Solid short term CD rates available in Tennessee

We were just tipped off on some fairly noteworthy short term CD rates (5 month CDs and 6 month CDs) with some annual percentage yields that are beating the current national average be decent margins. Because the current market for FDIC insured savings products is nothing short of abysmal, we’d recommend keeping your deposit investments in either short term bank CDs or liquid, interest-bearing accounts such as online savings accounts and/or money market accounts. (Side Note: Sallie Mae’s FDIC insured online savings account is currently offering the top rate at 1.10% APY)

If you happen to reside in Tennessee you may want to mosey over to your local Northeast Community Credit Union as they are offering both 5 month CDs and 6 month CDs with an APY of 1.00% (and a minimum deposit requirement of just $500). We know a 1.0% interest rate is nothing to get excited over, however, considering the national average for 6 month CDs sits at just 0.60% APY, we found these offers to be fairly lucrative by contrast.

Thanks to BankVibe.com reader Craig S. for tipping us off on these deals!

List of Deposit Products and Rates offered through NECCU:

Unfortunately for most of us, these offers are off the table due to geographical restrictions. To check out CD rates available nationally or in your area visit our CD Rate Center.

For further info on the above products visit bemyco.org.

Southeast Financial Credit Union CD Rates and Review

Southeast Financial Credit Union, based out of Chatanooga, Tennessee, has some fairly decent CD rates currently available to their members – so we thought we’d give a quick review and recap of their company and current deposit products.

SFCU was first established in 1936 as Tennessee Telco Credit Union and later becoming Southeast Financial. This move was enacted to better reflect the diverse composition of their growing membership. Today, Southeast Financial is one of the largest credit unions in the state of Tennessee. They have more than 60,000 members in several states, with an estimated potential membership of over 1,350,000. Their membership base includes employees of BellSouth, employees of the state of Tennessee, and more than 200 other select employee groups.

Southeast Financial assets total over $416 million. They are state chartered and federally insured through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund. They have the 5th largest MEMBERS Financial Services program in the country for investments/annuities.

Current CD Rates offered through Southeast Financial Credit Union:

To put the above offers in perspective, the current national averages for 6 month CDs, 12 month CDs, and 3 year CDs sits at roughly 0.78% APY, 1.14% APY and 1.90% APY, respectively.

Like all bank rates, these CD rates are time sensitive in nature, so please refer to the date of this article for accuracy. You can compare these rates with the best CD rates in Tennessee to see how they stack up!

Southeast Financial Credit Union has 17 branch locations, including branches in Athens, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Goodlettsville, LaVergne and Jackson, two locations in Brentwood, two in Franklin, two in Memphis, and four locations in Nashville. Outside the state of Tennessee, we have branches in Corinth, Mississippi, and Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union: CD Rates and Review

Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union based out of Clarksville, Tennessee has some superb short-term CD (certificate of deposit) rates. Currently, with a minimum deposit of $1,000 you can receive a 90 day or 3 month CD yielding 1.70% APY. To put this offer in perspective, the national average for 6 month CD rates only sits at 0.98% APY. Also, with a minimum deposit of $1,000, Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union is offering it’s members a 6 month CD yielding 1.90% APY.

To invest in any of these NCUA-insured (FDIC equivilent for credit unions) products you must first become a member.

Becoming A Member at Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union:

Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Montgomery or Stewart counties in Tennessee or Christian, Trigg or Todd counties in Kentucky.

Since 1954 Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union served the military and their families posted at Fort Campbell. They have since expanded to include offering their financial services to everyone in their local community. Today, the Credit Union has more than 36,000 members worldwide, with over $345 million in assets, offering a complete range of products and services.

CD (Certificate of Deposit) Rates offered by Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union

Best CD Rates in Memphis, TN: Top 3

Below are the highest yielding CD (certificate of deposit) rates available to the residents of Memphis, TN. The institutions we will cover all include the following cities in Tennessee: Oak Ridge, Johnson City, Mount Juliet, Mount Pleasant, Chattanooga, Kingsport, Jackson, Knoxville, and Nashville. These come in the form of 6 month CDs, 12 month CDs and 24 month CDs. After sorting through dozens of rate pages by local community banks and credit unions serving the city of Memphis as well as Tennessee, we found that for the most part, you will be able to receive slightly better rates with local institutions than with national ones.

Keep in mind interest rates are time-sensitive in nature, so you will want to refer to the date of this article for accuracy. To get the most CD current rates from national banks, compare CD rates nationwide. 

How did we compile this list? As you are probably aware, higher CD rates tend to accompany longer maturities and since we did not want to strictly list long maturity CD’s we decided to list the deposit rates which beat the national average by the highest margins.

Best 6 month CD rates in Memphis, TN:

• Wings Financial Credit Union (Memphis branch) has a 6 month CD yielding 2.38% APY with a minimum deposit of $500 required.
• INSOUTH Bank has a 6 month CD yielding 1.75% APY with a minimum deposit of $500 required. 
• Paragon National Bank has a promotional 11 month CD yielding 1.70% APY with a minimum deposit of $1,000 required.

Best 12 month CD rates in Memphis, TN:

• Wings Financial Credit Union has a 12 month CD yielding 2.68% APY with a minimum deposit of $500 required. 
• First Security Bank has a 16 month CD yielding 2.02% APY with a minimum deposit of $1,000 required.
• Covenant Bank has a 11 month CD yielding 2.0% APY with a minimum deposit of $1,000 required.

Best 24 month CD rates in Memphis, TN:

• Wings Financial Credit Union has a promotional 27 month CD yielding 3.09% APY with a minimum deposit of $500 required. Their 24 month CD yields 2.99% APY with the same min. deposit requirements.
• IBERIABANK has a 29 month CD yielding 2.70% APY with a minimum deposit of $1,000 required. 
• Hudson City Savings bank has a 24 month CD yielding 2.50% APY with a minimum deposit of $5,000 required. They are a national bank and can accept deposits from any state.

Tennessee certificate of deposit rates. Who offers the best?

Below are the top 3 CD rates available to the residents of Tennessee. After researching dozens of local, community-owned, credit unions and banks we found that many of these local institutions offer rates which beat those offered by larger national banks. However, this is not the case throughout the country. In much of the northeast, local banks and CU’s rates are less competitive than those offered by the national banks.

Because you will always find a higher rate associated with a longer maturity we took the rates that beat the national average by the highest margin. For the state of Tennessee, we found that the best CD rates come in the form of 12 month CDs, 24 month CDs, and 36 month CDs.

The institutions listed below may serve other state as well as Tennessee depending on their individual membership requirements. If you reside in the state and are looking for the highest yielding certificate of deposit rates you may want to search through rates offered by other states in the southeast as well (use our search bar to find individual states). You can then compare CD rates offered by national banks to ensure the best interest rate.

Top 3 CD rates (Tennessee)

(clicking on the institution will bring you to their rates page)

Consumer Credit Union: Morristown, TN. 12 month CD yielding 2.50% APY with a minimum deposit amount of $500. Consumer Credit Union is a not-for-profit member-owned credit union who passes it’s profits on to it’s members in the form of higher savings rates and lower mortgage rates. The average rate for 12 month CDs is currently around 1.75% APY. They also offer a very noteworthy 24 month CD which is yielding 3.0% APY. This rate substantially beats the national average as well. Who can join? Persons who live, work, worship or attend school in and legal entities located in Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson, Claiborne, Cocke and Hancock County, Tennessee.

Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union: Clarksville, TN. 24 month CD yielding 2.80% APY with a minimum deposit amount of $1,000. Like Consumer Credit Union, Fort Campell is a not-for-profit insitution who is owned by it’s members. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Montgomery or Stewart counties in Tennessee or Christian, Trigg or Todd counties in Kentucky.

Eastman Credit Union: Kingsport, TN. 36 month CD yielding 3.10% APY with a minimum deposit amount of $1,000. They will bump this rate up to 3.20% APY with a minimum deposit of $10k. You can join ECU if you live, work, worship, attend school, operate a business in one of the communities listed on their coverage maps, or are employed by one of their sponsor or contractor companies, or are a family member of one of their eligible members.

All of the institutions listed above are federally insured by the NCUA. If you live in Tennessee and know of a better rate offered by your local bank or CU please share by leaving a comment!