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PenFed Credit Union VS Luana Savings Bank

Which bank is better for you?

  • 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
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Pros:

  • Low opening required amounts
  • Good variety of CD terms available
  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Can choose how to receive interest

Cons:

  • Must become a member first
  • Can only open standard CDs online
  • No interest rate guarantee for CDs
  • Early withdrawal fees are high
  • Financial Rates: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 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 available
  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Step Up and Add CDs available
  • Most opening amounts are low

Cons:

  • CDs have tiered interest rates
  • Does not offer interest rate guarantee
  • Opening required amounts vary
  • Cannot open CD completely online
PenFed Credit Union CD 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.

Luana Savings Bank CD Review

Luana Savings Bank offers a good variety of CD terms. The terms range from three-months to five-years. They offer a variety of CD types as well. Along with regular CDs, they offer CDs with rate increases. They also offer a CD specifically for children under 18.

The interest rates for Luana Savings Bank CDs are competitive. Their rates are slightly lower than other online CDs, but still competitive. Luana CD interest rates are higher than typical bank interest rates. Even the shorter-term CDs offer competitive interest rates.

Luana Savings Bank offers a Step Up and Add CD. This CD is available in a 26-month term. The opening required amount is $5,000. Any amount above $5,000 earns the most competitive rate. This is also true for the special nine-month CD. Amounts above $5,000 earns the competitive rate.

Most of the Luana Savings Bank CDs have low opening required amounts. A good portion of the CD terms only require $1,000 to open. The CD for children only requires $500. You must keep the opening required balance in the account to earn interest.

The CDs offered through Luana Savings Bank have tiered interest rates. To earn the most competitive rate, you must have a high account balance. Most of the CD terms require a balance of $100,000 to earn the most competitive interest rate. Lower balances still earn good rates, just not the most competitive.

Luana Savings Bank CDs do not offer an interest rate guarantee. The interest rate on the day you open the account is the rate your CD earns for the life of the term. If interest rates increase shortly after you open your account, your rate will not increase.

The required amounts to open Luana CDs vary depending on the CD term. The regular CD accounts typically require $1,000 to open. A few special CDs require $5,000 to open. The CD for kids requires $500 to open. These amounts are required to open the CD. To earn the best rate requires a much higher balance.

You can apply for Luana Savings Bank CDs online, but the process takes some time. To apply for a CD, you fill out the necessary information. The paperwork is then submitted to a Luana employee. They will contact you within one business day to discuss your application.

Read the full Luana Savings Bank review.

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