CDs paying >4% APY
Some banks are still offering certificates of deposit above 4% APY, making them a viable short‑term cash alternative for risk‑averse clients. Advisors can reference current published rates when discussing cash buckets and income sequencing. (finance.yahoo.com)
Top short‑term CD offers include OMB Bank’s 5‑month special at 4.25% APY, Newtek Bank’s 9‑month at 4.20% APY, Bread Savings’ 9‑month at 4.15% APY and E*TRADE’s 1‑year CDs around 4.10% APY (data current March 23–24, 2026). (nerdwallet.com) For pre‑retirees and retirees, building a 6–12–24‑month CD ladder to cover 12–36 months of spending preserves access while locking above‑4% yields, a strategy detailed in Bankrate’s CD ladder guide. (bankrate.com) Short‑term offers suitable for ladders include LendingClub’s 8‑month CD at 4.15% APY (with a six‑month interest penalty cited) and E*TRADE’s bank and brokered CD lineup, which can carry early‑withdrawal rules that amount to as much as 15 months of interest at some issuers — choose low‑penalty products for income sequencing. (nerdwallet.com) Young professionals and families targeting near‑term goals can use OMB Bank’s 5‑month 4.25% CD (minimum to open $1,000) for down‑payment buckets while one‑year options at E*TRADE pay about 4.10% APY with no minimum on some offerings. (ombbank.com) E*TRADE’s 10‑day funding rate guarantee on certain bank CDs can be used as a selling point when comparing timing windows for goal‑based cash placement. (us.etrade.com) Small business owners can park operating cash in Newtek Bank’s high‑rate CDs (a 9‑month CD at ~4.20% APY and 12‑month business CD examples near 4.00% APY) while keeping business FDIC‑insured deposits separate from operating accounts. (monitorbankrates.com) Newtek’s business focus and online CD product set make it a practical option for creating a short‑term ladder for payroll or tax‑reserve buckets. (newtekbank.com) High‑net‑worth clients needing multi‑million dollar cash solutions should note FDIC coverage is $250,000 per depositor per insured bank and can be extended via IntraFi’s CDARS/ICS programs to obtain aggregate FDIC insurance across networked banks. (fdic.gov) Brokered CDs purchased through brokerages like E*TRADE (which lists brokered CD access and up to ~4.10% on one‑year offers) provide secondary‑market liquidity for laddering large pools without traditional early‑withdrawal penalties. (us.etrade.com) Create a one‑page, date‑stamped local rate sheet pulling live offers from aggregators (NerdWallet, Bankrate) and issuer pages (OMB, Newtek, E*TRADE) dated March 23–25, 2026 to share with CPA, mortgage and attorney referral partners as proof points when proposing cash‑bucket or income‑sequencing plans. (nerdwallet.com) Offer referral‑partner briefings that map specific client‑type cash needs to exact CD terms and insurer solutions (e.g., IntraFi for >$250k) so proposals include concrete APYs, minimums and insurance mechanics at the time of presentation. (intrafi.com)
