The initial amount required to open standard Citizens Trust Bank CDs is low. All the standard CDs only require $500 to open. The jumbo CDs require $100,000 to open.

Citizens Trust Bank offers a variety of CD terms. The terms range from seven days to 60-months. There is a total of ten standard CD terms offered. The jumbo CDs also offer the same ten CD terms.

The CD terms offered through Citizens Trust Bank can be opened online. The application is online and completed entirely online.

The statements for Citizens Trust Bank accounts are free. To receive the free statements, signup to receive them electronically. If you wish to receive a statement in the mail, there is a fee of $5 per statement cycle.

The interest rates for Citizens Trust Bank are not competitive with other online CDs. These CD rates are competitive with typical bank rates. The interest rates are not tiered. Any amount over $500 earns the highest rate offered for Citizens Trust Bank CDs.

The jumbo Citizens Trust Bank CDs do not offer any higher interest rates. To open a jumbo CD requires $100,000. These rates are not competitive with other jumbo online CDs. The jumbo rates are not higher than the Citizens Trust Bank standard CD rates.

The short-term CDs hardly earn interest. The seven-day to 31-day terms, 90-day term, and six-month term earn very low interest. These term rates are similar to typical bank savings accounts. Online CDs earn much higher interest.

There are specific hours Citizens Trust Bank operates. Customer service is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. You can call or email customer service. Citizens Trust Bank does offer some branch locations.

Read the full Citizens Trust Bank review.

The opening required amount for PenFed CDs is low. Each standard and IRA CD terms only require $1,000 to open. The education CDs only require $500 to open. You can open the CDs online or in a branch location.

There are a good variety of CDs available through PenFed. They offer nine standard CD terms from six months to seven years. Their IRA CDs and educational savings certificates terms range from one to seven years.

Each CD term with PenFed offers competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CDs. The standard, IRA, and education CDs interest rates are competitive. They are higher than the typical bank interest rates.

There is more than one way to choose how to receive interest payments earned from your PenFed CDs. You can have the money added to the CD or another account. You can choose to have the money sent to you in a check. You can receive the interest earned monthly or when the CD matures.

To open a CD with PenFed, you must first become a member of the credit union. If you have or are currently serving in the military, you can become a member. Living in certain areas or being a member of set organizations qualifies you. If you work for the U.S. government or other organizations, you are eligible as well. If you do not meet any of these requirements, you can pay a $5 fee. Once you are a member, you can apply for accounts.

PenFed offers standard CDs, IRA CDs, and educational CDs. Members can only open standard CDs online. To open the other types of CDs, you must visit a branch location or contact customer service. All the standard CD terms are available to open online.

The standard PenFed CDs do not offer an interest rate guarantee. If you open a CD and the interest rates increase shortly after, your interest rates will not increase. The PenFed standard CDs offer competitive interest rates.

The early withdrawal fees for PenFed CDs are high. If you withdraw money early from a six-month CD, you will lose all your interest. For CD terms longer than six-month the fee is all interest earned if withdrawn in the first year. After the first year, the fee is 30 percent of what would have been earned if the CD had reached maturity.

Read the full PenFed Credit Union review.