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California First National Bank VS TAB Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.5 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Can apply for CD accounts online
  • Shorter CD terms offer competitive rates
  • Can choose how to receive interest
  • Can withdraw interest without a fee

Cons:

  • High opening required amounts
  • Limited CD terms available
  • Low-interest rates on CD accounts
  • Early withdrawal fee does not vary
  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Good variety of terms available
  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Early withdrawal penalties low

Cons:

  • Does not offer interest rate guarantee
  • Mobile app not for CDs
  • Offers and rates may be promotional
  • Customer service not available 24/7
California First National Bank CD Review

You can open all CalFirst CDs terms online. You can complete the entire application through the CalFirst website. There is also the option to apply by calling customer service or mailing in an application.

The shorter-term CDs offer more competitive rates than long-term CDs. The rates are more competitive with online CDs than long-term CDs. The short-term CDs include a three month and six-month term.

Customers can choose how to receive interest payments. You can have the money credited to your CD or another CalFirst account. You can have the money transferred into another bank account, or have the interest mailed to you in a check. Interest will credit to your account monthly.

Customers can choose how to receive interest payments. You can have the money credited to your CD or another CalFirst account. You can have the money transferred into another bank account, or have the interest mailed to you in a check. Interest will credit to your account monthly.

The initial amount required to open CalFirst CDs is high. Each of the standard CD terms requires $5,000 to open. You must keep that amount in the CD to earn interest. To open IRA CDs and earn interest requires a balance of $2,000.

There is a limited amount of CD terms offered through CalFirst. There are five CD terms available. Those terms range from three months to three years. CalFirst provides CD terms as standard CDs or IRA CDs. All terms can be opened online.

CalFirst CD interest rates are low. They are not competitive with online CD rates. These rates are competitive with typical bank rates. CalFirst rates are not tiered. Any balance over the opening amounts earns the rates listed on the website.

There are only two early withdrawal fees for CalFirst CDs. For terms less than one year, the fee is 90-days of interest. For CD terms 12-months or longer, the fee is 180-days of interest. If you withdraw money early, you must pay that amount of interest even if you have not earned it.

Read the full California First National Bank review.

TAB Bank CD Review

There are a good variety of CD terms available with TAB Bank. The terms range from six months to five years. There are eight total CD terms offered through TAB Bank. You can open any of the TAB Bank CDs online.

Each of the CD terms available through TAB Bank offers competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CD accounts. These interest rates are much higher than typical bank rates. If you withdraw money or close your TAB Bank CD before the interest credits to your CD, you will not earn the interest.

The CDs offered through TAB Bank have low opening required amounts. Each CD term only requires $1,000 to open. You must keep a balance of $1,000 to earn interest on the CDs. Balances below this amount will not earn interest.

The penalty for withdrawing money before the maturity date for TAB Bank CDs is low. For CD terms 12 months or less, the fee is 90 days of interest on the withdrawn amount. For CDs greater than 12 months, the fee is 180 days of interest on the withdrawn amount.

TAB Bank does not offer an interest rate guarantee. The interest rates on the day you open the CD is the rate you receive through the life of the CD term. If the interest rates increase shortly after you open the CD, you will not receive a higher rate.

TAB Bank offers a mobile app. The app is for checking and savings accounts. You can make transfers between these two accounts, but not to CD accounts.

Some of the interest rates for TAB Bank CDs may be promotional. The disclaimer says the offer is good on new CDs only. Check with customer service to see what interest rates are promotional to new CDs only.

TAB Bank is an online bank. Customer service is not available 24/7. They have specific hours. You can reach customer service through phone, email, or mail. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT. They are open on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. MT. You can follow TAB Bank on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Read the full TAB Bank review.

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