CD Early Withdrawal Penalties

Not all CD early withdrawal penalties are created equal. I’ve long assumed that the standard penalty schedule of 3-months and 6-months was ubiquitous but with recent news that Ally Bank charges a mere 60 days has thrown by world view into disarray! Fortunately, early withdrawal penalties are disclosed in the Truth in Savings document a bank must publish about its bank products. Understanding them is crucial in our economic times and they often take a back seat to the headline interest rate.

I like to draw this analogy – The interest rate is the flash, it’s like the horsepower of the engine in a car, but knowing the early withdrawal penalty is like knowing the state of your spare tire. Tou don’t want to be surprised at a time of crisis.

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