Calculate total interest earned from a CD ladder with 3–5 rungs. Enter your investment, term APYs, and see blended rate, per-CD amounts, and maturity schedule.
Added Jun 16, 2026
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A CD ladder splits your savings across multiple CDs with staggered maturity dates. Each year, one CD matures — giving you liquidity — and you reinvest it into the longest rung to capture higher rates. This calculator shows total interest earned and a per-rung breakdown.
Splitting $20,000 into five $4,000 CDs earns a blended APY of about 4.16% — more than a single 1-year CD, with annual liquidity as each rung matures.
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A CD ladder is a savings strategy where you divide your money across multiple CDs with different maturity dates — e.g. 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year CDs. Each year, one CD matures, giving you access to cash and the option to reinvest at the current rate. This avoids locking all your money into a single term and keeps one CD maturing every year.
A single long-term CD locks your money away for years. If rates rise, you miss out. A ladder gives you annual liquidity and lets you reinvest at higher rates when each rung matures. Over time, the average return is similar to the long term but with much better flexibility.
CDs at FDIC-insured banks are insured up to $250,000 per depositor per institution (and $500,000 for joint accounts). Credit union CDs are insured by NCUA to the same limits. They are among the safest savings vehicles available.
Most CDs charge an early withdrawal penalty — typically 3 months of interest for short-term CDs and 6–12 months for longer terms. With a CD ladder, only one rung matures each year, so you have limited access to penalty-free cash at any given time. For money you may need quickly, keep an emergency fund in a high-yield savings account.