Discover how to build a CD ladder to strategically enhance liquidity and maximize interest. A step-by-step guide for balanced investing with certificates of deposit.

Certificates of deposit rates dipped moderately in the second half of 2024 due to Federal Reserve interest rate cuts but have bounced back in 2025, with the best CD rates falling into the 4.5% range.

A CD ladder consists of opening several CDs with different maturity dates. A CD ladder's benefit is you can earn high rates and also have access to portions of your money at frequent intervals. With a ...

You can start a CD ladder with as little as $5,000, or even less. A basic three-rung ladder could earn at least $434 in interest over three years. CD laddering gives you higher interest and rolling ...

A bond ladder is an investment strategy that involves purchasing multiple bonds that mature at different times. The ladder analogy is an apt visual tool to describe how bond ladders work: Each rung of ...

CD ladders use different maturities to maintain access to funds at regular intervals while guaranteeing a return. Short-term CD ladders are often used as part of an emergency fund strategy. Long-term ...

Miranda Marquit, MBA, is a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s personal finance team. She has an M.A. in journalism from Syracuse University and has been writing and podcasting about money since 2006.

Many investors and advisers are familiar with the Roth IRA. It’s the go-to retirement account, since it allows for tax-free growth on earnings as well as tax-free withdrawals for the account owner. A ...