With interest rates on certificates of deposit (CDs) running at less than 0.5% in many cases, maintaining some liquidity in personal finance is hard to do. But there is a way to get more for your money, if you have a significant amount to begin with.
In a recent survey of 56 banks and credit unions, Bankrate found 21 that offer interest of 2% or more on checking accounts. There are, of course, limitations and requirements, such as maximum balances and debit card transactions. But if you can meet the requirements and live with the limitations, there are some good deals available.
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The Bankrate high-yield checking account survey consisted of 56 accounts, surveyed between February 16 and 22, 2016, from a sampling of federally insured banks and credit unions around the country.
How good are these deals? Here's how Bankrate summarizes it:
Compared to the average money market account which is yielding just 0.11%, high-yield checking accounts can bring in substantially higher gains than conventional savings accounts. In fact, the average yield across all 56 accounts surveyed was 1.65%. These accounts offer the top yield among all liquid, federally insured deposit products and the highest risk-free return available in the investment realm.
Here are just five outstanding offers. There are requirements and limitations other than the ones we've highlighted, so be sure to check with the institution for additional details. Also note that the high yields are available on amounts up to a maximum; minimum opening deposits can be as small as $10 at some institutions.
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For residents of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, Citizens Community Federal credit union offers an annual percentage yield (APY) of 2% on a maximum balance of $20,000 before reverting to a 0.4% yield on balances above $20,000. Customers must sign up for electronic statements and make at least 15 debit card purchases in a month. Direct deposits to the account are not required.
Consumers Credit Union of Waukegan, Illinois, offers an APY of 3.09% on a maximum balance of $10,000 and 0.2% on balances above that. The accounts are available nationally and require electronic statements and a minimum of 12 signature-based debit transactions every month. On a balance of up $15,000 the APY rises to 3.59% and for a balance of up to $20,000 the APY rises to 4.59% as long as certain other conditions are met. At least one direct deposit or one automatic clearing house (ACH) debit or one bill pay are also required.