Is there a downside to a high-yield savings account?
The cons of high-yield savings accounts
Your money is invested, so the balance can go up and down with regular market activity. High-yield savings accounts, on the other hand, are not tied to the stock market. As such, the risk of losing money is extremely low. Even if your financial institution fails, FDIC insurance can cover a large portion of your losses.
- Withdrawal limits. All savings accounts used to charge customers fees if they made more than six monthly withdrawals. ...
- Withdrawals might require a few extra hoops. ...
- Minimum balance requirements. ...
- Rates fluctuate. ...
- Not a good fit for long-term savings.
"Given that current interest rates are considerably higher than they have been in over a decade, high-yield savings accounts can still be an attractive investment vehicle for individuals who want to have cash available for short-term needs, such as their emergency fund," says Laurie Bodisch, founder and CEO, Her Wealth ...
Your best bet if you have extra cash is to put it in a high-yield savings account that can increase your savings but give you the option to withdraw the money if you need to. By law, consumers can withdraw or transfer cash out of a high-yield savings account up to six times per month without paying any fees.
Millionaires Like High-Yield Savings, but Not as Much as Other Accounts. Usually offering significantly more interest than a traditional savings account, high-yield savings accounts have blown up in popularity among everyone, including millionaires.
There's no rule on the exact amount to have in your high-yield savings account. The amount of money you should store in these accounts depends on various factors. However, the general rule of thumb is that you should have liquid access to enough cash to cover between three and six months of your expenses.
5.25% APY: A 5.25% CD or high-yield savings account will bring you $2,625 in interest within a year. 5.5% APY: Choosing a 5.5% CD or high-yield savings account will result in $2,750 in interest on your $50,000 investment annually.
Gaines reiterates that even most high-yield savings accounts lose value to inflation over time. “More than two months' worth of living expenses in a savings account is too much given the ability to earn around 5% from easily accessible money market accounts that should not fluctuate in price.”
Which Bank Gives 7% Interest Rate? Currently, no banks are offering 7% interest on savings accounts, but some do offer a 7% APY on other products. For example, OnPath Federal Credit Union currently offers a 7% APY on average daily checking account balances up to and under $10,000.
Is your money stuck in a high-yield savings account?
Myth 1: Your money is stuck in a savings account
Savings accounts are designed to keep your funds liquid, meaning you can access your money anytime. This is what makes savings accounts — and high-yield savings accounts especially — such a good choice for keeping your emergency fund.
1. Certificates of Deposit. Like high-yield savings accounts, CDs usually offer substantially higher annual percentage yields (APYs) than traditional savings accounts. As of October 2023, the average CD rates range from 4.60% to 5.55%, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Do I have to pay taxes on HYSA? Yes, you have to pay taxes on the interest earned from a savings account. If you earn more than $10 in interest on your savings account, the bank holding your account will send you a Form 1099-T to include in your tax return.
The rate environment is favorable
On a $10,000 deposit, that would equate to $500 after one year. That's a substantial amount of interest, and it dwarfs the minimal 0.46% that most savers are currently getting with their regular savings accounts.
Opening a high-yield savings account won't directly affect your credit—and having cash on hand for financial emergencies might make you less likely to accumulate credit card debt.
Similar to a high-yield savings account, CDs allow you to deposit money to earn interest on your balance. Sometimes, the interest you earn on a CD can even be higher than what you earn on a high-yield savings account. But with a CD you need to keep your money locked into the account for a specified amount of time.
Millionaires can insure their money by depositing funds in FDIC-insured accounts, NCUA-insured accounts, through IntraFi Network Deposits, or through cash management accounts. They may also allocate some of their cash to low-risk investments, such as Treasury securities or government bonds.
Demand Deposit Account (DDA) & Money Market Deposit Account (MMDA) DDA/MMDA allows you to place funds into demand deposit and/or money market deposit accounts. You can deposit up to $100 million for each account type.
Pros and cons of a high-yield savings account
A high-yield savings account offers a higher rate of return on your money compared to standard savings accounts. But some of these accounts charge fees, have minimum balances requirements, and offer variable interest rates that can go up and down over time.
How much does the average American have in savings?
In terms of savings accounts specifically, you'll likely find different estimates from different sources. The average American has $65,100 in savings — excluding retirement assets — according to Northwestern Mutual's 2023 Planning & Progress Study. That's a 5% increase over the $62,000 reported in 2022.
Banks must report cash deposits totaling more than $10,000. Business owners are also responsible for reporting large cash payments of more than $10,000 to the IRS.
Those will become part of your budget. The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
If you want to lock in a high APY while rates are favorable, you could consider a 7% interest CD. While these can be hard to find too, the best CD rates are often higher than the best savings rates. Several credit unions offer CD rates close to 6.00% APY.
Bank name | APY* | Minimum opening deposit |
---|---|---|
Varo | 5.00% | $0 |
Western Alliance Bank | 5.36% | $500 |
TAB Bank | 5.27% | $0 |
Newtek Bank | 5.25% | $0 |
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