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Live Oak Bank VS Union Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Variety of Terms: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Required Opening Amount: 4.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
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Pros:

  • Good variety of CD terms offered
  • Competitive interest rates on all terms
  • CD terms require same opening amount
  • Early withdrawal penalty low

Cons:

  • No interest rate guarantee offered
  • Only one way to receive interest
  • Customer service has specific hours
  • Must link an external bank account
  • 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:

  • Variety of CD terms available
  • Competitive interest rates on accounts
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Can choose how to receive interest

Cons:

  • Cannot open CDs entirely online
  • No interest rate guarantee
  • Cannot make deposits during the term
  • Only standard CD terms available
Live Oak Bank CD Review

Live Oak Bank offers a good variety of CD terms. The terms range from six months to five years. There are seven different CD terms available from Live Oak Bank.

Each of the CD terms offers competitive interest rates. The interest rates are competitive with other online CDs. Live Oak Bank CDs offer rates much higher than typical bank rates. Even the six-month and one-year CD offer rates competitive with other online CDs.

Each of the CDs offered through Live Oak Bank has the same opening required amount. The seven terms each require $2,500 to open. Once you have the required opening amount, you can earn interest on any amount above that balance. You must completely fund your account with the $2,500 within 14 days of opening the account.

Live Oak Bank CDs has a low penalty for withdrawing money before the maturity date. If your CD term is less than 24 months, the penalty is 90 days of interest on the withdrawn amount. If your CD terms are 24 months or longer, the penalty is 180 days of interest on the withdrawn amount.

Live Oak Bank does not offer an interest rate guarantee when you open a CD. The interest rate on the day you open and fund your account is the rate you will receive on the CD. If the rates increase shortly after opening your account, your CD interest rate will not increase.

There is only one option for how to receive interest payments on your Live Oak Bank CDs. The interest credits each month. The money is deposited back into your CD. You can withdraw the interest earned on the CDs without a penalty.

Customer service for Live Oak Bank has limited availability and contact options. Customer service is available through phone, email, or mail. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. You can follow Live Oak Bank on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Applying for a Live Oak Bank CD is completely online. To successfully set up a CD you must link an external bank account. Once you finish the paperwork, Live Oak Bank will verify your external bank account. You then fund your account with an electronic transfer from an external bank account.

Read the full Live Oak Bank review.

Union Bank CD Review

Union Bank offers a variety of CD terms. The terms range from 91-days to 60-months. They provide standard CDs as well as agricultural CDs. These are for the farmers of Michigan who have their business accounts with Union Bank.

The Union Bank CDs offer interest rates that are competitive with other online CDs. They offer a special 15-month and a 36-month terms. These terms earn more competitive interest rates. These two CDs are promotional. The other CDs are not promotional and earn competitive rates.

The initial required amount to open standard Union Bank CDs is low. Each of the CD terms only requires $500 to open. The interest rates are not tiered. Any balance over $500 earns competitive interest rates.

You can choose how to receive the interest you earn off Union Bank CDs. You can have the interest added to the CD balance. You can have the money mailed to you in the form of a check. You can also have the interest deposited into another checking or savings account.

Union Bank CDs cannot be opened entirely online. You fill out the initial application online. Once the bank reviews your information, they will contact you. You then set up a time to go into a branch location to finish the account opening process. When you visit the branch, you will pay the initial opening amount.

Union Bank CDs do not offer an interest rate guarantee. If the rates increase shortly after you open a CD, you will not receive the higher rates. Union Bank CD rates are competitive with other online CDs.

The only deposit you can make into Union Bank CDs is the initial deposit when you open the CD. After that, you must wait until the CD reaches maturity to add money to the account. The CD will automatically renew unless you contact customer service to make changes.

The only personal CDs Union Bank offers are standard CD terms. They do not offer IRA, educational, no-penalty, or add on CDs. The standard CD terms range from 91-days to 60-months.

Read the full Union Bank review.

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