Top CD Rates

This is be a part two of my four part series on banks in the states of the Vice Presidential/Presidential candidates. This post will focus on Joe Biden’s homestate; the banks of Delware and their CD Rates.

First thing you’ll notice is the banks in Delaware are some of the larger banks in the US and many of them are having financial problems. Joe so kindly helped pass a bail-out plan to help them out. AIG took the bail-out and then had a big party. Nice.

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On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed the Bail-out plan into law. Part of the package was an increase in the FDIC insurance limit to $250,000.00. At this time, however, it is only temporary. This part of the plan is set to expire on 12/31/2009.

In the meantime, as long as you keep the maturity of any new CDs before or on 12/31/09, you can increase your deposits at banks you already have funds at to a maximum of $250,000.00. Review your portfolio of CDs. Many of the current bank rates you have will still be paying a top CD rate. Go ahead and put more funds there.

If you are opening up jumbo CDs, just make sure you keep the principal and interest below the new FDIC insurance limit of $250,000.00. That way it is all insured.

Good luck and happy jumbo CD rate hunting.

CD Rates In USA

Now that the bail-out has failed it will be interesting to see what happens to the CD Rates in the USA. Apparently, the House of Representatives is closed for a few days to honor the Jewish Rosh Hashana holiday.

Two things could happen in the short-term. 1) USA CD Rates will rise. This is because banks are unwilling or unable to loan to each other. This will force the overnight rate well above the FOMC target of 2.00%. Banks will need to raise deposits and with so many competing against each other, CD rates will go up. Tomorrow being the end of the month and quarter, many USA banks will want to have their books looking healthy. If you have extra funds, do some searching and some calling. CD Brokers may be especially attuned to high CD Rate offers since many banks use them as a funding source.

2) CD Rates in the USA may go down. The Fed may be in the mood to lower rates to try to force the short-term rates down and encourage banks to lend to one another and open up their pipelines to people and businesses like you and me. This may work short-term, but unless a real fix comes through, rates will trickle back-up.

Here are some high interest CD Rates.
Corus Bank, IL: 1-year at 4.60% APY – 1-Star

Geauga Savings Bank, OH: 1-year at 4.61% APY – 2-Star

EverBank, FL: 1-year at 4.38% APY. — 4-Star

State Bank of India, NY: 2-year at 4.52% APY – 4-Star

Ratings by Bankrate.com

I’m sorry, but I just can’t jump on the band wagon for this bail-out. I know a lot of people are saying it is necessary or the American financial system will fail. Poppy-cock. Without the bail-out the cleansing that needs to take place will take place. With the bail-out more risky behaviour will be encouraged.

$700BB is a huge sum of money to add to an already out-of-control debt situation. Don’t do it. Please don’t do it.

I would keep your funds in a few on-line savings accounts and CDs. If you have some extra make some careful stock purchases, but be very careful.

This is America. We don’t need anymore bail-outs.

I thought it might be fun to feature banks in the home states of the current Presidential / Vice-Presidential candidates. As most of you know, the VP for the Republican Party is Sarah Palin from Alaska (AK).

This will be a four-part series and after I’m all done, I’ll try to draw some conclusions for the upcoming election. For now, here is a run-down of banks in Alaska and their CD Rates.

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