Should I buy CDs or invest in stocks?
Different goals. CDs (currently 4-5% APY) are for money you need in 1-5 years and can't risk. Stocks (10% historical average) are for money you don't need for 10+ years. For a down payment in 3 years: CDs. For retirement in 25 years: stocks. Both at the same time is fine.
More context
Different goals. CDs (currently 4-5% APY) are for money you need in 1-5 years and can't risk. Stocks (10% historical average) are for money you don't need for 10+ years. For a down payment in 3 years: CDs. For retirement in 25 years: stocks. Both at the same time is fine. The exact answer depends on your specific situation — the numbers above are a strong starting point, but the right next step is to plug in your actual figures.
For a deeper analysis, use one of the related tools below — they take your specific income, debt, location, and goals as inputs and produce a tailored answer.