home equity loan photo1 home equity loan photo2 home equity loan photo3 home equity loan photo4

Compare CD Rates

Compare CD Rates to Find The Best CD Offer

If you are shopping to compare CD Rates, you've come to the right place. We've searched the net for the highest CD rate sources online and gathered the results with detailed information about each bank and their program. We've taken the tedious, time-consuming work out of the CD interest rate search process, and put all the relevant resources right at your fingertips. You are just a few clicks away from the best CD rates that are available today.

Here is a list of banks that we have found that have best CD rates available:

Countrywide Bank consistently appears at the top of the list when comparing CD rates. Their regular CD requires a minimum of $10,000 to invest, while their IRA CD requires a minimum of only $2,500.  Countrywide Bank CD application.

Current 6 month CD APY           Contact Info

4.97%                            Greystone National Bank

5.00%                            Intervest National Bank

5.00%                            Nexity Bank

5.00%                            Countrywide Bank

If you currently don't have the minimum amount necessary to obtain the best compare CD rates, or you don't want to tie your money up for any period of time, but still desire higher rates than your local bank is offering, consider the ING DIRECT - High Yield Savings Account. Rates that they are offering are approximately 4 times the national average paid on savings accounts. The application is simple and you can create an account online within 5 minutes. There are no application fees, no minimum balances to maintain, and no monthly maintenance fees.

When shopping to compare CD rates, be sure that the bank you choose insures its accounts through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Each CD account is insured for $100,000.00. If you have more cash than that, it is recommended that you invest in CD's at separate banks to get an additional coverage of $100,000.00 for each CD that you have. We would not recommend investing in a CD with a bank that does not provide FDIC insurance, even if the CD rate is substantially higher. The risk simply isn't worth the extra yield provided by the high rate CD. To verify the the FDIC status of any bank, you can call the FDIC toll free at 1-800-934-3342.

In the United States there is a central bank that implements financial policy that effects CD rates. It is named the Federal Reserve System, but it is neither Federal as it is not part of the Federal Government in any way, nor is it reserve, as all money today in the United States is pure fiat (see our CD rate glossary for the exact definition). The Federal Reserve System is managed by a Board of Governors. While many economists suggest that the free market would do a better job of providing sound money and economic stability, the Federal Reserve System (a group of extremely wealthy private banks that has never been publicly audited) is in control of our nations money, and makes decisions that will effect CD rates. To determine whether to invest in long term CD's with a slightly higher yield, or shorter term CD's offering slightly lower CD rates, it is advised that you keep abreast of Federal Reserve policy.

One of the most frequently asked questions that we receive is whether to invest in short term CD's or longer term CD's. While there is no exact answer that always is correct, we will try to shed some insight on that question. While longer term CD's offer a slightly higher rate of interest, that does not mean that one should always opt for the highest CD rates, and thus a longer term. The business cycle is almost as well known as the yearly weather cycle, which goes from summer to winter to summer to winter, etc. In like manner, the business cycle goes from times of expansion to times of contraction (also known as recessions) to expansion, to contraction. That is fact.

Interest rates also go through cycles. This applies to CD rates as well, as they are directly tied to the market interest rate environment. The best studies by economics professors have shown that interest rates follow a longer cycle that is tied to the cycle between hard assets (commodities) and paper assets (stocks, bonds, etc.). This cycle lasts on average 22.5 years from top to bottom.

According to this cycle, in recent decades interest rates dropped significantly from 1981 until 2004. Interest rates have risen slightly since then. If the history of this cycle is any indication (and we believe there is merit to it), you can look forward to interest rates rising and not reaching their peak until sometime around the year 2026.

While overall interest rates as well as CD rates will not go straight up during the next two decades, the trend will be up. It is therefore recommended that you invest in shorter term CD's (6 to 12 months) so that you can reinvest at a higher rate upon maturity. You certainly would not want to invest in a 10-year CD at 6% interest if in the ensuing 10 years CD rates go as high as 13%. Why be locked into a low CD rate when you could be receiving the current highest CD rate by simply choosing shorter maturities and riding the rising interest rate trend?

Other CD pages of interest:

Bank Highest CD Rates

 


 


CD rate pic

best CD rateCompare CD Rates

CD Rate Questions

CD Rate News

compare CD Rates Available



  cd rate image

cd rates
compare CD rate faq
compare CD rate investing
compare CD rate resources
user name:
password:
More information on CD Rates can be found at: The Federal Reserve National Bankers Association Open Directory Project
FAQ | Glossary |  Copyright © 2003 All Rights Reserved. Compare CD Rates