Updated July 18, 2024

Top No Penalty CD Rates for July 2024

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Want a CD but without the commitment or early withdrawal penalties? Try No-Penalty CDs. See who has the top rates today.

Top No-Penalty CD Rates:

Have a chunk of money you want to keep safe? A no-penalty CD might be your perfect solution to lock in attractive returns, while maintaining the freedom to access your funds when you need them.

Check out the best no-penalty CD rates and see whether this is the right investment for you.

How much do you want to deposit in a no penalty CD?

What is a No-Penalty CD?

A no-penalty certificate of deposit (CD) works like a regular CD where you keep a fixed amount of money for a fixed term in exchange for a fixed rate. Except, for no-penalty CDs, you can take out your money before maturity without worrying about paying early withdrawal penalties.

This gives you the flexibility to pivot your money when and where you need it to be. But, they are quite rare, so not all banks or credit unions may offer this option.

Can you withdraw a CD before maturity?
Technically, yes you can withdraw your CD before maturity but there may be penalties. If you get a no-penalty CD, you can withdraw early without fees. If you're really not sure what's best, you can also consider more flexible options like high-yield savings accounts.

How Much Does a No-Penalty CD Pay?

If you had $50,000 in a no-penalty CD with 5% APY, you would earn $2,500 in one year. To earn the most interest, you want to get the highest APY available on a no-penalty CD.

Here's a table to illustrate how much you can earn on a no-penalty CD with different APY and deposit amounts, in one year.

$10,000$25,000$50,000
0.00%$10,000$25,000$50,000
0.50%$10,050$25,125$50,250
1.00%$10,100$25,250$50,500
1.50%$10,150$25,375$50,750
2.00%$10,200$25,500$51,000
2.50%$10,250$25,625$51,250
3.00%$10,300$25,750$51,500
3.50%$10,350$25,875$51,750
4.00%$10,400$26,000$52,000
4.50%$10,450$26,125$52,250
5.00%$10,500$26,250$52,500
5.50%$10,550$26,375$52,750

Should You Get a No-Penalty CD or a Regular CD?

This depends on your financial goals and circumstances. The main question is: Do you need easy access to your money?

No-penalty CDs are suitable for those who might need access to their funds before the term ends. This could be for unexpected expenses, emergencies, and such.

It's also a good option if you want your funds to be on standby for better investment opportunities.

Regular CDs do not have this flexibility and will incur early withdrawal fees. But, you will have more rates and terms to choose from. And some might have better rates than no-penalty CDs in exchange for the commitment.

What is the highest paying CD rate right now?
Here are some of the top CD rates by term:
TermBank and Yield Rate
3 MonthQuontic: 3 Month CD - 5.50% APY
6 MonthGenerations Bank: 6-Month High-Yield CD - 5.18% APY
1 YearNexBank: 12-Month High-Yield CD - 5.15% APY
18 MonthAmerican First Credit Union: 18-Month High-Yield CD - 4.75% APY
2 YearAmerican First Credit Union: 24-Month High-Yield CD - 4.50% APY
3 YearQuontic: 36 Month CD - 4.40% APY
4 YearAlliant Credit Union: 48-Month CD - 4.00% APY
5 YearQuontic: 60 Month CD - 4.30% APY

How do you avoid a CD early withdrawal penalty?
Getting a no-penalty CD is a good option to avoid paying early withdrawal fees. Otherwise, building a CD ladder with short-term CDs might be helpful. But if you can keep your CD untouched until it matures, you can safely avoid paying penalties.

What's the Catch with No-Penalty CDs?

After opening your no-penalty CD, most banks won't allow you to withdraw your money a week or two. After this initial period, you can withdraw early with no charges.

Also, when you do withdraw your no-penalty CD, you usually have to take out the whole amount. Most banks do not allow partial withdrawals. But some might let you withdraw only your interest earnings.

Are no-penalty CDs safe?
Yes, your deposits in no-penalty CDs are federally insured for up to $250,000 by the FDIC or the NCUA. You can rest assured that your money is protected even if your bank or credit union fails.

Pros and Cons of a No-Penalty CD

Pros:

  • No early withdrawal penalties
    If you need your money before the end of the term, you can withdraw without penalties. This makes it a good option if you want a CD, but not the commitment.

  • More flexibility
    If APYs rise and you see another account with a higher rate, you can easily take out your money and invest it elsewhere. You don't need to miss out on better opportunities.

  • Secure and guaranteed returns
    Your deposits are federally insured for up to $250,000. Your rate is also fixed during the term so you don't have to worry about interest rates changing.

Cons:

  • Limited availability and term options
    Unfortunately, no-penalty CDs are not offered by all banks. And when they are available, you usually have limited options for term length.

  • No additional deposits and partial withdrawals
    Unlike savings accounts, you typically cannot add more deposits to your no-penalty CD once it's opened. You usually can't make partial withdrawals either.

How much do early withdrawal penalties cost?
Early withdrawal penalties can cost between 3 months to 1 year's worth of interest. The amount can differ between institutions, but the penalty amount usually depends on the CD's term. Most long-term CDs will have higher penalties.

How to Choose the Best No-Penalty CD

If you're set on getting a no-penalty CD, here are some questions you can ask yourself while looking for one:

What is the APY?
You want the highest rates to earn bigger returns. Usually, smaller online banks and credit unions will offer the best rates. So don't be afraid to look at these options (they're just as safe as big banks as long as they're a member of FDIC or NCUA).

What is the term?
You want to get a no-penalty CD with a term that fits your financial goals. Although you have the option to withdraw flexibly, you should still get a no-penalty CD that can benefit you during a specific timeline.

When can I withdraw?
Usually, you can withdraw your no-penalty CD a week or two after funding the account. But this is at the discretion of the bank or credit union.

Some may allow you to close your account six days after funding it[1]. It's best to check with your bank or credit union to confirm when you can withdraw your no-penalty CD.

What is the minimum deposit?
Some no-penalty CDs may have minimum opening requirements. This could range from as low as $1 to over $2,500. So, make sure to choose a no-penalty CD that fits your budget.

APYMinimum Deposit
Mission Valley Bank: 3-Month No-Penalty CD5.18%$1Learn More
Ponce Bank: 4-Month No Penalty CD5.17%$1Learn More
Technology Credit Union: 5-Month No Penalty CD5.15%$1Learn More
Blue Federal Credit Union: 9-Month No Penalty CD5.10%$1Learn More
Freedom Bank: 9-Month No-Penalty CD4.90%$1Learn More
Sallie Mae Bank: 14-Month No Penalty CD4.75%$1Learn More
SkyOne Federal Credit Union: 12-Month No-Penalty CD4.75%$1Learn More
Sallie Mae Bank: 10-Month No Penalty CD4.70%$1Learn More
Freedom Bank: 12-Month No-Penalty CD4.60%$1Learn More
GreenState Credit Union: 12-Month No Penalty CD4.60%$1Learn More
CIT Bank No Penalty CD3.50%$1,000Learn More
mph.bank: 6-Month No-Penalty CD3.00%$1Learn More

TIP: If stability is your goal, a Gold IRA could be your answer. Learn how adding gold to your portfolio can offer peace of mind.

Alternatives to No-Penalty CDs

Although no-penalty CDs are flexible, they may not be the best option for you. Here are other options you can consider:

High-yield savings accounts
An online high-yield savings account will let you add more deposits or withdraw money when you need to. But the rates are not fixed. Depending on market conditions, that could work in your favor, or not.

Compare Savings Account Offers

CD ladders
You can build a CD ladder with short-term CDs to address your liquidity needs. The CDs will mature in shorter intervals which gives you some flexibility with your funds. Some might also have better rates than no-penalty CDs.

Compare Short Term CD Rates:

High-yield checking accounts
High-yield checking accounts can offer decent rates and great perks if you meet certain criteria (like balance or monthly activity requirements). They are good to use for day-to-day spending.

Best high-yield checking accounts:

What the Experts Say

CreditDonkey asked a panel of industry experts to answer readers' most pressing questions. Here's what they said:

Bottom Line

No-penalty CDs might be a good alternative to regular CDs if you want to avoid early withdrawal penalties. But they are quite rare and may have limited term options.

When in doubt, step back and assess what will be a good investment for you. Ultimately, a no-penalty CD must play well with your financial goals.

References

  1. ^ eCFR. Truth in Savings (Regulation DD), Retrieved 10/25/2023

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Best CD Rates

March 27, 2017 - Reviews for Bank Reviews & Deals
Unearth the highest CD rates and maximize your savings. This list showcases the banks with the most lucrative rates.
How much do you want to deposit in a no penalty CD?
10% Under $5,000
7% $5,000 to $9,999
12% $10,000 to $24,999
10% $25,000 to $49,999
62% $50,000 or more
Source: CreditDonkey. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding.
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CreditDonkey is a bank comparison website. We publish data-driven analysis to help you save money & make savvy decisions.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

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*See the card issuer's online application for details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. However, all information is presented without warranty. When you click on the "Apply Now" button you can review the terms and conditions on the card issuer's website.

CreditDonkey does not know your individual circumstances and provides information for general educational purposes only. CreditDonkey is not a substitute for, and should not be used as, professional legal, credit or financial advice. You should consult your own professional advisors for such advice.

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