P
Pulsafi

What is a Certificate of Deposit (CD)?

Quick answer

A CD is a deposit that pays a fixed interest rate for a fixed term (3 months to 5 years). You can't access the money before maturity without paying a penalty (typically 3-12 months of interest). Best for money you don't need until a known future date. CDs are FDIC-insured.

More context

A CD is a deposit that pays a fixed interest rate for a fixed term (3 months to 5 years). You can't access the money before maturity without paying a penalty (typically 3-12 months of interest). Best for money you don't need until a known future date. CDs are FDIC-insured. 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.

Run your own numbers
Emergency Fund Calculator

Related questions

Where should I keep my emergency fund?Should I buy CDs or invest in stocks?

More about Savings

How much emergency fund do I need?Where should I keep my emergency fund?What's the difference between a HYSA and a money market account?