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USAA VS Home 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:

  • Good variety of CD terms
  • Low opening required amounts
  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • Can open accounts online

Cons:

  • Jumbo CDs have high opening amount
  • Link another account to CDs
  • Membership required to open accounts
  • Does not offer interest rate guarantee
  • 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:

  • Good variety of CD terms available
  • Competitive interest rates on CDs
  • CDs renew automatically
  • Early withdrawal fees low

Cons:

  • High opening required amounts
  • Must schedule CD closure before maturity
  • All banking needs must be done online
  • Does not offer interest rate guarantee
USAA CD Review

USAA provides a good variety of CD terms. The terms range from three-months to seven-years. They offer fixed-rate CDs, jumbo and super jumbo CDs, and variable-rate CD terms. Each of these types of CDs offers different term lengths.

The standard fixed-rate CDs have low opening required amounts. Each of those CD terms requires $1,000 to open and earn interest. The standard CD terms range from 91-days to seven years. The variable-rate CDs only require $250 to open.

The USAA standard fixed-rate CDs offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online CDs. They are much higher than the typical bank rates. These CD interest rates are not tiered. Any amount above the required opening amount earns competitive rates.

Everything for your USAA accounts can be done online. You can apply to become a member online. Once you are approved, you can open their CDs and other accounts online. They also offer a mobile app.

The jumbo and super jumbo CDs with USAA have high opening required amounts. The jumbo CDs require $95,000 to open. Super jumbo CDs require $175,000 to open. Standard CDs require $1,000 to open.

To transfer money electronically into your USAA CD, you must link another account. This linked account can be an external account or another account with USAA. Once the account is verified, you can transfer money electronically.

To open accounts with USAA, you must first become a member of the bank. Those who are eligible to join include active military and former military members. Eligible family members of those serving, cadets, and midshipmen are also able to join.

USAA CDs offer competitive rates, but not an interest rate guarantee. If the interest rates increase shortly after you open your CD, your USAA rates will not increase. Each of the CD terms offers competitive rates.

Read the full USAA review.

Home Savings Bank CD Review

Home Savings Bank offers a good variety of CD terms. They offer online only terms for those who do not live by a branch location and in-branch terms for those who do. There are a total of seven different CD terms for each type. The terms range from six-months to 60-months.

The CDs with Home Savings Bank offer competitive interest rates. The rates are much higher than typical bank rates. They are competitive with other online CD rates. Even the short-term CDs offer rates competitive with other short-term online CDs.

Home Savings Bank CDs will automatically renew after the CD reaches maturity. If you wish to keep your money in your Home Savings Bank CD, you do not have to contact customer service. The CD will automatically renew to the same CD term length. The rate will be determined on the day the CD renews.

The early withdrawal fees are low compared to other online CD accounts. For terms from six-months to 15-months, the fee is three months of interest on the withdrawn amount. For terms longer than 15-months, the fee is six-months of interest on the withdrawn amount.

The opening required amounts for Home Savings Bank CDs are high. Each CD term requires $5,000 to open. You can open any of the CD terms online with this set required amount. You must keep $5,000 in the CD to earn interest.

You cannot close your Home Savings Bank CD during the grace period. You must specify you want to close the account before the CD reaches maturity. You can set up to close your CD 30 days prior to the CD maturity date up to the day before maturity. Upon maturity, the money transfers into the initial account the money transferred from. Set up CD closure through online banking.

Home Savings Bank has specific online accounts. All activity for those accounts must be through online banking. Those activities include opening and closing CDs and all inquiries about the accounts. There is a $10 fee per transaction if any of this activity is done in a branch location.

Home Savings Bank does not offer an interest rate guarantee. The interest rate on the day you open the account is the rate you receive for the CD term. If the rates increase shortly after you open the CD, your interest rate will not increase.

Read the full Home Savings Bank review.

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