CD (Certificate of Deposit) Calculator
Calculate exactly how much your CD will be worth at maturity, including interest earned.
Are CDs Worth It in 2026?
Certificates of Deposit offer a guaranteed return with zero risk of principal loss — a rare combination in financial products. With FDIC insurance covering up to $250,000 per depositor per bank, CDs are one of the safest places to park money you need in 1-5 years.
The trade-off is liquidity. Unlike a savings account, you commit to leaving money in a CD for the full term. Early withdrawal penalties can erase weeks or months of interest, so CDs work best for money you won't need before maturity.
CD laddering is a popular strategy for balancing yield and access. Instead of putting all your money in one 5-year CD, you split it across 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year CDs. Each year, a CD matures and you reinvest at the current rate. This gives you annual liquidity while capturing longer-term rates.
For funds you might need sooner, high-yield savings accounts (HYSA) are a competitive alternative — often offering similar rates with full liquidity.