Savings

CD Ladder Planner

A CD ladder spreads your money across certificates of deposit that mature at regular intervals, so part of your cash becomes available every few months while the rest earns longer-term rates. Enter your amount, rungs and rates to plan it.

Example rates are filled in automatically. Replace them with your bank’s APY for each term.

RungTermAPY %AmountMaturesInterestValue at maturity
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DateEventAmount

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Why build a CD ladder

Regular access

Part of your money matures every few months.

Better rates

Most of the ladder earns longer-term rates.

Less rate risk

You reinvest at different times instead of all at once.

How to plan a CD ladder

  1. Enter the amountTotal to invest and the start date.
  2. Choose rungs and spacingFor example 5 rungs, 12 months apart.
  3. Enter the ratesType the APY your bank offers for each term.

How the ladder works over time

In the first cycle the rungs have different terms: 12, 24, 36 months and so on. When the shortest one matures you reinvest it at the longest term. After the first full cycle, every rung is a long-term CD, but one still matures every interval.

This gives you the higher yield of long CDs with the regular liquidity of short ones. If rates rise, your maturing rungs roll into the new, higher rates.

Rungs

The individual CDs.

Spacing

Time between maturities.

Rolling

Reinvesting at the longest term.

CD ladder FAQ

What is a CD ladder?

Instead of putting all your savings in one certificate of deposit, you split it across several with different terms, for example 1 to 5 years. One CD matures each year, giving you regular access to cash.

What happens when a rung matures?

You can spend the money or roll it into a new CD at the longest term in your ladder. After the first cycle, every CD is earning the long-term rate while one still matures each interval.

How is the interest calculated?

Using APY: value = amount x (1 + APY)^(years). APY already includes the effect of compounding.

Are the default rates real?

No, they are example rates. Replace them with the rates your bank or credit union offers for each term.

Can I withdraw early?

Usually only with an early withdrawal penalty, often several months of interest. A ladder reduces the need to break a CD early.

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