CD Ladder Optimizer.
Protect your cash from rate drops. Lock in high yields while maintaining regular access to your liquidity.
CD Ladder Optimizer
Maximize yield while maintaining liquidity with a rolling Certificates of Deposit strategy.
Ladder Configuration
A ladder divides your total investment into equal 'rungs' that mature at regular intervals.
Assumed APY Rates
Current national averages for high-yield online CDs in early 2026. You can edit these if you have specific quotes.
Calculating Rungs...
Ladder Blueprint
Blended (Average) APY
0.00%
Rung Allocation
$0
Invested per CD
Liquidity Frequency
Every --
One CD matures
Total Interest Generated (Initial Terms)
Get Our CD Rate Guide
Subscribe to the Daily Fiscal newsletter to receive our complete guide to laddering, plus the absolute highest CD rates available today.
✓ 100% Free. ✓ No Spam. ✓ Unsubscribe instantly.
Why Build a CD Ladder in 2026?
The Reinvestment Risk
If you put all your cash into a 6-month CD, and the Federal Reserve cuts rates sharply, you will be forced to reinvest all of your money at a much lower rate when the CD matures. A ladder prevents this "all-at-once" reinvestment risk.
The Liquidity Benefit
Putting everything in a 5-year CD locks your money up tight. A 5-year ladder (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5-year CDs) ensures that 20% of your money becomes available every single year without paying early withdrawal penalties. When a rung matures, you reinvest it into a new 5-year CD, "rolling" the ladder forward.
The Rolling Strategy
The true power of the ladder emerges in year two. Assume a standard 5-year ladder. In exactly 12 months, your 1-Year CD matures. You take that principal plus interest and buy a new 5-Year CD. Next year, the 2-Year CD matures, and you buy another 5-Year CD. Eventually, you own a portfolio consisting entirely of high-paying 5-Year CDs, but one matures every single year. You get long-term rates with short-term liquidity.
Lock in Your Yield
Don't let falling rates erode your savings. CIT Bank offers some of the most competitive CD rates in the industry, perfect for building a high-yield rolling ladder.
Partner: CIT Bank