Best 4-Year CD Rates for April 2024

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The best 4-year CD rate is 4.80% APY from Pelican State Credit Union. To find you the highest 4-year CD rates nationwide, we review CD rates from hundreds of banks and credit unions every day. CD terms of 42–53 months are eligible for our 4-year rankings, with minimum deposit requirements of up to $25,000. Below are the top CD rates available from our partners, followed by the best CD rates that we've found from our research that are available to U.S. customers everywhere.

In the News

At the Fed's most recent meeting in March, the committee decided to hold rates steady—the fifth meeting in a row it has done so—but said again that it expects to cut rates later this year. The Fed's dot plot shows that Fed members believe there will be three rate cuts later this year. CD yields closely follow the fed funds rate. Back in October, CD rates reached peaks not seen in more than 20 years. But now, the Fed’s holding pattern has caused CD rates to plateau. Once it appears the Fed is ready to make a rate cut, CD rates are expected to fall.

You can find our ranking of the highest CD rates with terms of 42–53 months below. In cases where more than one institution pays the same annual percentage yield, we've prioritized CDs by the shortest term, then the CD requiring a smaller minimum deposit, and if still a tie, alphabetically by institution name.

Best 4-Year CD Rates

  • Pelican State Credit Union – 4.80% APY
  • Credit Human – 4.60% APY
  • Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union – 4.60% APY
  • Seattle Bank – 4.55% APY
  • First National Bank of America – 4.55% APY
  • BMO Alto – 4.50% APY
  • Pima Federal Credit Union – 4.50% APY
  • Dow Credit Union – 4.50% APY
  • First Internet Bank – 4.50% APY
  • NexBank – 4.45% APY
  • Lafayette Federal Credit Union – 4.42% APY
  • Popular Direct – 4.35% APY
  • NASA Federal Credit Union – 4.35% APY
  • Wellby Financial – 4.34% APY
  • BMO – 4.30% APY

Detailed information on the top-paying four-year CDs available nationwide is provided below, including specifics about minimum deposits and early-withdrawal penalties. For credit union CDs, information is also provided on how anyone can become a member.

Looking for a wider selection of CDs? See our picks for the best CD rates to see terms ranging from three months to 10 years.

Pelican State Credit Union – 4.80% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $500
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 9 months of interest
  • Overview: Anyone can join Pelican State by making a $5 donation to one of the credit union's affiliated nonprofits and making a $10 opening deposit in a member savings account ($5 goes to a one-time membership fee while the other $5 remains in your savings account as a required minimum balance). Pelican originally was chartered as Department of Hospitals Credit Union in 1956 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where it remains headquartered.

Credit Human – 4.60% APY

  • Term (months): 36–59
  • Minimum deposit: $500
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 12 months of interest ($50 minimum)
  • Membership: Anyone can join Credit Human by agreeing to a complimentary membership in the nonprofit American Consumer Council and keeping at least $5 in a member savings account.

Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union – 4.60% APY*

  • Term (months): 36–47
  • Minimum deposit: $25,000
  • Early-withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
  • Membership: Anyone can join the DCFCU by agreeing to a free membership in the nonprofit American Consumer Council.

*Rates listed in DCFCU's rate charts are 0.10% lower than what's listed here, for a minimum deposit amount of $500. But the fine print indicates that for deposits of $25,000, a 0.10% premium applies.

Seattle Bank – 4.55% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $1,000
  • Early-withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
  • About: Established in 1999, Seattle Bank serves online customers across the country and operates a branch in downtown Seattle.

First National Bank of America – 4.55% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $1,000
  • Early-withdrawal penalty: 18 months of interest
  • About: First National Bank of America is a Michigan-based community bank established in 1955. In addition to three branches in the state, FNBA offers online banking products to customers nationwide.

BMO Alto – 4.50% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: Any amount
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
  • About: BMO Alto is an online-only division of BMO, which is a U.S. subsidiary of Bank of Montreal. In addition to CDs, it offers an online savings account.

Pima Federal Credit Union – 4.50% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $250
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 50% of the interest left to be earned through the end of the term
  • Membership: Anyone can join Pima by making a $20 donation to one of their affiliated nonprofits and keeping at least $5 in a Pima savings account.

Dow Credit Union – 4.50% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $500
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 12 months of interest
  • Overview: Based out of Midland, Michigan, anyone can join Dow Credit Union by making a $10 donation to the Midland Area Community Foundation scholarship fund during the membership application process. Dow Credit Union dates back to 1937 when it was founded to serve employees of Dow Chemical Company.

First Internet Bank – 4.50% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $1,000
  • Early-withdrawal penalty: 12 months of interest
  • About: First Internet Bank takes its name from its status as the first FDIC-insured bank to operate exclusively online. Founded in 1999, it is based in the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers, Ind.

NexBank – 4.45% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $10,000
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
  • About: NexBank is the fourth-largest bank in Dallas, founded in 1922.

Lafayette Federal Credit Union – 4.42% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $500
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 16 months of interest
  • Membership: Anyone can join Lafayette Federal with a $10 membership in the Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council and $50 or more held in a savings account.

Popular Direct – 4.35% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $10,000
  • Early-withdrawal penalty: 12 months of interest
  • About: Popular Direct is the online-only arm of Popular Bank, the U.S. banking subsidiary of Popular, Inc., which serves banking customers in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean.

NASA Federal Credit Union – 4.35% APY

  • Term (months): 49
  • Minimum deposit: $10,000
  • Early-withdrawal penalty: 12 months of interest
  • Membership: Anyone can join NASA FCU by signing up for a free membership in the National Space Society and holding $5 or more in a savings account.

Wellby Financial – 4.34% APY

  • Term (months): 48
  • Minimum deposit: $1,000
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 12 months of interest
  • Membership: Anyone is eligible to join the credit union through membership in the American Consumer Council.

BMO – 4.30% APY*

  • Term (months): 45
  • Minimum deposit: $1,000
  • Early withdrawal penalty: 18 months of interest
  • About: BMO is a U.S. subsidiary of the Canadian multinational Bank of Montreal and is one of the 25 largest U.S. banks. In addition to online products, BMO operates branches in eight states.

*This rate may differ for those residing in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, or Wisconsin (i.e., the states where BMO operates physical branches).

Fast Fact

When asked in January what they would invest in if they had an extra $10,000, 9% of Investopedia readers said they would open a CD, in fourth place behind individual stocks, ETFs, and stock index funds. That’s down from 11% in December.

Though not as common as their three-year and five-year siblings, four-year CDs are offered by banks and credit unions across the country. Not only might a four-year certificate offer the perfect time horizon for your financial plans, but it is also important to anyone establishing a CD ladder.

Pros and Cons of a 4-Year CD

Pros
  • Guaranteed yield for four years

  • Entirely predictable earnings

  • Potentially higher APY than alternatives

  • Spending deterrent

  • Safe and virtually risk-free

Cons
  • Incurs penalty if withdrawn early

  • Only allows you to make a single deposit

  • If rates rise, you might wish you'd chosen a shorter CD

  • If rates drop, you might wish you'd chosen a longer CD

  • Future rate environment can't be predicted

Pros Explained

  • Guaranteed yield for four years: A CD's annual percentage yield (APY) is presented to you before you open it, and once you make your deposit, you'll be locking in that return for the full duration of the CD. The bank cannot change the rate.
  • Entirely predictable earnings: Because you'll know the rate, and because it's locked, you can calculate exactly how much your CD will be worth on its maturity date. Changes in financial markets or other factors in the news will have no bearing on your earnings.
  • Potentially higher APY than alternatives: In some rate environments, you can earn a higher interest rate the longer you're willing to commit your funds. So when shopping around, check if stretching to a four-year CD can increase your rate.
  • Spending deterrent: Because you can't make withdrawals from a CD without paying a penalty, you may be dissuaded from spending your savings on unplanned purchases.
  • Safe and virtually risk-free: If you open your CD at an FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union, your CD deposits of up to $250,000 per person and per institution are protected, even if the institution fails.

Cons Explained

  • Incurs penalty if withdrawn early: If you need to cash out your CD before maturity, you can do so, but you'll be charged an early withdrawal penalty. The amount of that penalty will be spelled out in your CD agreement, which you should review before committing your funds, as penalty policies can vary widely across institutions.
  • Only allows you to make a single deposit: The vast majority of CDs are designed to take one initial deposit that is kept on hold through the CD's term. Only niche "add-on" CDs offer the ability to deposit additional funds.
  • If rates rise, you might wish you'd chosen a shorter CD: If you lock in your 4-year CD rate and then rates climb higher, you may wish you had opted for a shorter CD so you could have gotten out of your current rate sooner and opened a new CD at a higher rate.
  • If rates drop, you might wish you'd chosen a longer CD: If rates go down after you lock in a 4-year CD, you may wish you'd gone for a 5-year term instead, to retain your rate further into the future.
  • Future rate environment can't be predicted: Only very occasionally is it clear where interest rates are headed. Most of the time, anything is possible months or years down the road, making it difficult to gauge what the best CD moves are at any given time.

Compare the Best 4-Year CDs

Institution Rate (APY) Term Minimum Deposit Early Withdrawal Penalty
Pelican State Credit Union 4.80% 48 months $500 9 months of interest
Credit Human 4.60% 36–59 months $500 12 months of interest ($50 minimum)
Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union 4.60% 36–47 months $25,000 6 months of interest
Seattle Bank 4.55% 48 months $1,000 6 months of interest
First National Bank of America 4.55% 48 months $1,000 18 months of interest
BMO Alto 4.50% 48 months Any amount 6 months of interest
Pima Federal Credit Union 4.50% 48 months $250 50% of the interest left to be earned through the end of the term
Dow Credit Union 4.50% 48 months $500 12 months of interest
First Internet Bank 4.50% 48 months $1,000 12 months of interest
NexBank 4.45% 48 months $10,000 6 months of interest
Lafayette Federal Credit Union 4.42% 48 months $500 16 months of interest
Popular Direct 4.35% 48 months $10,000 12 months of interest
NASA Federal Credit Union 4.35% 49 months $10,000 12 months of interest
Wellby Financial 4.34% 48 months $1,000 12 months of interest
BMO 4.30% 45 months $1,000 18 months of interest

Alternatives to a 4-Year CD

Shorter-Term CDs

Opening a certificate with a shorter term may be a better choice if you're not entirely confident you can leave the funds on deposit for a full four years. Also, sometimes you can score a higher rate on a shorter CD than on a longer one. It depends on the current rate environment, and also what promotional CDs might be available in the marketplace.

If you open a shorter-term CD, you can always cash it in when it matures and open a new CD. But you may find that rates have dropped. If rates are now higher, it's great news. But if rates are lower than when you opened your initial CD, you may wish you'd locked in your rate for four years instead of the shorter term.

High-Yield Savings and Money Market Accounts

Keeping your cash in a savings or money market account offers much more flexibility than a CD, with no risk of an early withdrawal penalty. You'll be able to add and withdraw funds more or less as often as you like.

The trade-off, however, is that your interest rate on a liquid account can change at any time. So if rates are declining, the annual percentage yield on your high-yield savings or money market account will almost certainly go down, while any rate on a CD will hold.

In addition, liquid accounts typically don't offer as high a return as CDs. By committing your funds to a certain CD term, you can usually boost your earnings, and sometimes quite substantially.

Bond Products

Various types of bonds are also possibilities for your cash savings. Some, like U.S. Treasury savings bonds and Treasury notes, are very similar to CDs in that the rate is typically predictable if you hold the bond until maturity. They are also backed by the federal government, so like CDs, they are exceptionally safe.

U.S. Treasury I bonds, however, only have a fixed rate for six months at a time. Twice a year, the rate is adjusted based on the current inflation rate (hence the name I bond). Like a CD, I bonds have an early withdrawal penalty, but it's a mild three months' worth of interest. Also, unlike a CD, you cannot for any reason cash in an I bond during its first 12 months.

Other bond options are municipal and corporate bonds of various lengths. But the easiest way for most people to buy these is through a bond mutual fund or bond ETF (exchange-traded fund) that bundles many bonds together. Some of these even include hundreds or thousands of bonds in a certain category, making them an index fund of bonds. By going this route, you can make investments and withdrawals at will, rather than having to be concerned with maturity dates.

When CD shopping, stay open-minded about the maturity term you're seeking. Not only do some institutions offer odd-term CDs with better rates (think 35 months or 49 months), but it's also true that some banks will offer a promotional CD that, despite having a much shorter term, actually offers a higher rate than the term you're looking to open.

The Stock Market

If you know you won't need your funds for four years, you could consider investing in stocks instead. The upside is that you could potentially earn quite a bit more in the stock market than with a fixed four-year CD rate.

The notable downside, of course, is that you can always lose money in the stock market, including scenarios where you lose most of your investment. So while CDs won't return as much as equities in a bullish stock market period, on the flip side they are guaranteed to grow, with no risk of you losing your initial principal.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What Is a 4-Year CD?

    A certificate of deposit is a special type of bank account that involves advance commitments from both the individual and the bank or credit union. Your commitment is to hold a lump-sum deposit in the account for a certain period of time, usually measured in months or years. In turn, the financial institution commits to paying you a fixed and known interest rate for the full duration of the CD.

    Because the bank can count on having access to the funds for an extended period, it will generally pay you a higher interest rate on your balance than if the funds were in a savings or money market account, where unpredictable withdrawals and deposits are allowed.

    A four-year CD is simply a certificate of deposit that has a maturity term of about four years or 48 months, though you'll sometimes encounter CDs with odd terms, such as 45 months or 49 months. Those that qualify for our four-year rankings have terms ranging from 42 to 53 months.

  • When Is a 4-Year CD a Good Idea?

    There are two main reasons to consider a CD that's four years in length. The first is based on your personal timeline. If you know you can lock up the funds for a number of years, but five years is a bit too long because you'll need the funds sooner than that, a four-year term can get you close to those five-year yields while shortening the time until you can access the funds.

    The second reason to buy a four-year CD is if you are building a five-year CD ladder. This is explained in more depth below, but in short, it involves buying an array of different CD terms, in yearly durations of up to five years. Hence, you'll need one four-year CD to complete the group.

  • What If I Need My Money Before Maturity?

    You can typically withdraw your money from a CD at just about any time, but it may take up to a week to get your money and it will come at a price.

    Since the entire premise of a CD is that the bank is paying you a better interest rate in exchange for your agreement that you'll keep the funds on deposit until maturity, cashing the CD in early means you are breaking your end of the deal. The result is called an early-withdrawal penalty, and like rates, the penalties vary tremendously across institutions.

    Most types of penalties make you forfeit some months of earned interest. This can be as few as one month or as long as 24 months. Generally, the longer the CD term, the more months of interest you'll be penalized.

    Even worse are early withdrawal policies that calculate the penalty as a percentage of your balance because these can dip into your principal. You should always avoid any CD with a penalty that can reduce your principal.

    Be sure to look into the early withdrawal policy for any CD you're considering. If you find yourself trying to decide between two fairly similar CDs, it's wise to go with the one assessing a milder penalty, just in case an emergency arises and you find yourself needing to withdraw.

  • What Is a CD Ladder?

    The term CD ladder refers to a strategy designed to maximize the amount of interest you can earn over a long period of time, while still giving you access to a portion of the funds every year. For a five-year CD ladder, you'll invest one-fifth of the total funds into five different CD durations (e.g., the rungs of the ladder) and eventually use the proceeds of each maturing CD into a five-year CD, since those certificates typically pay the highest rates.

    Let's say you want to keep $50,000 invested in safe, reliable CDs for capital preservation. Instead of investing it all in a single five-year CD and having no access to the full amount for that time, you can build a five-year CD ladder by putting $10,000 into a one-year CD, $10,000 into a two-year CD, and so forth, until you have five $10,000 CDs all maturing a year apart.

    Each year, when one of the CDs matures, those funds are used to buy a new five-year CD to earn a higher yield and continue the ladder. After the fourth maturity, you'll still have five certificates, but they will now comprise a portfolio of only five-year CDs, with one available for withdrawal every year.

  • How Do Banks and Credit Unions Differ?

    You can open a certificate of deposit at almost any bank or credit union. And for the most part, there is little difference between CDs from these different institution types. Indeed, both banks and credit unions offer the same level of deposit insurance ($250,000 per individual) should the institution fail.

    The biggest difference is that opening any account at a credit union requires you to first become a member since credit unions are member-owned not-for-profit organizations. Further, you'll find that the rules of eligibility for membership are unique to each credit union, with some based on where you live, while others are based on where you work.

    All of the credit union CDs in our rankings are from credit unions that allow anyone nationwide to join regardless of where you live or work. However, doing so sometimes requires a small donation or fee.

    Still, joining a particular credit union can be worth it, as many credit unions make up the top ranks in various CD terms. In particular, the longer the term you're shopping for, the better served you'll be by staying open-minded to a credit union CD.

  • Financial Institutions We Review

    We researched and reviewed more than 250 banks, credit unions, and financial institutions to find the best CD rates you see above on this list. While we write individual reviews for most, we do not always write reviews for those we would not recommend. Below are the banks, credit unions, and financial institutions we researched along with links to individual company reviews to help you learn more before making a decision:

    1st Source Bank, 5star Bank, ableBanking, Abound Credit Union, Achieva Credit Union, Affinity Federal Credit Union, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, Air Force Federal Credit Union, Alabama Credit Union, Allegacy Federal Credit Union, Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, Amerant Bank, American 1 Credit Union, American Express, American Heritage Credit Union, Andrews Federal Credit Union, Apple Federal Credit Union, Banco do Brasil Americas, Banesco USA, Bank of Baroda, Bank5 Connect, Bank7, Texas Capital Bank, bankESB (Easthampton Savings Bank), BankUnitedDirect, Barclays, BBVA Bank, Bellco Credit Union, Blue Federal Credit Union, BMO, BMO Alto, BrioDirect, Cadets Federal Credit Union, California Coast Credit Union, Capital One, Capitol Federal Savings Bank, CD Bank, CFG Bank, Chase Bank, Chevron Federal Credit Union, CIBC (Agility Banking), CIT Bank, Citibank, Citizens Access, Citizens Trust Bank, Colorado Federal Savings Bank, Bread Savings, Communitywide Federal Credit Union, ConnectOne Bank, Connexus Credit Union, Consumers Credit Union, Corporate America Federal Credit Union (CAFCU), Credit Union of Denver, Credit Union of the Rockies, Digital, Federal Credit Union, Discover Bank, DollarSavingsDirect, Dover Federal Credit Union, Dow Credit Union, Evergreen Bank Group, RocklandTrust Bank, Elements Financial, EmigrantDirect.com, Liberty Federal Credit Union, Fidelity Investments, Financial Partners Credit Union, Financial Resources Federal Credit Union, First Financial Credit Union, First Financial Northwest Bank, First Internet Bank, First National Bank of America, First Technology Federal Credit Union, Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union, Garden Savings Federal Credit Union, Georgia Banking Company, Georgia's Own Credit Union, GreenState Credit Union, Greenwood Credit Union, Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, GTE Financial, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company, Hanscom Federal Credit Union, Heritage Bank, Hiway Federal Credit Union, Home Loan Investment Bank, Home Savings Bank, Hope Credit Union, HSBC Direct, Hughes Federal Credit Union, Hyperion Bank, Ideal Credit Union, iGObanking, Interior Federal Credit Union, Justice Federal Credit Union, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, KS State Bank, La Capitol Federal Credit Union, Lafayette Federal Credit Union, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Langley Federal Credit Union, Latino Community Credit Union, Limelight Bank, Live Oak Bank, Luther Burbank Savings, MYSB Direct, MAC Federal Credit Union, Main Street Bank, MainStreet Bank, MapleMark Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Market USA Federal Credit Union, Matadors Community Credit Union, MECU Credit Union, Merrick Bank, Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, Mills42 Federal Credit Union, Mountain America Credit Union, MTC Federal Credit Union, MutualOne Bank, My Banking Direct, My eBanc, My Savings Direct, NASA Federal Credit Union, Nationwide by Axos Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, nbkc, NexBank, North Country Savings Bank, Northern Bank Direct, Northfield Bank, Northpointe Bank, Nuvision Federal Credit Union, Oklahoma Central Credit Union, One American Bank, OneUnited Bank, Pacific National Bank, Paramount Bank, PARDA Federal Credit Union, Partner Colorado Credit Union, Patelco Credit Union, Pen Air Federal Credit Union, PenFed Credit Union, People's Credit Union, First Service Credit Union, Pinnacle Federal Credit Union, Popular Direct, Premier America Credit Union, Presidential Bank, FSB, Prime Alliance Bank, PSECU (Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union), Quontic Bank, Quorum Federal Credit Union, Rising Bank, Merrimack Valley Credit Union, Salal Credit Union, Sallie Mae Bank, Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union, Signature Federal Credit Union, Spectrum Credit Union, SRP Federal Credit Union, State Bank of India Chicago, State Bank of India New York, State Bank of Texas, State Department Federal Credit Union, Summit Credit Union, Sun East Federal Credit Union, Superior Choice Credit Union, Synchrony Bank, TAB Bank, Teachers Federal Credit Union, Technology Credit Union, The Federal Savings Bank, Third Federal Savings & Loan, EverBank, TotalDirectBank, Transportation Federal Credit Union, TruStone Financial Credit Union, UNIFY Financial Credit Union, Expedition Credit Union, United States Senate Federal Credit Union, United Texas Bank, University Federal Credit Union, US Bank, USAlliance Financial, USPS Federal Credit Union, Velocity Credit Union, VeraBank, Vio Bank, Virtual Bank, WebBank, Webster Bank, Wells Fargo, Western Vista Credit Union, Wings Financial Credit Union, XCEL Federal Credit Union, BankPurely, Umbrella Bank, giantbank.com, CapEd Credit Union, Zeal Credit Union, Finworth, Coastal1 Credit Union, Service Credit Union, National Cooperative Bank, Premier Members Credit Union, Bank of America, Flagstar Bank, 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, INOVA Federal Credit Union, Genisys Credit Union, Ivy Bank, Heartland Credit Union, Luana Savings Bank, Spectra Credit Union, Workers Credit Union, Credit Human, EFCU Financial, Poppy Bank, Credit One Bank, Vibrant Credit Union, CFBank, Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union, Seattle Bank, Crescent Bank, Pima Federal Credit Union, Cross River Bank, USAA, Great River Federal Credit Union, Brilliant Bank, Merchants Bank of Indiana, LendingClub, Chartway Credit Union, First Central Savings Bank, AgFed Credit Union, North American Savings Bank, Pelican State Credit Union, First Community Credit Union, Bask Bank, Skyla Credit Union, SkyOne Federal Credit Union, 3Rivers Federal Credit Union, Utah First Credit Union, Pasadena Federal Credit Union, Magnifi Financial, AloStar, Primis Bank, Farmers Insurance Federal Credit Union, Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union, Veridian Credit Union, Republic Bank, Salem Five Direct, All In Credit Union, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Federal Credit Union, Forbright Bank, Jovia Financial Credit Union, Sun Canyon Bank, Fortera Credit Union, Partners 1st Federal Credit Union, SouthEast Bank, American Bank, Newtek Bank, CBC Federal Credit Union, Vanguard, All America Bank, Amalgamated Bank, Citizens State Bank, AmBoy Direct, Republic Bank of Chicago, Oklahoma Community Credit Union, BluPeak Credit Union, Valley Direct, Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union, First Harvest Credit Union, Orion Federal Credit Union, Wellby Financial, FedChoice Federal Credit Union, CoVantage Credit Union, Choice First Bank, Sandia Area Federal Credit Union, OMB Bank, Minnequa Works Credit Union, Securityplus Federal Credit Union, Bank of South Texas, T Bank

How We Find the Best 4-Year CD Rates

Every business day, Investopedia tracks the rate data of more than 200 banks and credit unions that offer CDs to customers nationwide and determines daily rankings of the top-paying certificates in every major term. To qualify for our lists, the institution must be federally insured (FDIC for banks, NCUA for credit unions), and the CD's minimum initial deposit must not exceed $25,000.

Banks must be available in at least 40 states. And while some credit unions require you to donate to a specific charity or association to become a member if you don't meet other eligibility criteria (e.g., you don't live in a certain area or work in a certain kind of job), we exclude credit unions whose donation requirement is $40 or more. For more about how we choose the best rates, read our full methodology.

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Article Sources
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  1. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, HelpwithMyBank.gov. "What Are the Penalties for Withdrawing Money Early From a Certificate of Deposit (CD)?"

  2. TreasuryDirect. "About U.S. Savings Bonds."

  3. TreasuryDirect. "I Bonds."