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Citizens Access VS First Internet Bank of Indiana

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 3.0 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • CD Rate Pledge guarantee
  • Good variety of CD terms offered
  • Encourages CD laddering

Cons:

  • High opening required amounts
  • Limited ways to fund your CD
  • Customer service sets up maturity plan
  • Only two ways to receive CD interest
  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 5.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon

Pros:

  • Competitive interest rates offered
  • Low opening required amount
  • Good variety of CD terms available
  • Variety of options on how to fund CDs

Cons:

  • Early withdrawal fees are high
  • Closing CDs may have a check fee
  • New customers need approval
  • Cannot transfer money from CDs
Citizens Access CD Review

Citizens Access CDs offer competitive interest rates. The rates are much higher than typical bank rates. Each of the CD terms offers interest rates competitive with other online CDs. The interest rates are not tiered. Any balance above $5,000 earns the most competitive interest rate offered.

Each Citizens Access CD comes with the CD Pledge Rate guarantee. Once you fund your CD, Citizens Access watches interest rates for ten days. The Rate Pledge guarantees you lock in the highest interest rate during that time. Once you lock in the highest interest rate, the rate stays the same for the entire term.

Citizens Access offers a good variety of CD terms. Those terms range from a six-month term to a five-year term. In all, Citizens Access offers seven CD term lengths.

Citizens Access encourages CD laddering. This means dividing up your investment between different term CDs. Dividing up your money can earn more interest. You can invest your money into short-term or long-term CDs. The Citizens Access website offers tools to help you understand CD laddering better.

The Citizens Access CDs have high opening required amounts. Each of the CD terms require $5,000 to open. The savings account also requires $5,000 to open.

There are limited ways to open and fund Citizens Access CDs. You cannot deposit cash or make a wire transfer into the CD. You can link an external bank account or deposit a check to fund the account. Make changes to the account during the 10-day grace period or once the CD reaches maturity.

To set up a maturity plan for your Citizens Access CD you need to call customer service. They can help you figure out what happens to your CD once it reaches maturity. Customer service has set hours they are available. Find the hours listed below.

Citizens Access offers two ways for customers to receive the interest earned on their CDs. You can choose to have the money added to the CD principal or transfer the money to another account. Those are the only two options for how to receive the interest earned.

Read the full Citizens Access review.

First Internet Bank of Indiana CD Review

The First Internet Bank CDs offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online accounts. First IB CDs offer interest rates much higher than typical bank rates. All the different CD terms offer competitive interest rates.

The amount required to open First Internet Bank CDs is low. CD terms requires $1,000. That amount is low compared to some online CD accounts. With that $1,000 required amount, you can open any of the First IB CD terms.

First Internet Bank offers a good variety of CD terms. The terms range from 3-months to 60-month CDs. They offer a total of eight CD account terms. All the CD terms are online CDs. You can apply for any term length online through the First IB website.

First Internet Bank offers a variety of ways to fund the CD. You can deposit money through an ACH transaction or deposit a check. You can set up a linked external account and make an electronic transfer. You can also send a wire or use a credit card for the initial funding of the CD. They do not accept third party checks.

First IB charges a fee for withdrawing money before the maturity date. The fees are high compared to other CD accounts. For three-month terms, the fee is 90 days of interest. For terms from 6-months to 18-months, the fee is 180 days of interest. The fee for CD terms from 24-months to 60-months is 360 days of interest.

First Internet Bank may charge a fee based on how you choose to receive your money from closed CDs. There is not a fee if you deposit the money into your First IB checking or savings account. If you request a check when you close your account, there is a $5 fee per check.

When you apply for an account, First IB must approve your account application. Once you complete the application, they will review your application. If you are approved, First IB sends an email within two business days after they review your account. If you already have a savings or checking account with First IB you do not need approval again.

First Internet Bank does not allow you to transfer money out of your CD accounts. They offer a fund transfer service, but their CD accounts are not eligible. Other First IB accounts charge a $5 fee to transfer money from a First IB account to an external account.

Read the full First Internet Bank of Indiana review.

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