A high yield, a short lockdown term, and a low minimum deposit—what else can you ask for from one of the top CD rates in the market today? If you’re lucky enough to be eligible for a Florida State University Credit Union membership, apply for their 12-month CD. This account has one of the best CD rates in the country at 2.00% APY. Most CDs in this yield range take 15 months or more to mature.

The minimum deposit for this CD is average. You’ll also have to shell out $1000. For a short term CD, the yield is quite competitive. If you should decide to withdraw the funds earlier, you’ll have to pay 90 days’ worth of interest rates. That’s not really so bad, as long as you keep the money in the bank until the fund matures.

The credit union is also offering two more special certificates of deposit. One is a 30-month CD with earns 2.20% APY, and the other is a 5-month CD which earns 1.25% APY. Between the two specials, the shorter term CD seems more competitive. Details about the two CDs can be found on the bank’s main page.

Another interesting bonus for the 12-month and the 30-month CDs is the additional 0.25% interest rate added to the earnings if the account also holds a checking account with Booster Benefits, or Champion’s Choice Platinum Level, usually given to the university’s alumni. Just visit the credit union’s checking account page for qualifications.

As most credit unions go, only selected individuals may open accounts at the FCU. The full details are posted at the membership eligibility page of the credit union. To summarize, though, only graduates, employees, and students who reside or work within the areas of Jefferson, Liberty, Franklin, Gadsden, Bay Counties, and Wakulla, can benefit from these top CD rates.

You can also visit the credit union’s branches at Crawfordville and Tallahassee, Florida, if you want to speak to a banker in person. If you are eligible for membership, the fact that the credit union’s ratings is above average is good news. BauerFinancial.com gave the credit union 4 stars, while Bankrate.com rated it with 3 stars.

The credit union is a member of the NCUA (under NCUA Charter #67874) and is federally insured.

While the CD rates this week from Eastman Credit Union aren’t spectacularly impressive, they’re nonetheless competitive. The most attractive of the lot is the 3 to 4-year Investment CD. The yield, which is 2.50% APY, is certainly more competitive that the shorter termed Investment CD, which earns 1.75% APY for 1 to 2 years. The minimum deposits for both CDs are pretty friendly at $1000 each.

If you want a CD that doesn’t have a long lockdown term, though, you will have to settle for a lower yield, at 1.35% APY, and a higher minimum deposit, at $2500. The shortest term for this batch of top CD rates is 180 to 364 days. This is also a good deal if you think you can hold up on excessive shopping for about a year.   

Of course, it’s always advisable for you to check the credit union’s rate table before opening an account. CD rates tend to rise and fall without any warning, especially those which are offered to more than one state. While the credit union doesn’t cater to account holders nationwide, they do entertain applicants from certain parts of Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, and Texas.

You may want to check the credit union’s membership page to see if you are eligible. A branch visit is required to process your membership and to open an account. The main branches of this credit union can be found in Arkansas, as well as the eligible states we’ve mentioned earlier. For a pretty young credit union which was only established in 1993, the Eastman CU has impressive ratings.

According to the latest ratings from BauerFinancial.com and Bankrate.com, the credit union is one of the most stable among their peers. BauerFinancial.com gave the credit union a perfect rating with five out of five stars, while Bankrate.com gave them four out of five stars. The Eastman CU is insured by NCUA. You can verify this claim through NCUA Charter # 68095. The credit union presently has $2.33 billion worth of assets. 

The best way to look for stable CD rates is to ask for them from your own local banks and credit unions. Those that are being offered nationwide tend to fall within the week. The top CD rates of NMTW Credit Union is a different story, and probably this is because their 2.45% APY 33-day add-on CD and 1.25% 13-month add-on CD are only offered to those who work and live in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

It’s a happy day for those who are qualified to be members of the credit union. These add-on CDs only require a minimum deposit of $500. Aside from the attractive Certificate of Deposit rates, it also allows two withdrawals to be made within the CD term, so you won’t have to worry about early withdrawal penalties in case of emergencies. You just need to make sure that they really are emergencies.

Aside from the add-on CDs, the credit union also offers IRA CDs with similar, if not slightly higher rates. According to today’s rate table, the 33-month IRA CD earns 2.55% APY, while the 13-month IRA CD earns up to 1.35% APY. In both the add-on and the IRA CDs, the longer 33-term CDs are more competitive.

While these rates have remained steady as rocks since last week, it’s always best for you to check the credit union’s website first before going to the branch to open an account. In this economy, even the highest CD rates aren’t safe from sudden drops, anymore.

For the complete membership details, visit the credit union’s webpage. Generally, though, they accept anyone who studies, works, or lives in Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester (Massachusetts), as well as Hillsborough and Rockingham, New Hampshire. 

Just in case you’re concerned about the credit union’s stability, you shouldn’t be. According to the most recent ratings, they’re superior to most of their peers. Bankrate.com gave the credit union 3 out of five stars, while BauerFinancial.com gave them a perfect score with five stars. The credit union is insured by NCUA under Charter #66365.

While the CD rates aren’t exactly spectacular, the long term CDs offered at EEECU for Texas is pretty competitive. Their five- year (60 month) CD earns up to 2.75% APY, and their four-year (48 month) CD earns up to 2.35% APY. If these rates stay there for a long time, it’ll mean good news for the credit union’s members.

Of course, even the highest CD rates in the market tend to fall without warning, so it’s always advisable to check the website first for updates. You wouldn’t want to sign up for anything lower than that. The good news is, the CU is limiting this account’s availability to Texas. Local CD rates generally tend to be more stable than those which are offered nationwide.

These rates experienced a significant drop since last week, so it’s really wise for applicants to check for rate updates. According to the website, the minimum deposit requirement for this account is only $1000. The Jumbo rates aren’t as competitive, hiking up the yield by only 0.10% APY for both accounts. The minimum deposit accounts for the Jumbo CDs are also steep at $50,000.

The credit union opens its doors to any individual who works or lives in Parker, Johnson, Tarant, Hood, or Palo Pinto. To become a member, you have to open a savings account with them and maintain at least $5 in it. The credit union’s website has a list of the membership details. You may want to look at it first before visiting any of their local branches.

Branches of the credit union can be found in numerous cities in Texas as well as Arlington, Fort Worth, Saginaw, and Burleson. Just in case you’re worried about the falling rates and you think the CU might be a bit unstable, it’s time to shake off your doubts.

They actually scored quite well in terms of financial health and stability. BauerFinancial.com gave the credit union a perfect five out of five stars for this category, while Bankrate.com gave them a rate four out of five rating. EECU is insured under NCUA Charter # 67928. Presently, they hold $1.09 billion worth of assets.    

There are two ways to look at CD rates—their lockdown terms, and their yields. In these two categories, the 1.70% APY 12-month CD offered at RTN Federal Credit Union certainly fit the bill. Not only is it one of the best CD rates today, it’s also the highest yielding in its bracket. Most high CD rates have long lockdown terms—some of them even lasting for five years. With a 1 year CD like this one, how can you go wrong?

Probably the only downside is the high minimum deposit. To open this account, you need to deposit at least $50. The credit union also has a CD which requires only $1,000 to open, but the yield here falls to 1.20% APY which is not as competitive. IRA counterparts of the CD are also available, and the CU posted their rates for these accounts on their website, if you’re interested.

It’s true that last May, this rate was much more attractive. The account earned 2% APY. Unfortunately, that high yield only lasted for a few weeks. Now, it’s down to 1.76%, which is, ironically enough, one of the top CD rates this season for a 1-year term. There’s a strong possibility that this rate won’t last, either, so you should check the website first before opening an account. Also, because it’s a credit union, only select individuals are eligible for the account.

Aside from the CU’s CD rates, check out their membership requirements as well. These are also listed on the website. Employees of specific companies and members of certain organizations are currently supported by this credit union. Among the most notable organizations are the Waltham Historical Society, and the Gore Place Society. As with the current CD rates, the membership eligibility can change any time. You should check with the credit union first if your organizations or companies are still listed.

If you live in Massachusetts, it’s best for you to pay one of the CU branches a visit. Make sure that you bring official ID (photo and social security) with the documents proving your eligibility for the program. If you’re sending your application documents through mail, you have to have your signature notarized and your documents properly appended.

The RTN Federal Credit Union was first established in 1987 to cater to Raytheon employees. This explains why most of their branches are located inside the company’s facilities. Today, though, the CU has branches located at Marlborough, Waltham, Tekksbury, Danvers, and Amesbury. Their health ratings seem to be mixed. While Bankrate.com only gave them three stars out of five, they received a perfect five out of five from BauerFinancial.com.

RTN Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA. If you want to verify this information, just look for the NCUA Charter #24311. 

If you’re looking for impressive CD rates, the ones offered by Hudson Valley Credit Union might not strike you as breath taking. After all, there are better offers from nationwide CD accounts. However, if you’re from New York, and you’re looking for a Certificate of Deposit rate which won’t wall in a few days time, these CDs are decent enough.

The top yield is pretty high at 3.00% APY, but the lockdown period is not exactly convenient. Sixty months is a long time to wait for maturation. However, given that these rates could fall in the next few years, a long-term investment might not be a bad idea. The minimum balance requirement for all CD deals is also low. Each CD deal only requires you to deposit $500 to open. The lower tiers are listed below:

• 2.35% APY for a 36 – 47 month CD
• 1.15% APY for a 6 – 11 month CD
• 1.95% APY for a 24 – 35 month CD
• 1.45% APY for a 12 to 17 month CD

These were the same rates posted a week ago. If you consider how stable the rates are compared to other competing CD rates, these might just be the best CD rates you’ll find in New York. Apparently, these top CD rates are also not available nationwide. Only those who are working, living, studying or worshiping in Ulster, Orange, Putnam County and Dutchess New York are eligible for the account.

With CD lockdown terms this long, you need to make yourself familiar with the credit union’s early withdrawal penalties. They’re pretty average, which means that they’re not that lenient but neither are they too steep.

For terms of 11 months or less, you have to pay 30 days’ worth of interest; for terms of 12 months and below 23 months, you have to pay 60 days’ worth of interest; for terms between 24 months and 36 months, you have to pay 90 days’ worth of interest, and for terms 36 months or longer, you need to pay 120 days’ worth of interest.

More details about the membership are available on the bank’s website. You’re also required to maintain $5 in your savings account before you’re allowed to open this CD. The branches of this credit union can be found in numerous New York City towns, so applications in person should be easy. These towns include Arlington, Beacon, Brewster, Carmel, Fishkill, Hopewell Junction, Hyde Park, Kingston, Middletown, New Windsor and more.

If you’re worried about the bank’s health, don’t be. They have a pretty impressive rating from users. Bankrate.com gave the Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union three stars out of five, but BauerFinancial.com gave them five out of five. The credit union holds 2.8 billion assets and is federally insured under NCUA Charter #15802.

Mobiloil Credit Union’s in East Texas is offering competitive CD rates. These top CD rates are attractive in their own right, but the most eye-catching is probably the 5-year CD. This can earn as much as 3.30% APY and is quite the dealmaker with only $1,000 minimum deposit. If you have that much spare funds, this account is a money in the bank deal.

The shorter termed CDs in the same batch are also quite interesting, although their rates aren’t as impressive. According to the bank’s rate table, the 4 year CD fetches 2.78% while the 3 year CD earns as much as 2.32% APY. These aren’t bad deals, considering that they also have low minimum deposit requirements. You also need to deposit only $1000 to open these accounts.

Since it’s a credit union, it’s normal for anyone to think these certificate of deposit rates are only for Mobiloil employees. Apparently, the CDs are being offered to a wider scope of applicants. You are eligible to open an account if you are working, living, or worshiping in Orange, Jasper, Jefferson, Hardin, or Newton, Texas. This is largely because Mobiloil Credit Union is now has charters for the community.
Just make sure that you check their rate table frequently. The highest CD rates are always notorious for rising and falling without any warnings. Just last week, these rates were 0.10% higher. The rates have dropped, but fortunately, they’re still competitive among peers.

You have to visit a branch before you can open an account. Make sure that you bring a photo ID and a social security ID, as well as documents proving that you are eligible for the account. Branches of the credit union are located in East Texas, particularly in Jasper, Beaumont, and Nederland.
The credit union’s health ratings are also pretty strong. They earned five out of five stars from BauerFinancial.com and three stars from Bankrate.com. The bank is also insured under Charter #491 by the NCUA.

Competitive short term CD rates are rare, and this 1.35% APY 364-day CD from Eastman Credit Union is definitely one of the jewels in the crag. The other CD rates from the CU are also attractive, but they’re not as competitive. For a CD that runs three to four years, you earn 2.50%.

On the other hand, a CD that runs 1 to 3 years can earn you 1.75% APY. For the length of time you’ll have to lock your money in the bank, though, you’ll wonder if the latter two CDs are worth it. For 1- to 4-year CDs, the minimum deposit is only $1,000. You may have to shell out more money with the shorter term CD, though. Eastman CU’s 364-day CD has a minimum deposit requirement of $2500.

The clincher, though, is that these accounts aren’t available nationwide. You’re only eligible to open these CDs if you live, study or work in the northeastern areas of Tennessee. Those who live, work, or study in southwest Virginia, and the Gregg and Harrison Counties an Texas are also allowed to open these accounts.

Just in case you want to take your chances, you can also check the credit union’s Employer Groups. If you’re employed in any of these companies, you’re also allowed to open a CD. Branch visits are required to open an account, and you can find these branches in Texas, Virginia, South Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Check the bank’s webpage first before you apply. While these may appear to be among the highest CD rates in the market this month, things can change. These CD rates can fall without any warning.

If you’re worried about your money, you can rest assured that the bank ratings are pretty high. They received five stars from BauerFinancial and four stars from Bankrate.com. These consistently high ratings for soundness and safety are rare these days. It’s a pretty stable credit union with $2.33 billion worth of assets. It’s also federally insured by NCUA under Charter # 68095.

Are you ready to put your money in the bank for five whole years? If you are, then you might want to check out the top CD rates of Chaffey Federal Credit Union in California. While the account is only offered locally, it remains one of the most competitive CD rates today.

For the five-year CESA CD, you can earn as much as 3.55% APY. The yield gets smaller for shorter CDs, but they’re almost as attractive. The 3-year- CESA CD earns 2.55% APY, the 5-year regular CD earns 3.49% APY, and the 3-year regular CD earns 2.42% APY.

Both regular CDs require $10,000 minimum deposit, while the CESA CDs require only $2,000. You might want to check the bank’s website once in a while for updates, though, because these rates tend to fluctuate. They can be competitive today, and pretty low tomorrow. Taking advantage of the high rates now is a smart move.

Another clincher is that you need to be an employee, a student, or a parent of a student in the credit union’s school system before you can qualify for an account. A $10 opening fee is also necessary, as well as a minimum balance of $5 deposited to a separate, regular savings account. You might want to call the bank first before you submit your application because there are requirements which aren’t stated online.

Because these CDs are only available to a select number of people, you will also need to make a personal appearance at one of the bank’s branches to complete the application. You can find branches of the Chaffey FCU installed in several cities in California including Walnut, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and La Puente. While the requirements seem stringent, they remain the highest CD rates in the market this month.

So far, the bank has been getting mixed feedbacks from reviewers. It earned four stars from BauerFinancial, and a mysterious 2 stars from Bankrate.com. The bank is insured with the NCUA under Charter # 16030.

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.

If you’re looking for a competitive tiered CD plan and you happen to live in Texas, you should look into the Security Service Federal Credit Union lineup of money in the bank deals. The top tier is competitive with yields of up to 2.00% APY for deposits of $100,000 and up. The lower tiers also have some of the best CD rates in the market:

• 1.95% APY for deposits between $50,000 and $100,000
• 1.90% APY for deposits between $25,000 and $50,000
• 1.85% APY for deposits between $500 and $25,000

The CD rates might change within the week, though. There was no promotion period mentioned by the credit union. For your assurance, you should check out the credit union’s rates page.

The credit union also has two other CD promotions, but they’re not really included among the top CD rates in the market today. Other banks outside of Texas could offer better Certificate of Deposit rates, considering the period these CDs cover. The top tier of the 24-month CD included in this promo yields a mere 2.04% APY, while the yield for the 36-month CD is only 2.55% APY.

The other sad news is that these special CDs are only offered to residents of select counties in Texas. If you are a member of one of the credit union’s sponsor groups, you may also be eligible for this special CD. The credit union’s membership page contains a list of all eligible counties and sponsor groups. You should prepare $5 if you’re interested in becoming a member.

For those who don’t know, the branches of the Security Service FCU are scattered throughout Texas, including the cities of McAllen, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and San Antonio. Colorado cities which have branches of the FCU include Aurora, Pueblo, Fountain, Colorado Springs, and Denver.

If you’re eligible for the CD and you have enough funds, you would want to take advantage of the credit union’s above average standing. For safety and stability, the FCU got a 4-star rating from BauerFinancial (excellent) and a 3-star rating from Bankrate.com (performing). The union has about $5.2 million worth of assets, and is federally insured by NCUA under NCUA Charter #11065.

Dupaco Community Credit Union announced that it will be offering three special CD rates for a minimum deposit of $5000. They are:

• 2.77% APY for the 35-month CD
• 2.46% APY for the 27-month CD
• 1.96% APY for the 15-month CD

The credit union did not give a specific period for these rates, however, so it’s best for you to check their rate table just the same. You might want to compare these rates with other top CD rates online.

If you’ve been reading up on the credit union’s rates, you might have come across their top-yielding savings account rates. For those who managed to get this account, you can get the top yield of 2.68% APY if you maintained a balance of at least $200,000. Unfortunately, new accounts can no longer be opened.

Still, it’s good to know that the Investor’s Choice MMA is still available. This yields up to 1.92% APY as long as you maintain a balance of $100,000. The lower tiers are less impressive, and this will benefit mostly big depositors who can maintain the top tier. Still, it’s one of the most impressive money market rates in the market. A yield reaching close to 2% for a money market account is very rare, these days.

As tempting as these offers might be, they’re limited to residents of the twenty-eight counties of Illinois, Iowa and Manchester. You may want to visit the credit union’s membership page to look at the specific requirements. You should prepare a $25 membership fee before visiting any of the credit union’s branches.

The credit union did pretty well in terms of security and safety, earning an impressive 5 stars from BauerFinancial (superior) and 3 stars from Bankrate.com (performing). It also earned 3 out of 5 stars in DepositAccounts.com for health. The credit union is insured federally with NCUA under NCUA Charter #64049.

Atlanta Postal Credit Union continues to push for their short term top cd rates. Some of the most attractive cd rates are given to the 6-month CD at 1.75% APY and the 12-month CD at 2.00% APY. We list down the current certificate of deposit rates offered by this credit union:

60 months 3.25% APY
48 months 3.00% APY
36 months 2.75% APY
30 months 2.50% APY
24 months 2.25% APY
12 months 2.00% APY
6 months 1.75% APY
91 days 1.50% APY

You can open these certificate of deposit deals with a minimum funding of $500. These CDs are also available as an IRA certificates for terms of at least 12 months and longer. IRAs require a minimum deposit of $2,000. The interest rates above are still posted on the website as of April 25 but they can be changed any time so it will be wise to check for the latest APYs.

New interest rates of the certificates are often in effect on Thursdays though they can be changed any time while the IRA figures can be altered any time.

Looking at the trend of the interest rates for these certificates of deposit, the short term deals dropped a notch by 25 through 50 basis points. Those with longer terms were pretty steady in the past few months.

Membership for the Atlanta Postal Credit Union is open for the residents of Bibb County that is in Georgia. There are also select employee groups which can help you get in. Aside from active and retired Postal Service personnel, there are other employee groups which can help individuals sign up. Federal employees who are retired or active and reside and work in most 312 and 310 zip codes of Georgia are qualified to join. The credit union requires a deposit of at least $25 into a share savings account.

The Atlanta Postal Credit Union was established in 1925. It is a big organization with about $2.06 billion in assets and about $1.63 billion in deposits.

The financial ratings of the credit union are pretty strong. Bankrate.com issued 4 stars for its very good performance while BauerFinancial stamped their report with 5 stars for soundness and safety. These were based on their September and December 2009 collected data, respectively.

Atlanta Postal Credit Union is covered by the NCUA with charter number 67389.

Melrose Credit Union continues to offer their highest cd rates for their midterm to long-term certificates of deposit. The current interest rates as of February 8 are the following:

1 year 1.81% APY
2 years 2.07% APY
3 years 2.57% APY
4 years 2.83% APY
5 years 3.39% APY

The top cd rates can be enjoyed if you open an account with an initial deposit of at least $5,000.

The credit union also offers IRA Certificates with the following interest rates:

1 year 2.07% APY
2 years 2.32% APY
3 years 2.83% APY
4 years 3.09% APY
5 years 3.65% APY

You can purchase an IRA certificate for $4,000.

All share certificates may incur early withdrawal penalties. New CDs and renewed certificates compound their dividends on a quarterly basis.

The certificate of deposit rates are in effect as soon as the credit union receives your initial funding. You can apply online but some readers have reported that they were asked still to mail some documents to complete the process.

One good way to expedite the process is sign up for membership and then get the funds of your CD from your share savings account. One friend shared that he was able to open and fund the cd at the same day by going to a local credit union service center.

Melrose Credit Union practically accepts everyone who wants to join because it has an open charter. By the way, one of our readers warned us that the credit union did a hard credit pull when he opened an account.

Melrose Credit Union has excellent ratings from BauerFinancial and bankrate.com. Both issued 5 stars for performance, soundness, and safety based on their June 2009 data.

Northwest Federal Credit Union offers consumers their best cd rates for their midterm and long-term certificate of deposits. The most competitive interest rates are offered for their 2-year CD earning 2.12% APY and 5-year CD with 3.25% APY. These require a minimum funding of $2,500 and have a cap of $25,000.

The other money in the bank deals has the following interest rates:

Term           $500 to $2,499     $2,500 to $24,999     $25,000 to $99K
6 months             n/a                   1.21% APY                   1.31% APY
1 year                 1.42% APY          1.47% APY                   1.52% APY
2 years               2.07% APY          2.12% APY                   2.17% APY
3 years               2.43% APY          2.53% APY                   2.58% APY
4 years               2.69% APY          2.79% APY                   2.84% APY
5 years               3.15% APY          3.25% APY                   3.30% APY

These cd interest rates are posted as of February 8 but may change any time. It will be best to visit their website or call the bank for the latest figures.

The credit union is still offering the add-on certificates of deposit. The 1 year add-on CD requires a minimum opening balance requirement of $500 and has a current interest rate of 1.52% APY. The 2-year add-on certificate has a 2.17% APY and also requires $500.

Details about the CD

Upon application for the certificate of deposit, you can fund your account via ACH when you apply online. You can also wire money to your share savings deposit and contact the credit union to open a CD for you. They also have shared branches which can accept your deposits.

The bank imposes early withdrawal penalties amounting to all dividends withdrawn for CD with terms of 6 months or less. CDs with six months or longer maturity dates, the penalty is at least equal to 180 days or less of earnings or all of the dividends of the amount withdrawn. They may also ask you to close the certificate in case you take out an amount and the balance falls below the minimum required of the certificate.

The credit union gives a 10-day grace period upon the maturity of the account. You can call the credit union and instruct them to roll over the funds to the existing cd, deposit the proceeds to a liquid account, or send the earnings to you as check.

Membership

Membership to the Northwest Federal Credit Union is basically via select employee groups. The credit union also accepts members from the American Consumer Council. The ACC does not collect any membership fee when you sign up. When you sign up for Northwest you can opt to join the ACC. The Northwest FCU requires a membership fee of $5. You can also use the website to open accounts like certificates of deposit.

The credit union has offices spread across Virginia. These branches are strategically located in Manassas, Herndon, Vienna, and Chantilly. The shared branches can also help you out with withdrawals, deposits, and other transactions with Northwest FCU.

Northwest Federal Credit Union is covered by the NCUA under the charter number 5500. This credit union is a large organization with assets amounting to about $1.7 billion and close to 100,000 members.

Alliant Credit Union is still pushing for competitive money in the bank deals through their certificate of deposit programs. The current interest rates are as follows:

12 – 17 months up to $25,000 2.00% APY
36 – 47 months up to $25,000 2.50% APY
48 – 60 months up to $25,000 3.00% APY

The top cd rates will be 10 basis points higher if you put in more than $25,000 into your certificate of deposit account. These highest cd rates are also available as Traditiona, Roth, and SEP IRA. Minimum balance to open an account is $1,000.

Interested consumers can enjoy the best cd rates by opening an account online, visiting a branch, or by opening an account over the phone. You need to be a member of the credit union with at least a $5 balance in your savings account to be eligible to open the CD. IRA accounts cannot be opened online.

The cd rates will be locked when you open the account. You can fund the account via ACH or transfer money through wire from your external account. You can also send a check via FedEx if you want to send your money overnight. You can find the address and routing number of the credit union on their website.

Interest rates are compounded on a monthly basis. Account holders can opt to withdraw the dividends of the CD without getting any penalty. You have to take note though that partial withdrawals are not allowed. The credit union gives you a 10-day grace period upon maturity of the CD.

You can have a joint owner or elect a beneficiary when you open an Alliant certificate of deposit.

Membership

The Alliant Credit Union welcomes members of the national and local PTA. The National PTA collects $25 for a membership fee. Your local PTA may cost less when you sign up.

Some of our readers have reported that the credit union did a hard credit inquiry when they signed up.

About the Credit Union

Alliant Credit Union has received commendations for their excellent customer service. Their CSRs answer the phone quickly and provide very helpful information. They are ready to answer your questions 24×7.

The credit union has offices in Elk Grove Township, Des Plaines, and Chicago, Illinois. They also have branches in Virginia, California, and Colorado.

Based on the June 2009 data of BauerFinancial, Alliant Credit Union is rated 5 stars for excellent performance. Bankrate.com however gives a 3 star rating for its soundness and safety. It is a large organization with about $6.13 billion in assets.

Alliant Credit Union is covered by the NCUA under charter number 67955.

The Island Federal Credit . Union offers their best certificate of deposit rates for New York. The top cd rates they are pushing for are very competitive at 2.40% APY for an 11-month term, 2.55% APY for a 24-month program, and 2.65% APY for an 18-month deal. They are also available as Education, Roth, or Traditional certificate of deposit.

Interested members can take advantage of these current cd rates for an initial funding of $1000. According to their customer service line, these rates may change any time.

Individuals who work, study, or reside in Suffolk or Nassau Counties are eligible to join the union. Shelter, Southampton, and East Hampton are not included in this offer. The FCU requires a $5 deposit to a regular savings account.

Island FCU has offices in Hicksville, Sayville, and Hauppauge in New York.

The credit union has a very history of solid performance. Using their March 2009 data, Bankrate.com and BauerFinancial issued 4 stars and 5 stars, respectively.

Island FCU is covered by the NCUA through charter number 10023.

The Eastman Credit Union . offers their best cd rates for the states of Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Tennessee. Some of the top rates they are pushing for are 3.10% APY (36 months), 2.75% APY (24 months), and 2.50% APY (12 months). Interested individuals can open the account for as low as $1000.

You can also get 10 basis points higher than the current interest rates by opening Jumbo Certificates of Deposit which require a minimum funding of $100K.

The credit union may change the rates any time so it will be wise to visit their website or call their office to have an update before signing up for anything. The rates that we have here though are a nice jump from the rates Eastman offered last month.

Membership to the credit union is open to residents, students, and workers from some counties in northeast Tennessee. They also welcome memberships from Harrison and Greg Counties in Texas, and several counties in the southwestern part of Virginia. Sign-ups can also be qualified through select groups of employers.

Eastman Credit Union has offices in TN, TX, SC, VA, and AR. BauerFinancial issued 5 stars while bankrate.com gave 3 stars when they reviewed the union’s performances using their March 2009 data.

The credit union reports a member base of about 110,000 and assets amounting to $2.1 billion. It is registered with the NCUA and covered under its charter number 68095.

The Workers Credit Union continues to give competitive interest rates for their certificate of deposit deals in NH and MA. The regular CD requires a $500 initial deposit while the IRA needs $1000 of funding to start.

The current interest rates are 2.50% APY for their 25-month CD, 2.10% APY for the 9-month CD, and 1.60% APY for a 4-month term.

Residents and people who work in Massachusetts or New Hampshire are eligible to join the credit union. They require a deposit of at least $25 into a share savings account.

The Workers Credit Union is listed with the NCUA under their charter number 66479.

If you are from Texas, you have good local certificate of deposit deals with the Neighborhood Credit Union . The best cd rates they offer are those with longer terms. A 60-month deal will earn your money 4.00% APY.

They also have mid-term certificate of deposits that have very competitive cd rates like their 12-month and 18-month CD at 2.00% APY. The union is also offering this top cd rate for their special 12- and 19-month certificates of deposits which also earn 2.00% APY.

Interested individuals can enjoy these best interest rates for an initial deposit of $2,500 for regular CDs. There are also Jumbo CDs which require a minimum deposit of $50K to enjoy interest rates which are 10 to 15 basis points higher. The CD are also offered as IRAs.

Youngsters who are 12 to 17 years old who want to start early can also invest in special certificates of deposit called Smart CD. Kids can open this with a $100 deposit and enjoy a ceiling interest rate of 10.00% APY for a max deposit of $1000.

Neighborhood Credit Union also invites members to take advantage of the flex scheme with a 12-month CD offering that earns 0.85% APY which only requires $500 to open. This allows additional deposits.

The interest rates may change any time. It will be wise to ask the union of any changes to the rates, and other factors which may affect your earnings.

Bankrate.com issued 4 stars while BauerFinancial gave 3 stars when they reviewed the credit union’s performance using their March 2009 data.

Neighborhood Credit Union is registered with the NCUA and covered under charter number 67681.