MoneyReckon

CD Calculator

This CD calculator shows what your certificate of deposit will be worth at maturity. Enter your deposit, the APY and the term — because a CD rate is fixed for the whole term, your return is known the day you open it.

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Value at maturity
$0
Your deposit
$0
Interest earned
Balance Contributions Interest
Show year-by-year breakdown
PeriodAddedInterestBalance

Formula: standard compound-interest math. Figures are estimates, not financial advice.

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How a CD works (with a worked example)

A certificate of deposit locks in a fixed rate for a set term. You can’t add money after opening, but the rate is guaranteed — so your return is known the day you open it.

Worked example. Deposit $10,000 into a 3-year CD at a 4.25% APY. Held to maturity, it grows to about $11,357 — roughly $1,357 in interest. Nothing you do changes that number: unlike a savings account, the rate can’t drop mid-term. The trade-off is access — pull the money out early and you typically forfeit several months of interest.

The table below compares what a $10,000 deposit earns at different APYs and terms, so you can shop rates before you lock in.

APY1-year term3-year term5-year term
4.00%$400$1,270$2,210
4.50%$460$1,440$2,520
5.00%$510$1,615$2,835

Estimated interest on a $10,000 deposit, held to maturity. Use your CD’s exact APY for a precise figure.

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