compounded daily and credited monthly to the account.

CIT Bank Savings Connect APY + Account details

The CIT Bank Savings Connect account offers the most competitive APY of 0.50% if you can meet the criteria. If you just open the Savings Connect account as a stand alone account with a minimum of at least $100 you’ll still earn 0.42% APY on your balance.

To earn the higher rate of 0.50% you’ll also need to open a CIT Bank eChecking account and set up an automated monthly deposit of at least $200 during the “evaluation period.”

Min Balance + ConditionsAPY
$1000.42%
$100 and $200/mo to eChecking0.50%

If you do decide to open the eChecking account for the higher APY, we should note that that account also pays an APY of 0.25% on balances above $25,000 and 0.10% APY on all amounts below that.

CIT Bank Money Market APY + Account Details

CIT Bank’s money market account is perhaps its most straight forward variable rate product. It earns a competitive 0.45% APY on all balances above the $100 minimum required to open it.

There are no fees or secondary accounts required to earn the advertised APY.

To put this yield into perspective, the national average for money market rates sits at just 0.08% APY currently.

Fees Associated with the Accounts

Like many hassle-free online savings accounts this one has no monthly maintenance fees or ongoing fees of any kind. The only fee you might want to look out for is a $10 wire fee for moving funds about; however CIT Bank will waive this fee as well if you maintain an average monthly balance of at least $25,000 in the account.

Opening an Account and Accessing Funds

To fund your CIT Savings Builder account, you’ll have four options. These are:

  • Mail a check
  • Send a wire (no fee for this)
  • ACH funds transfer, or
  • Mobile check deposit via their mobile app (download for IOS or Android)

If you plan on funding the account via an electronic funds transfer, please allow up to two business days for the money to appear in your account. Mailed checks will likely take a little bit longer depending on your location and time spent in transit.

Once you’ve opened the account, you may withdraw money in one of three ways. These are:

  • ACH Electronic funds transfer
  • Request a mailed check by CIT Bank
  • Outgoing Wire transfer

You’ll want to note the potential $10 wire fee we mentioned previously if you aren’t maintaining a balance of $25,000 or more.

ATM or Branch Access?

Like many online savings accounts the CIT Bank Savings Builder account comes with no ATM or debit card of any kind. You will not have access to cash via this method or access to any physical branch locations. If you need access to cash, you will have to transfer the money to a bank or credit union with a branch near you or request a check from CIT Bank.

Other CIT Bank Deposit Accounts

Outside of the variable rate accounts discussed above, CIT Bank also offers the following deposit products with interest payments:

  • Eight standard term CDs
  • 11 month No-Penalty CD
  • Jumbo CDs (four terms available)

We covered CIT Bank’s CD accounts earlier this year and they still feature competitive APYs. For fixed rate deposits with CIT Bank you will earn the same interest whether the account is a standard deposit or “Jumbo.” In normal interest rate environments jumbo accounts tend to pay more than standard ones.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for a variable-rate, online savings account with a solid yield and FDIC insurance then the CIT Bank has some solid options for you to choose from.

However, their top tier rates come with secondary accounts that you must open and regularly make deposits into to earn those top yields.

U.S. Bank CD Rates – APYs now up to 0.75%!


image credit: usbank.com

[Update September 2021: US Bank now has 4 CD specials (see rates below) up from just 1 in May of this year. Standard CDs, Step Up CDs and Trade Ups CDs rates remain unchanged.]

U.S. Bank has the most competitive certificate of deposit rates of all the major banks at the moment even though many of their APYs (annual percentage yields) fall short of the national average for their respective terms.

U.S. Bank has four types of CDs available to consumers. These are:

  1. Standard certificates of deposit
  2. U.S. Bank CD Specials
  3. U.S. Bank “Step Up” CDs
  4. U.S. Bank “Trade Up” CDs

Their standard CDs come with yields more akin to the other large national banks, while their CD specials offer slightly more competitive yields.

Their Step Up CD comes with a 28 month term and a rate that increases every 7 months and their Trade UP CD allows you to swap your deposit for one with a higher rate if interest rates increase while your deposit is active.

To get the full rundown of U.S. Bank’s CD rates and to see if these products are right for you continue reading our comprehensive review below.

U.S. Bank Certificate of Deposit Rates + Details

All of U.S. Bank’s CDs are federally insured by the FDIC up to their applicable limits.

U.S. Bank offers eleven standard-term certificates of deposit. These come with a minimum deposit requirement of $500 and a maximum deposit amount of $250,000. They can be opened online, over the phone or in a local branch.

U.S. Bank CD Rates

CD TermDeposit RangeAPY
1 month$500 – $250k0.05%
2 months$500 – $250k0.05%
3 months$500 – $250k0.05%
6 months$500 – $250k0.05%
9 months$500 – $250k0.05%
12 months$500 – $250k0.05%
18 months$500 – $250k0.05%
24 months$500 – $250k0.05%
36 months$500 – $250k0.10%
48 months$500 – $250k0.15%
60 months$500 – $250k0.25%

To put these annual percentage yields in perspective the current national average on a 12 month CD and a 60 month CD sit at 0.15% APY and 0.24% APY, respectively.

Interest is compounded daily on all terms.

Early Withdrawal Penalties

If you need to withdraw funds from your U.S. Bank CD prior to its maturity date, you will be charged with an early withdrawal fee. Their current early withdrawal fee schedule is outlined below.

Early Withdrawal Fees

CD Term: 6 months or less
Fee: All of the interest that would have been earned on the funds if held to maturity – OR – 1% of the amount withdrawn, whichever is greater – PLUS – a $25 dollar flat fee.
CD Term: 6 months to 12 months
Fee: Half of the interest that would have been earned on the funds withdrawn if held for the entire term – OR – 1% of the amount withdrawn, whichever is greater – PLUS – a $25 dollar flat fee.
CD Term: Greater than 12 months
Half of the interest that would have been earned on the funds withdrawn if held for the entire term – OR – 3% of the amount withdrawn, whichever is greater – PLUS – a $25 dollar flat fee.

Grace Period

U.S. Bank CDs come with a standard grace period of 10 days in which you may add or withdraw funds from your deposit penalty free. If nothing is done during this period, the CD will renew for the same terms at the going APY.

U.S.Bank will send you a reminder when your CD is about to mature, but be sure to set up your own notifications if you do not wish to have your funds locked into the same deposit terms.

U.S. Bank CD Specials

U.S. Bank now has 4 CD specials, up from just one back in May 2021. They generally have between 3-4, all of which tend to come with oddball terms and more competitive yields than their standard CDs.

The minimum deposit required to open one of U.S. Bank’s special CDs is $1,000 – twice the amount of their standard CDs.

U.S. Bank Special CD Rates

CD TermDeposit RangeAPY
17 months$1,000 – $250k0.15%
37 months$1,000 – $250k0.35%
47 months$1,000 – $250k0.50%
59 months$1,000 – $250k0.75%

We should note that the offer listed above only applies for the initial term.

If you allow for your Special CD to renew after the term is up, U.S. Bank will roll this into another CD with the same duration, but the APY will be determined based on the published rate for the CD, excluding CD Specials, that is closest to but not exceeding the term of the CD.

In other words U.S. Bank will apply the APY of the nearest standard term CD but will keep the oddball duration you had with your initial CD special.

The same early withdrawal penalties apply with U.S. Bank’s CD Specials as they do with their standard CDs.

On Special CDs, all interest payments will be made at the end of the term or annually, whichever occurs first based on the term you select.

U.S. Bank Step Up CD

U.S. Bank’s Step Up CD is a 28 month term deposit with four incremental rate increases (one every 7 months) throughout its duration.

The product starts with an APY of 0.05% and ends with an APY of 0.65% to give you a blended APY of 0.35% for its duration.

Breakdown of APY

TermInterest RateBlended APY
28 months0.05% for first 7 months0.35%
0.25% for next 7 months
0.45% for next 7 months
0.65% for last 7 months

To put this offer in perspective, the average yield on a 2 year CD (24 months) sits at just 0.23% APY according to the FDIC as of November 2020.

The minimum deposit requirement for the U.S. Bank Step Up CD is $1,000.

U.S. Bank Trade Up CD

The U.S. Bank Trade Up CD currently comes with two terms to choose from. A 30 month term or a 60 month term.

As the name implies, this product allows one to ‘trade up’ for a higher rate if one happens to come along while your CD is active. This is an ideal product during an ascending interest rate environment.

Terms and APY

CD TermDeposit RangeAPY
30 months$1,000 – $250k0.10%
60 months$1,000 – $250k0.40%

The 60 month Trade Up CD by U.S. Bank is currently more attractive than the 30 month CD when pitted against the current national average(s) for the nearest terms. As mentioned, 24 month CDs are averaging 0.23% APY nationally according to the FDIC, while 60 month CDs are hovering around 0.47% APY according to Bankrate.

If you go with a Trade Up CD by U.S. bank you will need to visit an actual branch location to initiate your one time interest rate trade up. Once initiated, U.S. Bank will calculate the remaining time on your CD and find a standard term CD that is closest to it, then apply that rate. Please allow up to 10 days for this rate change to take effect.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for a fixed-rate certificate of deposit and would prefer to open one with a major bank that has a large branch network, then U.S. Bank may be a good fit.

They have the highest yields on CDs of any of the large national banks and have promotional deposit products that can amplify your earnings – especially in more favorable savings rate environments.

The minimum deposit requirements are also relatively low and U.S. Bank provides many different ways to open the accounts – online, over the phone, or in branch.

Sallie Mae CD Rates – Now up to 0.70% APY!


image credit: salliemae.com

[Update September 2021: Sallie Mae raised the rates on many of their CDs with terms of 12 months and greater. The biggest increases came with their 12 and 36 month CD which now yield 0.60% APY and 0.70% APY, respectively. They also raised their money market rate by 0.10% APY to the current 0.40% APY. See all of their current rates below.]

Sallie Mae has become a household name as the largest originator of student loans in the country.

Founded in 1972 as the Student Loan Marketing Association, Sallie Mae operated with government sponsorship by handling both federal and private sector loans.

Some may remember their Federal Stafford and Federal Perkins loans coming from Sallie Mae. However, Sallie Mae started the path of incorporation as a private company during the 90s and completed it in 2004, severing their operation from the government.

Today, their product suite covers a large range of financial services from private education loans and college savings programs to banking services and insurance programs.

In this review, we’ll focus on the savings side of Sallie Mae Bank. Sallie Mae is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and currently offers several types of FDIC-insured savings accounts for a variety of needs: the SmartyPig savings account, certificates of deposit, money market, and high-yield savings accounts are all on the menu with Sallie Mae.

Please note the SmartyPig savings account will not be covered here. Use the link above to read more about that account.

Sallie Mae CD Rates + Account Details

If you’re looking to lock-in an interest rate, a certificate of deposit may be the way to go.

Sallie Mae was named as one of the best banks for certificates for deposit in 2020 by GOBankingRates.

Although their CD rates have been more competitive in the past, they still feature returns that beat the national average(s) for their respective terms by decent margins.

TermMinimum DepositAPY
6 months$2,5000.30%
9 months$2,5000.30%
11 months$2,5000.30%
12 months$2,5000.60%
13 months$2,5000.45%
15 months$2,5000.45%
18 months$2,5000.65%
24 months$2,5000.60%
30 months$2,5000.60%
36 months$2,5000.70%
60 months$2,5000.45%

To put Sallie Mae’s CD rates (above) in perspective, the current national average for a 12 month CD sits at 0.14% APY and the current average for a 5 year CD sits at 0.24% APY according to recent FDIC data.

As you can see from the table, there is a wide range of terms to choose from but the current yields don’t vary much by term.

Grace Period

Upon the maturity of your Sallie Mae CD, you’ll have a 10 calendar day grace period during which you can withdraw funds from your CD account without penalty. If no action is taken within the 10 day grace period, the funds will automatically renew into the same CD with its current rate.

Locking-In CD Rates

The interest rate and APY will be determined on the date you fund the CD account, not the date you open the account. However, you will receive the higher interest rate of the date your account opened or was funded if the first deposit occurs within ten days from the opening date.

Once your interest rate is set and fixed, you will be paid this rate until maturity. Interest is compounded daily and credited to your account monthly.

The interest begins to accrue on the same business day if the deposit is received before 11:00 PM ET. If the deposit occurs after 11:00 PM ET on a business day or non-business day, the deposit is considered received on the next business day.

Early Withdrawal Penalties

If your CD account has a maturity of 12 months or less, the penalty is equal to 90 days of simple interest on the amount withdrawn. If the CD account has a maturity greater than 12 months, the penalty will equal 180 days of simple interest on the amount withdrawn.

In circumstances such as death or incompetence of the account holder, the law may permit an early withdrawal penalty waiver.

Sallie Mae Money Market Rates + Account Details

Sallie Mae’s money market account is similar to their SmartyPig account but with a few more features. For example, you can write checks from the money market account plus earn a slightly higher rate.

Unlike Sallie Mae’s CDs there are no minimum deposit requirements to open a money market account. The APY you receive applies to all balances as well, which is different than most money market accounts that tie yields to balances.

Sallie Mae Money Market Account Rates

Monthly BalanceMinimum DepositAPY
$0$00.50%

To put the APY (above) in perspective, the current national average for a money market account sits at roughly 0.11% APY. On top of the respectable yield, the lack of both minimum deposit and monthly balance requirements make this an attractive account. Keep in mind money market rates are variable and can change at any time without notice.

Transaction Limitations

You may deposit or withdraw money via:

  • Check,
  • EFT, or
  • Wire Transfer.

There is a maximum of 6 transfers or withdrawals (a combination of either) during any calendar month or statement cycle per Federal Regulation D. Please note that if using your Sallie Mae money market account to repay loans at Sallie Mae, there is no limit in the number of transfers you may make.

Sallie Mae Fee Schedule

  • Check Order Charge (for orders placed after account opening; orders placed at the time of account opening are free): $5
  • Stop Payment Charge: $15
  • Returned Check Fee: $5
  • Insufficient Funds (NSF) Fee: $19
  • Wire Fee: $20 (United States only). Please note that the receiving bank may charge a wire fee on their end. Sallie Mae will not allow international wire transfers.

Sallie Mae Money Market Promotional Offers

Sallie Mae may offer a bonus interest rate and APY from time to time for their money market account customers. The promotional period’s bonus rate will be paid regardless of your balance and discontinued after the promotional period has ended. Your interest rate and APY will then revert to Sallie Mae’s current interest rate and APY. Promotions are not valid with other offers or promotions unless otherwise stated.

Sallie Mae High Yield Savings Account Rates + Details

The high yield savings account is similar to the SmartyPig and money market account in that it has no minimum balance/deposit requirements or monthly maintenance fees.

The rate is slightly lower than the money market account, but still handily beats the current national average for FDIC-insured online savings accounts.

Sallie Mae High Yield Savings Account Rate

Monthly BalanceMinimum DepositAPY
$0$00.35%

Rates are compounded daily and credited to your account monthly. As with the money market account the APY is variable and subject to change at any time without notice.

Transaction Limitations

You may withdrawal or deposit money via:

  • Check,
  • EFT, or
  • Wire Transfer

The same 6 transaction limitation applies to the high yield savings account. This applies to both withdrawals and deposits (a combination of either) per federal regulation.

Fees

• Returned Check Fee: $5
• Wire Fee: $20 (United States only). Please note that the receiving bank may charge a wire fee on their end. Sallie Mae will not allow international wire transfers.

Banking Experience and Customer Sentiment

Sallie Mae has just one physical location in Utah, which is their headquarters. So if you value in-person banking this institution likely isn’t for you.

That said, if you value respectable rates and low maintenance accounts that can be managed 100 percent digitally than Sallie Mae deserves your consideration. Their rates are regularly among the top online offers available and their accounts have received a number of awards from third party sites.

According to user reviews on both Android and iOS apps, Sallie Mae’s app experience ranges from mediocre to comfortably above average (especially as far as banking apps go).

They receive just 3.6 starts on Android, but an impressive 4.6 stars on the App Store.

Sallie Mae’s SmartyPig account has a separate app and also receives high marks.

Final Thoughts

Sallie Mae has a variety of options in terms of deposit accounts. All of their variable rate products feature $0 minimum deposit and monthly balance requirements which make them available to pretty much anyone.

Their CDs feature above average rates, but better APYs can be locked-in through other online institutions or credit unions.

Capital One CD Rates – Now up to 0.80% APY!


image credit: capitalone.com

[Update September 2021: Capital One made a bold move this summer by raising the rates on their 3 year and 5 year CDs by double what they were in just June of this year. Capital One’s 3 year and 5 year CDs now provide an APY of 0.60% and 0.80%, respectively — up from 0.30% and 0.40% APY in June. See all of Capital One 360’s current CD rates below.]

Capital One offers a number of online certificates of deposit as part of their 360 product suite. The terms come with standard lengths ranging from 6 months to 60 months and above average annual percentage yields.

Their CDs also come with more flexibility than most certificates offered by large national banks. Right now, all Capital One 360 CDs have no minimum deposit and can be opened with any dollar amount that is right for you.

That said, these products must be opened and managed online. But don’t worry, they make it exceptionally easy with their web (and mobile web) interface as well their highly rated apps for IOS and Andriod.

Below is our full review of their CD offerings. If you have experience opening a CD with Capital One, please feel free to share your experience in the comment section below.

Capital One 360 CD Rates + Account Details

Capital One 360 CDs are federally insured by the FDIC up to $250,000 per depositor or $500,000 on joint accounts. As mentioned there are no minimum deposit requirements, but you will need to deposit something in the account to open it.

Capital One 360 CD Rates

TermAPY
6 months0.10%
9 months0.10%
12 months0.20%
18 months0.25%
24 months0.25%
30 months0.25%
36 months0.60%
48 months0.65%
60 months0.80%

To put these offers above in perspective the average yield on a 12 month CD and a 60 month CD sit at just 0.22% and 0.58% APY, respectively. That said, there are still a handful of credit unions and online banks offering slightly higher rates on the same terms.

Interest is compounded monthly on Capital One 360 CDs and credited to your account either monthly, yearly or upon maturity. You can have these funds deposited into a separate account or returned to the CD for further compounding.

Capital One 360 CDs come with a standard 10 day grace period. You’ll also want to note that Capital One CDs automatically renew, so if you plan on adding or withdrawing funds to your CD this 10-day period is the only time you can do so penalty free.

Early Withdrawal Penalties

If you withdraw funds from a CD you opened with a term of 12 months or less, you’ll have to pay three months’ interest as a penalty.

If you withdraw funds from a CD you opened with a term of greater than 12 months, you’ll have to pay six months’ interest.

Please note that it is possible to incur a penalty that dips into your principal if the withdraw happens early enough.

How to Open a Capital One 360 CD?

If you decide you want to open a Capital One 360 CD, first navigate to their online CDs page here.

On this page you can take another look at any of the terms, conditions, or features one last time before you open the account.

Once you’re ready to open a deposit, click on the green “Open Account” button at the top of the page. This button remains static at the top of this page as you scroll.

It will look something like this (below):

Look for the green “Open Account” button that sticks to the top of your browser as you scroll the page.

Once you click on that green button, the process takes about 5 minutes to complete. They’ll first ask you whether or not you already have a Capital One login. If you’ve opened a checking, savings or even credit card with them (either online or in a branch) then you likely have a login already. If you do, this should expedite the process.

If you do not, and this is your first account with Capital One, then you’ll need the following:

  • Full legal name
  • Current address
  • telephone number
  • employment status (and job title)
  • social security number
  • date of birth

Capital One will then use your personal data to confirm your identity. If you are looking to open a joint account, you must first go through this process individually then you can add another account holder online.

Once your identity is confirmed and the account is opened, you will be provided with your account number and the routing number. You then have the option to add funds immediately to your CD. Your rates are locked in the moment you open the deposit until maturity.

Capital One 360 CD Reviews and Customer Sentiment

The Capital One 360 product suite receives high marks across the board from third party review sites. Their savings products in particular – both the variable rate online savings account and the fixed rate online CDs – receive above average marks for consistently higher than average yields and flexible terms. Most notably the lack of minimum deposit or balance requirements to earn the advertised interest.

You can manage your money easily either online or through one of their native apps. Their IOS and Android apps both receive high marks (especially as far as banking apps go). Their IOS app currently has 4.8 stars out of 5, while their Android app has 4.6 stars out of 5.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a solid bank with good rates and a great reputation then Capital One, and more specifically Capital One 360, deserves your consideration.

Their rates consistently beat the national average by considerable margins and come with user-friendly technology that make your accounts both secure and easy to manage/navigate.