CD FAQs

What are Certificates of Deposit and how do they work?

A Certificate of Deposit (CD) is known as a time deposit. You are promising the bank that you will leave your funds on deposit with them for a certain period of time. Most banks give you a safekeeping receipt (the bank is keeping your CD safe in its vault) that shows you the details of your deposit such as the term, rate, etc. In the olden days, the bank would actually issue you an original certificate that you would present to redeem the CD and receive your funds back. Because you are promising to leave your funds on deposit and the bank can count on those funds, they pay a higher rate than they would for a savings account or money-market. Generally, the highest CD rates are offered on the longer term CDs. At the end of the term you can opt to “roll” your funds into another term or you can request that your funds be returned to you. A Certificate of Deposit can be redeemed early, but the penalty may be substantial. We only work with FDIC or NCUA insured institutions.

Is Jumbo CD Investments a bank?

No, we are not a bank. Some consider us CD (Certificate of Deposit) brokers. However, in reality we provide rate research and roadmaps for the placement process for CD investing. We call banks and credit unions across the country looking for the best and highest CD rates. We only work with federally insured banks (FDIC) and credit unions (NCUA). We provide you the information you need to open the CD at those institutions. You send them the funds and they send you a confirmation and the interest payments.

Why use Jumbo CD Investments?

We find the banks with the best CD rates. Compared to local CD rates, our CD rates are usually higher and we save you time. You can spend time searching for rates, calling to see if they are still good, acquiring wire instructions, sending applications, etc. — instead call us for the best CD rates and service. We have already made the calls. We know what each bank needs to open a CD and in most cases can open the CD for you or provide the letter you need. We then track your CD to maturity. If any problems occur during the term such as missing interest payments, we will do our best to correct the problem or put you in contact with someone at the bank who can. We will provide you a maturity reminder and help you receive your funds back, roll the CD, or move the funds to an institution paying a higher rate.

How do I open a CD?

With us it is as easy as 1-2-3 (IRAs usually have a 4-5-6).

1. You provide us your personal or corporate info (name, address,
   phone number, and social security number or tax identification number if
   the CD is for a corporation).
2. We handle the set up with the financial institution.
   Sometimes a letter is required from you, which our system can produce. And at times, an on-line process needs to be completed. No waiting on hold for days and no more Internet searches.
3. We give you the wiring or mailing instructions and you wire the funds direct to the bank. We don’t ever handle your funds.

   Our fees are billed in the month following the trade.

What is a Jumbo CD and how much money do I need to invest?

Jumbo CDs are usually opened in amounts of $90,000 to $100,000. This is our specialty. Because some banks offer a premium for opening a CD at $100,000 our highest rates may require that. Some banks have lower minimums. The lowest amount we work with is $50,000.00. Let us know how much you want to invest and we’ll let you know the highest rate we have.

Is my money insured?

The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) insures your money in
the case of a bank failure. Banks that have FDIC insurance are assigned a unique number. You can verify that a bank is insured by going to the FDIC’s web page or calling 877-ASKFDIC (877-275-3342).
Be aware that some banks have opened up an Internet bank under a different name, but the
insurance is still through the parent bank. Always verify the FDIC# and
bank that the insurance is through.

If your funds are with a credit union, the NCUA
(National Credit Union Administration) insures them in case of a credit
union failure. You can verify that your credit union is insured by going to CU Finder.

The NCUA follows the same insurance guidelines as the FDIC. Many
people don’t have funds with credit unions because you usually have to be in their vicinity to qualify for membership. However, a few have nationwide membership. This is usually accomplished by a small donation to a group that is in their field of membership.

Companies and organizations can have up to $250,000.00
(through 12/31/31) of insurance per institution.

Personal funds can have up to $1,000,000.00 if they open two single
tenant CDs for $250,000.00 and a joint tenant CD for $500,000.00.
[Through 12/31/31]

There are additional account types that can receive additional
insurance. Ask us and we can come up with a plan and give you the ins and outs. As of 4/1/2006, IRAs will be insured up to $250,000.00.

Are CD's a safe investment?

CDs that are federally insured by the FDIC or NCUA are safe investments. In addition, for the level of safety, they offer a very stable return.

CDs offered by offshore or non-insured banks may not be safe. You can lose money. They usually tempt you with high rates. However, you need to view an investment in an offshore or non-insured bank like an investment in the stock market. Ask yourself, is the return worth the risk? However, with federally insured CDs, as long as the combination of your principal and interest remain below the insurance limits, there is no risk of losing your investment. Federally insured CDs are probably the safest investment with the highest return.

Why are there fees to open a CD?

Jumbo CD Investments provides more than just a rate. We are a CD management service.

We call banks and credit unions all over the United States looking for the best CD rates.

In addition, we help the investor with the placement instructions. We also help with maturity reminders and negotiating roll rates so you don’t accidentally auto-roll at a low rate.
Finally, we help you during the term of your CD. We help solve any problems that may occur such as missing interest checks or statements. We are working to help you earn the most interest and to enjoy it. Many other sites choose to work for their advertisers instead. Our fee is a one-time 0.10% charge based on the amount and term. For example, $100,000 invested for 1-Year would be $100; for 2-Year it would be $200, etc.

Please call or email for specifics.

What is the difference between an APR and APY?

The APR is the Annual Percentage Rate or simple interest rate. It assumes the interest will be paid out on a monthly basis. The APY is the Annual Percentage Yield or compounded yield. It assumes the interest is invested back into the CD and then also earns interest. Not all banks will allow the interest to compound. Banks that do, will either compound daily, monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.

What is a laddered CD portfolio?

A laddered CD portfolio is an investment strategy that allows you to keep your funds in the safety of FDIC insured CDs and able to balance liquidity with a higher rate of return. Let’s say you have $500,000.00. If you put all of the money into 6 month returns you will earn about 2.84% APR. However, if you invest into a 6-month, a 1-year, a 2-year, a 3-year, and a 5-year, your rate of return will be about 3.178% APR.

Where are the highest Jumbo CD rates?

We don’t limit our rate searches to any certain area. The highest rates may be in Georgia one week and in Tennessee the next. Matter of fact, your bank next door may have the highest national CD rate, but they may not offer it to their local customers. A bank may have a short-term need and they don’t want to have the rates on their core deposits go up or give the expectation that they should be higher. Banks use deposit brokers to fill those needs without unnecessarily increasing their rate expenses. Because our CD rates are with FDIC and NCUA insured institutions, your funds are safe. If you wire the funds through the Fed wire system they are secure. Finally, we are just a call away, giving you peace of mind.

How do I send the funds?

The best way to send your funds is by secure Fed wire. The funds will be credited to your account the same day you wire and you will begin to earn interest. Some banks will accept checks if you prefer, but you will lose a day of interest for every day the check is in the mail. Furthermore, unless the rate is guaranteed until receipt, the interest rate could decrease.

What happens if you cash out a CD before maturity?

A Certificate of Deposit can be redeemed early, but the penalty may be substantial. The early withdrawal penalty (EWP) is determined by the institution accepting the deposit. Usually, the penalty will be in days.

We provide a CD Early Withdrawal Penalty Calculator that shows the effective net rate of after early withdrawal.

How are CD's taxed?

The interest you earn from CDs is considered taxable income by the IRS. The institution that holds your CD will send you a Form 1099-INT listing the interest income from the CD. This is true for banks and credit unions.