Southeast Financial Credit Union is still offering its 24-month low penalty CD with one of the best yields in the market at 2.00% APY. While other banks may offer higher yields under the same timeframe, it is very rare for minimal early withdrawal fees to be added into the bag.

According to the credit union’s rate table, withdrawing funds in six months or more before the date of maturity obliges you to pay the accumulated interests of no more than 60 days. That’s not so bad considering the high penalty fees included in other high-yielding CD rates.

While this is not one of the highest CD rates online, either, the membership requirements seem easy enough to meet. All you have to do is make a $5 donation to the Autism Society of Middle Tennessee by calling up their membership services center at 800.521.9653.

You can also check their Who-Can-Join webpage to see if you belong to any of their Select Employer Groups. Employment with any of these groups also qualifies you to open an account.

Prepare a copy of your driver’s license because you will need this for your application to be processed. Should you live outside of the state, just mail your application process, a copy of your license, and the $5 donation and you’re good to go. A minimum deposit of $5 is also needed to open an account.

Note also that the credit union isn’t locking in the rate until they receive your application papers. Just to be on the safe side, apply as soon as you can because even the best CD rates in the market are dropping. These Certificate of Deposit Rates may change any time, so check the credit union’s rate page frequently.

As of the last update, the lower-tier yields are:

• 1.80% APY for 18 months
• 1.65% APY for 12 months
• 1.40% APY for 6 months
• 1.00% APY for 90 days

While these are still one of the top CD rates considering the maturity periods, other banks can give you better yields, but not for as short as 90 days. This is a good deal if you think you can keep your money in the bank for at least three months. The 90-day maturity period is also not offered n IRAs.

The credit union has branches in the select cities of Texas, Kentucky, and Mississippi. The ratings of the bank are pretty solid. They received 4 stars from BauerFinancial and 3 stars from Bankrate.com. They’re also federally insured by NCUA under NCUA Charter #68599.