Ways to Save: Certificate Ladders, Barbells and Bullets
WHAT’S A CERTIFICATE?
Certificates are an alternative to traditional savings accounts. When you open a certificate, you deposit your funds for a set period of time–months or years–in exchange for a higher rate of return than you’d receive from a traditional savings account.
CERTIFICATE LADDER
A certificate ladder is one of three certificate savings strategies. “Stacking” certificates on a “ladder” helps you secure competitive rates while retaining flexibility in when and how you access your funds. Start by determining the total amount of money you want to save in certificates. Then, identify three to five certificates with competitive rates and different maturity dates.
Note: A certificate matures at the end of the listed time period. It’s at this point your funds become available for you to withdraw. For example, a 6-month certificate opened in January would mature in July.
Next, open each certificate. Here’s an example of how to distribute your funds:
- July 2023: Save $1,000 in a 1-year certificate
- July 2023: Save $1,000 in a 2-year certificate
- July 2023: Save $1,000 in a 3-year certificate
When the 1-year certificate matures, renew it as a three-year certificate. Continue doing this with each certificate when it reaches maturity. Once you’ve renewed all your certificates, your ladder is set up.
- July 2024: Renew the maturing 1-year certificate as a 3-year certificate
- July 2025: Renew the maturing 2-year certificate as a 3-year certificate
- July 2026: Renew the maturing 3-year certificate as a 3-year certificate
After setting up your ladder, one certificate will reach maturity each year. If you need the funds, you can withdraw the money from the matured certificate without penalty. If you don’t need the funds, renew the certificate to continue building your ladder. Assuming you don’t withdraw the funds, here’s how your certificate ladder would look at the during the second round of renewals:
- July 2027: Renew the maturing 3-year certificate as another 3-year certificate
- July 2028: Renew the maturing 3-year certificate as another 3-year certificate
- July 2029: Renew the maturing 3-year certificate as another 3-year certificate
Each time a certificate is up for renewal, you can choose to withdraw your funds. That’s the advantage of a certificate ladder: You’ll secure competitive rates and have access to a portion of your funds every year.
If you’re looking for a shorter time commitment, build a mini-ladder made up of certificates with shorter maturity periods. You might start with a 6-month, 12-month and 14-month certificate.
CERTIFICATE BARBELL
Need a new gym buddy? Use your savings! When you set up a certificate barbell, you balance the often-higher rates of long-term certificates with the shorter commitment of short-term certificates.
First define the amount you’d like to save. Then, choose two certificates with different maturity dates. Split your funds evenly between both certificates. Assuming your budget is $3,000, here’s how that could look:
- July 2023: Open a 6-month certificate with $1,500
- July 2023: Open a 36-month certificate with $1,500
Your 6-month certificate will mature in January 2023, at which point you’ll regain access to those funds. If you need the funds, you can withdraw them. Meanwhile, your 36-month certificate mature for another two-and-a-half years. Then, the 36-month certificate will mature and those funds–plus the funds you earned at the higher rate–will become available.
Because financial institutions are competing for deposits, rates for short-term certificates are higher than usual. This means that if you set up a certificate barbell right now, you may find that rates on long-term certificates are not higher than short-term certificates. If you decide to implement a certificate barbell strategy while rates are high for short-term certificates, look for a “medium-term” certificate that has a more competitive rate. For example, a 36-month “medium-term” certificate might have a higher rate than a 72-month certificate while financial institutions compete for deposits.
As the competition for deposited funds reduces over time, so will the rates for short-term certificates. When short-term certificate rates return to typical levels, this savings strategy may become more useful.
CERTIFICATE BULLET
When you’re saving for a milestone life expense, a certificate bullet can help. You might want to save for a down payment on a home or college tuition. Or maybe you’re paying for a wedding or that dream vacation. With a certificate bullet, your savings strategy centers around a specific date of maturity, working towards your goal in phases.
To set up a certificate bullet, first choose a target date for your goal. Then, buy your first certificate, making sure it matures on your target date.
- 2023: Buy a 5-year certificate with $2,000
You’ll ultimately buy multiple certificates that mature at the same time, but you don’t need to buy them all at once. As you save additional funds, open additional certificates. Here’s an example of how this strategy could look, assuming you’re saving for a $10,000 goal in 2028:
- 2024: Buy a 4-year certificate with $1,000. Your 5-year certificate is still maturing, earning you money!
- 2025: Buy a 3-year certificate with $3,000. Surprise bonus at work! Buy another 3-year certificate with $1,000. Your 4- and 5-year certificates are still maturing, earning you money!
- 2026: Buy a 2-year certificate with $2,500. Both of your 3-year certificates are still maturing, earning you money! Your 4- and 5-year certificates are still maturing, earning you money!
- 2027: Buy a 1-year certificate with $500. Your 5-, 4-, 3- and 2-year certificates are still maturing, earning you money!
- 2028: All your certificates have matured.
In 2028, your certificates will all mature at the same time. At that point, you can withdraw the funds to spend on your savings goal.
Note: Because you saved your funds in certificates–often higher-paying than traditional savings accounts–you’ll have extra budget available.
Overall, certificates are a great, reliable option for building your savings. If you need regular access to your funds, though, certificates to be the best fit: Withdrawing your funds before a certificate matures may result in a penalty fee. However, if you commit to saving your funds for a set period of time, certificates can be a reliable, competitive option, especially when you leverage saving strategies to maximize your return.
