Each Sallie Mae CD offers competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CD accounts. Sallie Mae rates are much higher than typical bank rates. The longer the CD term the higher the interest rates offered. Sallie Mae’s five-year CD offers very competitive interest rates.

Sallie Mae offers a good variety of CD terms. The terms range from 6-months to 60-months. There are 11 CD terms in total. Sallie Mae offers CD terms in more than just traditional terms. Those term lengths include an 11-month CD, a 13-month CD, a 15-month CD, and a 30-month CD. These options allow customers to find the best fit for their money.

The CD interest rates for Sallie Mae CDs are not tiered. You do not have to have a large account balance to earn the most competitive rates available. Any balance above the required opening amount earns competitive interest rates.

Most CDs have a fee if you withdraw the money before the CD reaches maturity. The penalty for Sallie Mae CDs is less compared to other banks CD fees. The penalty for withdrawing money from CD terms 12-months or less is 90 days of interest. The fee for CDs over 12-months is 180 days of interest.

There is a set amount required to open Sallie Mae CDs. Each of the CD terms requires $2,500 to open. Make deposits through an electronic transfer or an e-deposit on the mobile app. You can also mail a check.

To earn interest on the Sallie Mae CDs, you must keep an account balance of $2,500. If your balance drops below that amount, you will not earn any interest. Sallie Mae CDs offer competitive interest rates if you keep that set balance.

Sallie Mae CDs do not come with a guarantee to lock in the best rate. The interest rate at the time you open the CD is the interest rate you receive for the life of the term. The rate you lock in is fixed for the life of the CD term.

Sallie Mae CDs must be linked to an external account to make electronic transfers. Once you link an external account, you can transfer money electronically. Customers can withdraw earned interest from the CD. To withdraw the interest, transfer the money into the linked external account.

Read the full Sallie Mae 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.