Right here’s my month-to-month survey of the very best rates of interest on money as of March 2026, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love benefiting from idle money, and you’ll usually earn extra curiosity whereas protecting the identical stage of security by shifting to a different FDIC-insured financial institution or NCUA-insured credit score union. Try my *mounted!* Final Fee-Chaser Calculator to see how a lot additional curiosity you may earn from switching. Charges listed can be found to everybody nationwide. Charges checked as of three/8/26.
TL;DR: Financial savings account rates of interest dropped barely on common total. You possibly can nonetheless get 4.6% if you happen to settle for sure hoops/restrictions, however most are beneath 4% now. Quick-term T-Invoice charges have been flat at ~3.6%. High 5-year CD charges are ~4% APY, whereas 5-year Treasury fee is ~3.7%.
Excessive-yield financial savings accounts*
For the reason that enormous megabanks nonetheless pay basically zero curiosity, everybody ought to no less than have a separate, no-fee on-line financial savings account to piggy-back onto your current checking account. The rates of interest on financial savings accounts can drop at any time, so I record the highest charges in addition to aggressive charges from banks with a historical past of aggressive charges and strong consumer expertise. Some banks will bait you with a brief high fee after which decrease the charges within the hopes that you’re too lazy to depart.
- The highest saving fee in the intervening time: Pibank at 4.60% APY (no min), however they’ve some bizarre restrictions; like you may solely use wire/Plaid to deposit and wire transfers to withdraw funds?! CineFi (no min) dropped a bit to 4.25% APY, a division of First Leisure Credit score Union. OnPath FCU additionally dropped to 4.25% APY with $25,000 minimal stability. CIT Platinum Financial savings held at 3.75% APY with $5,000+ stability. There are numerous banks in between.
- SoFi Financial institution is at 3.30% APY (new prospects can stand up to 4.00% APY for six months + $325 bonus with qualifying direct deposit. You could preserve a direct deposit of any quantity (even $1) every month for the upper ongoing APY. SoFi has traditionally aggressive charges and full banking options.
- Here’s a restricted survey of high-yield financial savings accounts. They aren’t the highest charges, however a gaggle which have traditionally stored it comparatively aggressive such that I like to trace their historical past. This month they begin at 3.30% APY on up.
Quick-term assured charges (1 yr and beneath)
A typical query is what to do with a giant pile of money that you simply’re ready to deploy shortly (plan to purchase a home quickly, simply bought your own home, simply bought your online business, authorized settlement, inheritance). My standard recommendation is to maintain issues easy and take your time. If not a financial savings account, then put it in a versatile short-term CD beneath the FDIC limits till you’ve got a plan.
- No Penalty CDs provide a set rate of interest that may by no means go down, however you may nonetheless take out your cash (as soon as) with none charges if you wish to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 13-month No Penalty CD at 3.95% APY ($500 minimal deposit). Farmer’s Insurance coverage FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY ($1,000 minimal deposit). USALLIANCE Monetary CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.90% APY ($500 minimal deposit). CIT Financial institution has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.75% APY ($1,000 minimal deposit).
- USALLIANCE Monetary CU has a 12-month CD at 4.05% APY ($500 minimal deposit). Early withdrawal penalty is 180 days of curiosity.
- Farmer’s Insurance coverage FCU has a 12-month CD at 4.00% APY with new cash required. $1,000 minimal to open. Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of curiosity.
Cash market mutual funds
Many brokerage corporations that pay out little or no curiosity on their default money sweep funds (and maintain the distinction for themselves). Be aware: Cash market mutual funds are highly-regulated, however finally not FDIC-insured, so I’d nonetheless keep on with extremely respected corporations.
- Vanguard Federal Cash Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep possibility for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has a 7-day SEC yield of 3.59% (modifications each day, but in addition works out to a compound yield of three.65%, which is healthier for evaluating towards APY). Odds are that is a lot increased than your individual dealer’s default money sweep rate of interest.
- Vanguard Treasury Cash Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternate cash market fund which you will need to manually buy, however the curiosity will likely be largely (100% for 2025 tax yr) exempt from state and native revenue taxes as a result of it comes from qualifying US authorities obligations. Present 7-day SEC yield of 3.62% (compound yield of three.68%).
Treasury Payments and Extremely-short Treasury ETFs
An alternative choice is to purchase particular person Treasury payments which are available in quite a lot of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are totally backed by the US authorities. You can even spend money on ETFs that maintain a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Payments for you, whereas charging a small administration payment for doing so. T-bill curiosity is exempt from state and native revenue taxes, which might make a big distinction in your efficient yield.
- You possibly can construct your individual T-Invoice ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or through a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Constancy. Listed below are the present Treasury Invoice charges. As of three/6/26, a brand new 4-week T-Invoice had the equal of 3.70% annualized curiosity and a 52-week T-Invoice had the equal of 3.54% annualized curiosity.
- The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 3.54% 30-day SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and efficient period of 0.10 years. The Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Invoice ETF (VBIL) has a 3.54% 30-day SEC yield (0.06% expense ratio) and efficient period of 0.10 years.
US Financial savings Bonds
Collection I Financial savings Bonds provide charges which can be linked to inflation and backed by the US authorities. You could maintain them for no less than a yr. When you redeem them inside 5 years there’s a penalty of the final 3 months of curiosity. The annual buy restrict for digital I bonds is $10,000 per Social Safety Quantity, out there on-line at TreasuryDirect.gov.
- “I Bonds” purchased between November 2025 and April 2026 will earn a 4.03% fee for the primary six months. The speed of the following 6-month interval will likely be primarily based on inflation once more. Extra on Financial savings Bonds right here.
- In mid-April 2026, the CPI will likely be introduced and you’ll have a brief interval the place you’ll have a really shut estimate of the speed for the following 12 months. I’ll put up one other replace at the moment.
Rewards checking accounts
These distinctive checking accounts pay above-average rates of interest, however with distinctive dangers. You need to bounce by sure hoops which often contain 10+ debit card purchases every cycle, a sure variety of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a sure variety of logins monthly. When you make a mistake (or they choose that you simply did) you danger incomes zero curiosity for that month. Some of us don’t thoughts the additional work and a spotlight required, whereas others would relatively not trouble. Charges also can drop all of a sudden, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.
- La Capitol Federal Credit score Union pays 6.50% APY on as much as $10,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases of no less than $5 every per assertion cycle. Anybody can be part of this credit score union through associate group, Louisiana Affiliation for Private Monetary Achievement ($20).
- OnPath Federal Credit score Union (my assessment) pays 6.00% APY on as much as $10,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases, decide into on-line statements, and login to on-line or cellular banking as soon as per assertion cycle. Anybody can be part of this credit score union through $5 membership payment to affix associate group. You can even get a $150 Visa Reward card if you open a brand new account and make qualifying transactions.
- Genisys Credit score Union pays 6.75% APY on as much as $7,500 if you happen to make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ every per assertion cycle, and decide into on-line statements. Anybody can be part of this credit score union through $5 membership payment to affix associate group.
- Oklahoma Central Credit score Union pays 6.00% APY on as much as $10,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases (non-ATM) per assertion cycle. Anybody can be part of this credit score union if they’re “affiliated with one other credit score union”.
- First Southern Financial institution pays 5.50% APY on as much as $25,000 if you happen to make no less than 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit score or fee transaction, and enroll in on-line statements.
- Credit score Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on as much as $25,000 if you happen to make 12 debit card purchases, decide into on-line statements, and make no less than 1 direct deposit, on-line invoice fee, or automated fee (ACH) per assertion cycle. Anybody can be part of this credit score union through $5 membership payment to affix associate group.
- Andrews Federal Credit score Union pays 5.25% APY (decreased) on as much as $25,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases, decide into on-line statements, and make no less than 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per assertion cycle. Anybody can be part of this credit score union through associate group.
- Capitol Credit score Union pays 6.00% APY on as much as $15,000 if you happen to make 12 debit card purchases, decide into on-line statements, and make no less than 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per assertion cycle. Anybody can be part of this credit score union through associate group ($5 to Wild Basin Wilderness).
- Discover a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.
Certificates of deposit (larger than 1 yr)
CDs provide increased charges, however include an early withdrawal penalty. By discovering a financial institution CD with an inexpensive early withdrawal penalty, you may take pleasure in increased charges however preserve entry in a real emergency. Alternatively, take into account constructing a CD ladder of various maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you’ve got entry to a part of the ladder annually, however your blended rate of interest is increased than a financial savings account. When one CD matures, use that cash to purchase one other 5-year CD to maintain the ladder going. Some CDs additionally provide “add-ons” the place you may deposit extra funds if charges drop.
- United Constancy Financial institution has a 5-year certificates at 4.15% APY ($1,000 minimal), 4-year at 4.10% APY, 3-year at 4.10% APY, 2-year at 4.10% APY, and 1.5-year at 4.05% APY. Early withdrawal penalties usually are not disclosed clearly on-line.
- Advancial Federal Credit score Union has has a 5-year certificates at 3.97%/4.07%/4.18% APY APY primarily based on both a $1,000/$25,000/$50,000 opening stability. Early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is one year of curiosity. Anybody nationwide ought to be capable of be part of through membership with associate group US Canine Agility Affiliation, however I’d name to confirm first.
- Mountain America Credit score Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificates at 4.00% APY ($500 minimal), 4-year at 4.00% APY, 3-year at 4.05% APY, 2-year at 4.20% APY, and 1-year at 3.80% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is one year of curiosity. Anybody can be part of this credit score union through associate group American Shopper Council (use promo code “client” when becoming a member of).
- You should buy certificates of deposit through the bond desks of Vanguard and Constancy. You could want an account to see the charges. These “brokered CDs” provide FDIC insurance coverage and simple laddering, however they don’t include predictable early withdrawal penalties. Proper now, I see a 5-year non-callable brokered CD at 3.90% APY (callable: no, name safety: sure). Be warned that each Vanguard and Constancy will record increased charges from callable CDs, which importantly means they’ll (and can!) name again your CD if charges drop considerably later.
Longer-term Devices
I’d use these with warning on account of elevated rate of interest danger (tbh, I don’t use them in any respect), however I nonetheless observe them to see the remainder of the present yield curve.
- Keen to lock up your cash for 10 years? You should buy long-term certificates of deposit through the bond desks of Vanguard and Constancy. These “brokered CDs” provide FDIC insurance coverage, however they don’t include predictable early withdrawal penalties. You may discover one thing that pays greater than your different brokerage money and Treasury choices. Proper now, I see a 10-year CDs at 4.05% APY (non-callable) vs. 4.12% for a 10-year Treasury. Be careful for increased charges from callable CDs the place they’ll name your CD again if rates of interest drop.
All charges have been checked as of three/8/26.
* I not suggest fintech firms on account of the opportunity of vital loss on account of poor recordkeeping and the dearth of presidency safety in such situations. The purpose of money is absolute security of principal.
Photograph by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash