Archive for savings certificate

All You Need to Know about Savings Certificates

· Tuesday, November 19th, 2019

Are Savings Certificates Right for You?

If the lump under your mattress is getting uncomfortably big and you’re looking for a safer, more lucrative place to park your savings, look no further than Section 705. As an institution that’s completely devoted to your financial wellness, we offer several secure options for savings, including: Share Certificates, Traditional IRAs, Lucky Lagniappe Savings, Christmas Club, Vacation Club, Super Green, Youth Savings, and Regular Savings Accounts.

Another excellent option we offer our members to help their savings grow is our savings certificates. They are sometimes also known as share certificates, and referred to by banks as CDs. These unique accounts offer the best of both worlds when it comes to your savings. First, you’ll be giving your money a greater chance at growth than it would have in a typical savings account. Secondly, you are not subjecting your savings to the inherent risks and potential for loss that accompanies investing in the stock market.

Let’s take a closer look at the way this fantastic savings product works and why it might be the perfect choice for you.

What is a Certificate?

A savings certificate is a federally insured savings account with a fixed dividend rate and a fixed date of maturity. The dividend rates of these accounts tend to be higher than those on savings accounts and some money market accounts. Generally, there is no monthly fee to keep the certificate open.

However, unlike a savings account, your money will be tied up in a certificate. A typical certificate will not allow you to add any money to the certificate after you’ve made your initial deposit. You also won’t be able to withdraw your funds before the maturity date without paying a penalty.

Terms and conditions of Certificates

As a member of Section 705, you can open up a certificate today. However, there are some basic requirements that must be met before you can do so, including a minimum opening balance and a commitment to keep your money in the account for a set amount of time.

The minimum amount of funds you’ll need to deposit to open a certificate will vary widely from one financial institution to the next and also depends upon the term you choose. Some institutions will accept an initial deposit as low as $50 for a certificate. Others, such as a “jumbo” certificate, will demand an opening balance of $100,000. In general, the more money you invest in a certificate, the higher rate of interest it will earn. At Section 705, you can open a certificate with as little as $100 at an Annual Percentage Yield (APY) of .25%.

Certificate term lengths also vary greatly among financial institutions, with most offering a choice of certificates that run from three months to five years. Typically, certificates with longer maturity terms will earn a higher rate. Here at Section 705, we offer our members certificates that can be opened for just 3 months or as long as 4 years. Our dividend rates start at .25 for short-term certificates and go up to 2.75 for our long-term options. To hear more about our certificate terms and rates, speak to a Section 705 representative today. Click for the dividends and disclosures on our share certificates.

Is a savings certificate for everyone?

While keeping your savings in a certificate can be an excellent option for your money, it is not for everyone. Before you go this route, ask yourself these important questions:

Do I have an emergency fund set aside to help me get through unexpected events or circumstances?
Do I anticipate needing to access these funds during the life of the certificate?

Remember: Your money will be tied up in the certificate and you will not be able to access it without paying a penalty. A certificate works best for people who have money set aside for a rainy day and are fairly certain they will not need to access the funds in the certificate until its maturity date.

Why keep your money in a certificate?

Here are some of the most popular reasons people choose to open a certificate:

Low risk. While nearly every investment carries some sort of risk, your money is always safe in a certificate. With each Section 705 certificate insured by the National Credit Union Administration up to $250,000, you can rest easy, knowing your money is completely secure.
Higher dividend rates. Certificates offer all the security of savings accounts with higher yields. It’s more for your money, just for choosing to invest it in a certificate.
Locked-in rates. There’s no stressing over fluctuating national interest rates with a certificate. The APY is set when you open the account and is locked in until its maturity date. Instead of playing guessing games, you can determine exactly how much interest your money will earn over the life of the certificate the day you open it.

If a certificate sounds like the perfect choice for you, stop by Section 705 today to learn more. We’re committed to giving your money its best chance at growth.

Sources:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/banking/cd-certificate-of-deposit/
https://www.thebalance.com/cd-basics-how-cds-work-315245
https://www.businessinsider.com/5-things-no-one-knows-about-cds-2012-10

Categories : Credit Union, Finances, Savings Hacks

Tags : CD, Certificate, Save, savings certificate, Share Certificate

Share Certificate: Keep Your Money Spinning

Posted by Emily Beatmann

· Tuesday, June 28th, 2016

What IS a Share Certificate?

A share certificate is much like the familiar certificate of deposit (CD) offered by banks. It acts like a traditional savings account in that you deposit money to collect dividends over time. It differs from a traditional savings account, though, because you cannot withdraw or deposit money at will.

Instead, you agree to place your money on deposit for a preset period of time, called the “term length,” during which you may not make withdrawals without a penalty. Because you trust your money with the credit union for a longer period of time, longer term CDs are likely to have much better rates than a savings account.

You can deposit your money for as few as several months or as long as several years, but the longer you keep it on deposit, the better your rate will be (in most instances). For example, the average rate on a three-year deposit is, at the moment, 0.49%. Also, this rate is usually locked in, meaning it is not subject to change based upon how well the economy is doing at any given moment. In general, share savings certificates offer a much higher return than savings deposits, if you’re willing to wait the time it takes to get your money back.

What are the risks involved?

First, if you decide to withdraw your money earlier than the term you’ve chosen, a penalty typically applies. On average, these will cost you between three and six months of earned dividends. Depending on when you decide to withdraw, this can cost you more than you’ve made in dividends if you deposit in a certificate and then immediately withdraw it.

There’s also the risk of inflation. Should you choose to keep the money in the account for years at a time, you could actually end up losing money when taking inflation into account. Unfortunately, the only way to avoid that is to withdraw your money and take that penalty. Of course, inflation applies to all savings strategies, even the “tin can buried in the yard” approach. Other than inflation and penalties, your money is safe.

What insurance do I have against loss?

At for-profit banks, all certificates of deposits are backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC insures them for up to $250,000. At a credit union, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) or a private insurance corporation (sometimes both) will insure your share certificate for the same amount. The insurance works the same way, for the same amount, regardless of who provides it. This insurance for your money happens automatically and requires no action on your part.

If you’re unsure, look for stickers near the teller windows with the letters FDIC or NCUA. If you see these letters, your deposit is secured. If you don’t, be sure to ask the representative assisting you with your account about insurance for your deposit. They’ll be able to tell you the name of the institution that provides it. The FDIC and the NCUA will automatically back you and keep you covered through the worst of economic disasters.

What are some different options of certificates I can have?

Though people tend to stick with the traditional certificate option, there are many more to choose from.

A high-yield certificate is more or less an advertising gimmick for one institution competing with another one for higher rates. Sometimes, they do have the higher rates promised, but they usually come with loopholes or very high minimum deposit requirements to secure the higher rates. Rates also change frequently, so be sure to ask your representative what the current rates are.
A bump-up certificate allows your rate to rise. This means that, if the institution offers a higher rate after you’ve purchased your certificate of deposit, you can request to change your rate to the higher one. The downside is that they may offer lower initial rates.
A certificate sold through a brokerage is called (as one might guess) a brokerage certificate of deposit. These are less like traditional CDs or certificates and are more like stocks. These notes can be bought and sold on a secondary market.
A liquid certificate allows you to withdraw money at any time without penalty. Unfortunately, the rates are often much lower than the rate on a traditional certificate of the same value would be.
One to watch out for is the callable certificate. In this, the institution can “call” your deposit back. Typically these have much higher interest rates, which is a positive. On the flip side, your institution retains the ability to shorten the term and give you your money back without the interest you would’ve earned.

Is a share certificate right for me?

There are many good reasons why a certificate would be the right choice. Certificates usually have minimum deposit amounts, so be sure you’ve got enough savings to spare that you can lock away a few hundred dollars, at least. If you’ve got trouble with impulse spending, certificates can be a great choice to lock your savings away from yourself. They also make an excellent vehicle for an emergency fund. Using a technique called “laddering,” you can take advantage of the higher rates offered by longer-term certificates while preserving the flexibility of shorter-term ones. If you’ve got the discipline to keep your money locked in a certificate for its term, you can seriously muscle up your savings. Stop by Section 705 to get the details on the account that’s right for you!

SOURCES:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/banking/cd-certificate-of-deposit/

https://consumerist.com/2009/03/02/certificates-of-deposit-arent-risk-free/

LINKS:

705 Saving Options
Dividends on Share Certificates
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