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Certificates of deposit (CDs) are a good choice for those in search of a low-risk earnings-generating savings product for cash you don’t need immediately. Based on Curinos data, CD rates have been relatively stable over the past week as the Federal Reserve paused its rate hike policy.

CD RATES TODAY
Term
Average APY
High rate
3-month CD
1.28%
5.39%
6-month CD
1.80%
5.40%
1-year CD
1.96%
5.37%
2-year CD
1.71%
5.12%
3-year CD
1.62%
4.75%
Source: Curinos. Data accurate as of June 13, 2024. Quoted rates are based on a $25,000 deposit.

Three-month CD rates

Rates on three-month CDs have seen no change since this time last week, remaining at 1.28% today.

Over the past month, rates on three-month CDs have climbed marginally.

The current national high for a three-month CD is 5.39%, which would earn more than $330 in interest with a $25,000 deposit.

Six-month CD rates

By choosing a top-rated six-month CD, you benefit from a winning mix of competitive interest rates and a short-term commitment.

The national average APY for six-month CDs is 1.80%, the same as last week and up from 1.79% one month ago.

The current top national rate for a 6-month CD is 5.40%, according to the data available from Curinos. Shopping around can help you find better deals.

With that rate, you’d earn almost $670 in interest if you deposited $25,000.

One-year CD rates

If you’re willing to lock away your savings for 12 months, you can grab even better rates. One-year CDs can give you returns as high as, or even higher than, longer-term options.

Rates on 12-month CDs are increasing. The national average APY is 1.96%, up one basis point from last week.

The current national high for a 12-month CD is 5.37%, which would earn around $1,340 in interest with a $25,000 deposit.

Two-year CD rates

Interest rates on CDs with longer terms have remained stable.

The nationwide average APY stands at 1.71%, the same as last week and a month ago.

The current national high for a 24-month CD is 5.12%. By locking in a rate close to this high, you’ll make the most of your returns on this longer-term investment.

If you invest $25,000 in a 24-month CD at the high rate of 5.12%, you’d earn around $2,630 in interest.

Three-year CD rates

The national average APY for a three-year CD stands at 1.62%, which is the same as last week and from a month ago.

The highest rate was 4.75%, which would net almost $3,731 in interest if you invested $25,000.

Methodology

To establish average certificate of deposit (CD) rates, Curinos focused on CDs intended for personal use. CDs that fall into specific categories are excluded, including promotional offers, relationship-based rates, private, youth, senior, student/minor, affinity, bump-up, no-penalty, callable, variable, step-up, auto transfer, club, gifts, grandfathered, internet-only and IRA CDs. The average CD rates quoted above are based on a $25,000 deposit.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Generally, the earnings you make from your CDs are considered taxable income by the IRS. If you earn $10 or more, the financial institution should send you (and the IRS) a yearly 1099-INT form reporting your interest earnings. Even if you don’t receive a form, you’re still required to report the income.

For earnings of at least $1,500, you’ll need to itemize your interest income sources on Schedule B of the 1040 form. The silver lining is that there are some exceptions, but they mainly apply to government-issued investment vehicles.

The tax amount you pay depends on your specific marginal tax bracket.

Interest income from treasury bills, notes, and bonds, like I bonds, is exempt from state and local income taxes.

CD rates change on a regular basis, but the higher the better. As of June 13, 2024, the national average interest rate for a 12-month CD sat at 1.96% APY, according to data from Curinos. But you can find plenty of banks advertising APYs well above this average, especially if you take a look at the top contenders in our ranking of the best CD rates.

A basis point is the term used to describe one hundredth of one percentage point. Therefore, if the yield on a CD increased from 1.50% to 1.60%, it increased by 10 basis points.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Taylor Tepper

BLUEPRINT

Taylor Tepper is the lead banking editor for USA TODAY Blueprint. Prior to that he was a senior writer at Forbes Advisor, Wirecutter, Bankrate and Money Magazine. He has also been published in the New York Times, NPR, Bloomberg and the Tampa Bay Times. His work has been recognized by his peers, winning a Loeb, Deadline Club and SABEW award. He has completed the education requirement from the University of Texas to qualify for a Certified Financial Planner certification, and earned a M.A. from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York where he focused on business reporting and was awarded the Frederic Wiegold Prize for Business Journalism. He earned his undergraduate degree from New York University, and married his college sweetheart with whom he raises three kids in Dripping Springs, TX.

Megan Horner

BLUEPRINT

Megan Horner is editorial director at USA TODAY Blueprint. She has over 10 years of experience in online publishing, mostly focused on credit cards and banking. Previously, she was the head of publishing at Finder.com where she led the team to publish personal finance content on credit cards, banking, loans, mortgages and more. Prior to that, she was an editor at Credit Karma. Megan has been featured in CreditCards.com, American Banker, Lifehacker and news broadcasts across the country. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and editing.