Tools · CD Ladder

CD ladder builder.
Stagger maturities, smooth access.

A CD ladder splits a lump sum across CDs with different maturity dates so you have regular access to funds while earning higher yields than a single savings account.

US-only. CDs (Certificates of Deposit) are FDIC-insured bank products in the US.

WORKED EXAMPLE

$20,000 split into 4 equal rungs at typical rates. $5,000 at 3 months at 4.5%: matures in 3 months, earns about $56. $5,000 at 6 months at 4.8%: matures in 6 months, earns about $120. $5,000 at 9 months at 4.9%: matures in 9 months, earns about $184. $5,000 at 12 months at 5.0%: matures in 12 months, earns about $250. Total interest: about $610.

LADDER SETUP
PER-RUNG RATES ×DON'T TRUST, VERIFYClaim: CD rates change frequently. Defaults are approximate.Verify at: Bankrate CD rates ↗ · NerdWallet best CDs ↗Online banks and credit unions typically offer higher rates than traditional banks.
YOUR LADDER
RUNGAMOUNTTERMAPYINTEREST
SUMMARY
    What this tool assumes
    • Equal allocation per rung (totalAmount / rungs).
    • Interest = principal × APY × (termMonths / 12). This is simple-interest approximation; CDs typically use compound interest. Actual maturity values may be slightly higher than shown for terms over 6 months.
    • Default term progression: 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36 months for rungs 1 through 7.
    • CD early-withdrawal penalties are not modeled. Read your bank's CD terms.
    • FDIC insurance limit: $250,000 per depositor per bank. Spread larger ladders across multiple banks.

    Related

    → Cash Management → MMF After-Tax Comparison → I-Bonds & T-Bills
    HOW THIS IS CALCULATED

    This tool runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server. All formulas use standard financial math. Verify the methodology or inspect the source code in your browser's dev tools.