Mountain America Credit Union, based out of Sandy, Utah is the 12th largest credit union in the country with 1,033,000 and more than $14 billion in assets.
They have just over 100 branches in the following 6 states:
- Arizona,
- Idaho,
- Montana,
- Nevada,
- New Mexico and
- Utah.
Despite their regional footprint, they offer highly competitive CDs (certificates of deposit) that can be opened by anyone in all 50 states – online or over the phone.
If you don’t live near a local branch or have a family member that is currently a member, you can still join the credit union by also joining one of their partner affiliations. This is of no cost to you and can be done during the application process.
To see if their CDs are right for you continue reading our review below.
Mountain America Credit Union CD Rates + Account Details
Mountain America offers three types of CD accounts:
- Standard CDs
- Growth CDs
- Youth CDs
The Standard CDs and Growth CDs come with identical yields but slightly different requirements.
Their Youth CDs offer the highest yields and are only available to those 27 years old or younger. Once you turn 28, your Youth CD will automatically renew into a Standard CD.
Their Standard Certificate comes with a minimum deposit requirement of $500 and allows for one rate bump during its lifespan if one becomes available. To enable this feature, you will have to take a 0.25% discount on the rate listed below. You will also have to notify Mountain America Credit Union when you’d like to activate the rate increase. One will not be automatically activated for you if rates rise.
Next is their Growth Certificate which comes with a minimum deposit requirement of just $5.00 but requires automated monthly add-on deposits of at least $10.00 with a cumulative cap of $100,000. There is no rate bump feature with the Growth CDs.
CD Rates (Standard and Growth)
Mountain America is a member of the NCUA (FDIC equivalent for credit unions) and all deposits are federally insured up to $250,000 per depositor.
The yields shown in the table below apply to both standard CDs and Growth CDs at Mountain America Credit Union.
| CD Term | APY |
| 6 months | 5.50% |
| 12 months | 5.25% |
| 18 months | 4.50% |
| 24 months | 4.50% |
| 30 months | 4.50% |
| 36 months | 4.50% |
| 48 months | 4.00% |
| 60 months | 4.00% |
To put these yields into perspective, the national average for 12 month and 60 month CDs sits at just 1.59% and 1.37% APY, respectively, according to FDIC data. That said, there are now a number of banks and credit unions offering 5.00% and 4.50% APY on the same respective terms – with Mountain America Credit Union leading the way for 12 month CDs.
Youth Certificates
Youth CDs require a minimum deposit of just $5.00 and allow for add-on deposits up to $10,000 per year starting from the day you open your CD.
As mentioned, you must be 27 years old or younger and all Youth CDs automatically renew into Standard CDs upon the owner’s 28th birthday.
Youth CD Rates
| CD Term | APY |
| 12 months | 5.35% |
| 24 months | 4.60% |
| 36 months | 4.60% |
| 48 months | 4.09% |
| 60 months | 4.09% |
How Much Can you Earn with a Mountain America CD?
To see how much money you can earn from a Mountain America Credit Union CD take a look at the table below. It shows the total amount of money you’d earn in interest payments from a handful of Mountain America Credit Union’s most competitive CDs. It assumes a one-time deposit of $10,000.
| CD Term | APY | Earnings |
| 6 months | 5.50% | $271.32 |
| 12 months | 5.25% | $525.00 |
| 24 months | 4.50% | $920.25 |
| 36 months | 4.50% | $1,411.66 |
| 60 months | 4.00% | $2,166.53 |
How do Mountain America’s CD Rates Compare?
To get an idea of how Mountain America Credit Union’s CD rates compare to other well known credit unions with NCUA insurance, take a look at the table below.
| Credit Union | Best CD Rate (APY) |
| Connexus Credit Union | 5.26% |
| GreenState Credit Union | 4.85% |
| Navy Federal Credit Union | 4.85% |
| Mountain America Credit Union | 5.50% |
Compounding and Crediting Interest
Interest is compounded daily and credited back to the CD account monthly on all Mountain America CDs. You may elect to have the interest transferred to a MACU (Mountain America Credit Union) savings account which can then be withdrawn but this must be done upon account opening. You can learn more in their Truth-in-Savings disclosure forms (see PDF here).
Grace Period and Early Withdrawal Fees
Upon the maturity of any MACU (Mountain America Credit Union) CD, you will be given a 10 day grace period in which you may close out your CD or modify it in any way. If nothing is done during this 10 day window, your CD will automatically renew into a new standard CD with the same term and going APY at that time. Keep in mind, this means that all Growth CDs will automatically renew into Standard CDs with the same term.
If you need access to the funds in your CD prior to its maturity you will incur an early withdrawal fee. The fee(s) are as follows:
| CD Term | Early Withdrawal Penalty |
| 12 months or less | 90-day dividends penalty |
| greater than 12 mos and less than 48 mos | 180-day dividends penalty |
| 48 months or greater | 365-day dividends penalty |
How to Open and Fund a CD
As noted, opening and funding a Mountain America Credit Union CD can be done online or over the phone by consumers in all 50 states. You can get started here.
Once your application has been accepted, the first account you’ll need to open is a MACU Traditional Savings account. All of the funds destined for your CD account must first come through this savings account. You’ll also need to maintain a minimum balance of $1.00 in the account for membership purposes after your CD is open and funded.
To complete the process you’ll need to following personal information:
- phone
- home address
- social security number
- driver’s license
If you’re going to make a transfer from another bank or credit union, you’ll need:
- your current bank or credit union’s routing number
- your account number
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