Savers can still earn hundreds of dollars worth of interest with the right CD account size and term now.
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Temporarily sacrificing access to your money may not seem particularly advantageous right now, especially if you're considering doing so with a five-figure amount like $20,000. After all, inflation remains sticky and problematic, layoffs are surging and the prospect of additional interest rate cuts appears murky, at best. So locking your money away with a certificate of deposit (CD) account, for example, may not seem particularly advantageous now, especially after average rates here declined in 2025.
That said, the more you deposit into one of these accounts, the more interest you stand to earn. And while CD interest rates are not as profitable as they were around this time a year ago, they're still generally in the 4% range now, especially if you consider an online bank. That could equate to significant earnings on your money – and a baseline of protection that the fixed CD rate can offer in a way that other, variable-rate accounts simply cannot.
To better determine the benefit of opening a CD account of this size, it helps to know what it can potentially earn over the next year or so. Below, we'll complete the calculations.
See how much interest you could still be earning with a high-rate CD here.
How much will a $20,000 CD earn by December 2026?
Calculating the returns a CD account can provide is simple to do with accuracy, thanks to the fixed rate the account comes with. Here's what $20,000 CD account with a maturity date of one year will earn if opened now, in the final days of November 2025, calculated using three readily available rates:
- $20,000 CD account at 4.00%: $800.00 upon maturity
- $20,000 CD account at 4.05%: $810.00 upon maturity
- $20,000 CD account at 4.10%: $820.00 upon maturity
Savers stand to earn $800 or more, then, by making a $20,000 deposit into a 1-year CD right now. And that's guaranteed interest. Additionally, with a CD of this term length, savers won't have their money locked away for so long as to negate the benefits of other strategies, should they decide to shift their approach in 12 months. But they'll protect it against any 2026 market volatility at the same time.
Start protecting your money with a high, fixed-rate CD online now.
How much will a $10,000 CD earn by November 2026?
While researching CD account options and shopping for CD accounts online may take the rest of November, other savers may be ready to act right now, albeit with a lower deposit amount. How much will a $10,000 CD account, for example, earn by this time next year, approximately? Here are the returns to know now:
- $10,000 CD account at 4.00%: $400.00 upon maturity
- $10,000 CD account at 4.05%: $405.00 upon maturity
- $10,000 CD account at 4.10%: $410.00 upon maturity
So, if you want the same protections and benefits the $20,000 CD account offers but only want to deposit half of the money, a CD of this length and size can still clearly be beneficial.
The bottom line
A $20,000 CD account opened now can result in earnings of around $800, approximately, by the time it matures at the end of 2026. While that may not be as robust as an account of this size and length may have earned a few years ago, it's still a sizable return for little effort on behalf of the saver. So, consider your CD account options carefully now. These accounts, with a strategic approach and correct deposit amount, can still be valuable for many savers.
Edited by Angelica Leicht
