There's a good reason people choose to use investments and savings products to reach retirement and other financial goals rather than keeping all their cash in one spot. Certain types of accounts are designed to help your money grow over time, giving you the benefits of
Two tools you might consider are certificates of deposit (CDs), which are a type of investment, and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), which are accounts that hold investments, sometimes including CDs. Both have qualities that make them attractive to savers—they help you store your money out of reach for future use and tend to grow over time.
But when thinking about whether to put your money into a CD vs. IRA, you'll discover these two differ in their time horizons, relative liquidity, risk level and growth potential. Read on to explore when a CD or an IRA is better for you—or why you might choose both—depending on your individual savings goals.
The basics of CDs
A
During this time, called the "term," you earn interest at a set rate that, while initially based on market conditions, doesn't fluctuate based on market activity. For this reason, CDs are considered low-risk. Plus, the money held at financial institutions is generally either insured by the
You can't withdraw money from your CD before the end of the term, called the "maturity date," without paying a penalty. But as a trade-off, CDs usually have better interest rates than standard savings accounts.
CDs are generally considered best for short- to medium-term needs, such as saving for a vacation or a large purchase, since they mature within months or years.
The basics of IRAs
An
- 2023: $6,500 if you're younger than 50 or $7,500 if you're 50 or older.
- 2024: $7,000 if you're younger than 50 or $8,00 if you're 50 or older.
The money you put in your IRA is invested in the market based on your selections of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and more, even including CDs. This can be aligned to your risk tolerance and investment style, whether conservative, aggressive or somewhere in between. Your IRA may have FDIC or NCUA insurance if it's held at a bank or credit union. But if it's held with an investment firm, protection may depend on the firm's membership with the
IRAs are designed to discourage withdrawing from them until you turn 59½. Unless you meet
Regardless of which kind you use, IRAs are best suited for meeting your long-term needs.
CD vs. IRA differences
CDs and IRAs both help you save money while enjoying benefits you might not get with other investments or types of accounts. However, each has unique advantages: An IRA offers a wider range of options for risk and returns as well as a long time horizon (the point at which you plan to use the money). A CD is a shorter-term vehicle for near-term goals with a fixed interest rate and low risk.
Time horizons: CDs for short-term goals, IRAs for long-term goals
When deciding whether to put money into a CD or into your overall IRA holdings, consider your goal and when you expect to tap your savings.
If you have a near-term goal, such as putting a down payment on a house in two years or growing a certain amount in interest to use for charitable giving every six months, a CD may be the way to go. While CD interest rates may not be as high as the potential of IRA returns, CDs are stable and predictable throughout their short terms.
IRA investments may go through years of ups and downs and have no guarantees.
Relative liquidity: CDs for more, IRAs for less
Another factor to consider is how quickly and easily you may need to access your money; that is, its liquidity. Both CDs and IRAs expect you to keep money in them for a specified time and have penalties if you withdraw early.
But with CDs, you can more easily access your money because they're for a shorter term. When a CD term ends, you can leave it, add to it, or take out some or all of it and put it elsewhere entirely.
By comparison, most people don't plan to touch any money in an IRA until after reaching age 59½ or in specific penalty-free circumstances.
Risk tolerance & growth potential: CDs for less, IRAs for more
CDs are considered low-risk savings vehicles because you can't lose money (except in cases where you withdraw early and face penalties). Even if the market falters during your CD term, you still get the rate you locked in when you opened the account. But this low risk also means there's no potential for gain beyond the stated rate until the CD matures. And during that time, you may or may not find better rates.
IRAs, however, are investment accounts whose
Comparing CDs & IRAs at a glance
| CD | IRA |
Contributions | Usually a one-time deposit upon opening, subject to minimums and maximums set by the institution | Can be one-time or ongoing, subject to an annual maximum set by the IRS |
Potential for gains | Fixed interest rate that tends to be incrementally higher for longer terms | Variable returns depending on investment choices |
Liquidity | Discouraged until maturity date | Discouraged until age 59½ |
Ideal time horizon | Short- to medium-term (typically 3 months to 5 years) | Long-term (typically retirement) |
Risk tolerance | Low risk | Varies based on investment choices, but generally mid-level risk |
Is a CD or an IRA better for you?
Comparing your CD vs. IRA options is easier when you know what goals you want to achieve with your savings. If you're saving for a near-term goal, a CD may be a better fit than contributing to an IRA, where your money is generally meant to stay until retirement.
When your main goal is to save generally for your potential future needs or if you're close to retirement and want your mix to lean more predictable than volatile, there's a case to be made for either a CD, an IRA or both. It's a matter of balancing which tool has the right time horizon, accessibility, risk level and growth potential for you.
An experienced