What happens when your CD account matures?

Certificates of deposit (CD) accounts have unique features that many other savings vehicles lack. Right now, they have interest rates in the 4% to 4.50% range, which makes them many times more profitable than traditional savings accounts with rates under half a percentage point. And, unlike high-yield savings accounts, which have variable rates, CD rates are fixed, allowing savers to earn that elevated return for months or even years, regardless of any volatility in the interest rate climate during that CD term. 

But what happens, exactly, when that CD term runs out and the account hits its maturity date? And what should savers be prepared to do that, particularly in today’s still-elevated rate climate? That’s what we’ll help answer below.

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What happens when your CD account matures?

While each banking institution may have a slightly different approach, here’s what typically happens when your CD account matures:

• The bank will notify you before the maturity date that it’s quickly approaching. This often happens a few weeks before the maturity date. At this point, you can and should tell the bank about your plans for the money.
• When the maturity date arrives, the interest earned to date will be added to your principal deposit. But the money won’t be moved into a traditional savings account or any other type. Instead, it will stay in the account, where you will regain access, for a limited grace period (typically a few weeks). 
• During this period you can move the funds to another account, withdraw them completely or let the money and the interest earned to date stay put. Many lenders will then “rollover” the account into a new CD with a similar term length. This should be approached carefully, however, as it may get rolled into an account with less favorable interest rates and terms than what was secured when first opened. So be diligent in your approach and ask questions in advance to avoid this realistic scenario.

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What should you do if your CD account matures in 2025?

Unfortunately for savers, the interest rate climate of early 2025 is not as beneficial as it was in 2024 or 2023. But that doesn’t mean you still don’t have attractive options. If your CD account is approaching a 2025 maturity date, you may want to consider one or more of the following options:

Move the funds into a long-term CD: Long-term CDs, which have terms of 18 months to 10 years, will allow you to lock in an elevated rate for an extended period. While rates on these accounts are slightly lower than what’s available with short-term CDs, thanks to the longer term, you’ll earn more money upon maturity.

Get started with a long-term CD here.

Move the funds into a high-yield savings account: High-yield savings accounts have rates competitive with the top CDs and they won’t require you to forego access to your funds as you would with a CD. As noted, however, rates here are variable and positioned to decline if the Federal Reserve issues additional interest rate cuts later this year as expected.

Split the funds among multiple CDs: If you want to take advantage of today’s elevated CD rate climate but want to still maintain flexibility, consider laddering your funds among multiple CDs. This involves splitting your money into different CDs with different maturity dates, allowing you to take advantage of today’s elevated rates while still keeping your funds relatively accessible for the future.

The bottom line

A CD maturity date doesn’t have to mean the end of high-interest rate returns. In today’s evolving rate climate, however, savers may need to be a bit more strategic. This means not letting your funds automatically rollover (unless the new terms and rates are also beneficial). And it means exploring alternatives like long-term CDs, high-yield savings accounts and laddering multiple accounts simultaneously. This will allow you to earn a substantial return both now and, possibly. over the months and years to come.