Certificates of deposit are investment vehicles that earn interest on a fixed sum of money over a set term

Certificates of deposit are low-risk savings tools that offer a stable way to grow your money over time

Unlike standard savings accounts, CDs require you to lock in a fixed deposit for a set term, earning higher interest rates in exchange for limited access to your funds.

Different CDs can have different term lengths, interest rates, and more

For instance, if a bank needs more deposits to fund loans, then it may offer high interest rates to attract deposits. Alternatively, a large bank with sufficient deposit reserves may have less incentive to grow its CD portfolio, offering lower rates as a result.

A certificate of deposit (CD) strategy guide

Popular CD investment strategies include the ladder, barbell, and bullet methods. These strategies can help you get the most out of investing in CDs.

CDs come with risks, such as penalties for early withdrawal and inflation

CDs are generally considered fairly safe investment options. A CD bought via a federally insured bank is insured up to $250K.

Use a CD rate calculator

This CD Rate Calculator allows you to determine your interest earnings and total savings balance at CD maturity. Enter your initial deposit, your interest rate, and your term length in months or years. Click here to use it.

Explore current CD interest rates

Data itself is not (exactly) a financial advisor, but it can help you decide between a variable or fixed rate CD, or CDs with different term lengths. A chart from the Federal Reserve shows the three-month trend of CD interest rates.

The concept of CDs dates back to the 1600s in Europe

Banks in the US started issuing CDs in the early 1800s as the banking system began to take shape following the Revolutionary War. The federal government did not formally insure CDs until the FDIC was formed in 1933.

Not all companies with bank-sounding names are actually FDIC-insured banks

When purchasing a certificate of deposit, it's important to know if you are purchasing a “deposit” product issued by an FDIC-insured bank.

Experts recommend keeping one to two months' worth of expenses in checking

That amount allows you to pay your bills and avoid overdraft fees while ensuring you don't lose interest. Most checking accounts have a near-zero interest rate (0.07% APY on average) while high-yield savings could earn up to 4% as of 2026. Cash sitting in your checking account can mean a loss of hundreds of dollars.

The CD whose rates change based on Villanova basketball games

Ardent Credit Union in Philadelphia tied the interest rates of one of its certificates of deposit to whether Villanova won or lost a basketball game. A win moved the rate to 4.25%, while a loss reduced it to 3.9%. Financial experts say its only beneficial for a narrow group

Zero-coupon bonds have no regular interest dates over the length of the loan

Instead, they pay all the interest at once when the bond hits its maturity date. These bonds aren’t the right investment for everyone, but they do carry some pros, like a lower initial investment cost.

Series I bonds are a form of government savings bonds created to shield your investments from inflation

Specifically, I bonds earn interest from both a fixed rate and an inflation rate. This article explains who might benefit from investing in I Bonds—for instance, people seeking to invest savings they do not need to access in the near future.

Securities is a term used to describe different types of investments

Not every type of investment qualifies as a security (like property or gold). Securities fall under four main categories (equity, debt, derivative, and hybrid) that serve different functions in the market.

Master the banking basics

Before deciding on a credit union, it’s important that you understand the basics. That way you can know exactly what’s happening with your hard-earned money behind the scenes. Flip through these flashcards to make sure you understand key terms like “deposit” and “checking account.” Then, you can read up on top banking products and start to find a credit union that works for you. Click here, then scroll down the page to find the cards.

Cash balance pension plans provide the option of a lifetime annuity

Specifically, these defined-benefit plans are retirement plans that differ from traditional pensions in that they can come in one lump sum rather than in monthly payments. These plans are most popular among small business owners and their employees. Learn more about them in this article.

Title loans are a type of short-term loan with high interest rates

Title loans allow borrowers to use their vehicle's title as collateral for a short-term loan. Similar to payday loans, title loans often have high interest rates and are mostly structured to last around 30 days. If title loans aren't repaid, the lender can take possession of the borrower's vehicle.

Compounding, explained

During conversations about personal finance, the term "compounding" gets thrown around—but not everyone understands how compound interest and compound returns work. Broadly speaking, compounding is what happens when you not only earn returns or interest on your original investment, but also on the accumulated returns or interest you receive over time. This article explains how both of these processes function, and what compounding could mean for your wallet.

There are monthly dividend ETFs that pay you to hold them

Traditional dividend stocks and funds pay out quarterly, or four times a year. A select group of stocks and funds pay out monthly, putting cash in investors’ hands 12 times a year. These monthly dividend funds are popular because their regular payouts can help keep budgets on track.

The two main types of life insurance are term and permanent

The biggest difference between the two is how long they cover the life of the insured person and how much they cost. This guide can help you learn more about term and permanent life insurance, plus their different variations, to choose the right policy for you.

An individual retirement account is a type of tax-advantaged investment account

An IRA lets individuals at most income levels invest either pre- or post-tax money for retirement. IRAs are often good solutions for people who don’t have the option to invest in a 401(k) plan—or for those who want to put even more money aside for retirement.

See an original Diner’s Club charge card

Before credit cards, there were charge cards from companies like Diner’s Club. While credit cards allow cardholders to carry a balance from month to month (potentially accruing interest), charge cards like Diner’s Club cards had to be paid off right away.

Retail investors cannot directly invest in private credit funds—but other financial vehicles can offer exposure to the industry

For example, as some US regulations have loosened in recent years, retail investors have begun to get exposure to the private credit market via ETFs that invest in publicly traded financial vehicles with private credit exposure, such as BDCs.

Stablecoins like USDC are backed by real assets including US Treasurys and cash

While Tether (USDT) is primarily backed by US Treasury bills (64.9%), USDC is mostly backed by US Treasury repurchase agreements (49.6%). USDC also goes by the name Circle, given that it is owned by the company Circle Internet Financial.

Long- and short-term capital gains have different tax implications

Short-term gains (assets held for one year or less) are taxed like regular income, at rates up to 37%. Meanwhile, long-term gains (assets held over a year) are capped at 20%, offering significant savings for high earners.

Futures contracts are agreements to buy or sell a standardized asset at a specific future time

When it comes to commodity trading, these legally binding agreements tend to operate on a monthly basis. Futures contracts are typically traded on futures exchanges, like those operated by CME Group and the Intercontinental Exchange.

Hedge funds, the private investment firms that trade a wide swath of financial assets, make money by imposing steep fees on investors and from the fund's investment performance.

Some coin denominations have ridges etched on their sides, partly to prevent counterfeiting, in a practice called 'reeding.'

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

Objects can be 3D printed with light by projecting 2D computerized tomography (CT) scans onto rotating cylinders of resin, which solidify upon exposure.

Despite being favored by 87% of Americans, Congress does not have term limits.

The first steps to rebuilding your credit score include getting to know exactly what's on your credit report and figuring out how far you are from the '700 club,' or 'good score' range.

Sony set the standard for cylinder-shaped batteries when it repurposed manufacturing equipment used to make rolls of magnetic recording tape.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' infrastructure report card gave the US a C in 2025, its highest grade since the project launched in 1998.

When you complete a CAPTCHA on a website to prove you are human, you may be unknowingly training algorithms for self-driving cars, whose systems require training data to help identify crosswalks, bicycles, and other outdoor objects.

Children are now three times more likely to say they want to be a YouTuber when they grow up than an astronaut, with some even attending 'YouTube camps' that teach kids how to create content for the platform.

Corals are themselves not coral reefs—the term refers to the tiny marine invertebrates that build the rigid reef.

About 12.5% of US adults experience a phobia in their lifetime, a diagnosis that hinges on the intense fear interfering with daily life and persisting for at least six months.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Meet the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence—most of whom didn't put pen to paper until August 2, 1776—and see their original signatures.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.

See a ranking of the best (and worst) Federal Reserve Chairs since 1914 out of the 16 men and women who have held the office since.

Sunflowers have long been a symbol of nuclear disarmament because they can extract large amounts of radioactive cesium from soil.

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

Watch a 1934 short film starring jazz legend Cab Calloway, a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance's music scene

Sears sold DIY house kits starting at $600 in its famous catalog from 1908 through the 1940s, resulting in roughly 10,000 'Sears and Roebuck houses' being built.

Explore what it's like inside a patient isolation unit, used in situations such as treating a patient or suspected patient with Ebola.

El Niño, Spanish for 'the boy,' was named after Jesus Christ because the phenomenon resembled the weather changes observed around Christmastime.

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

Prince's sexually explicit 1984 track 'Darling Nikki' attracted the ire of the Parents Music Resource Center, an advocacy group that inspired the Parental Advisory sticker, even though the song ends with a Christian message.