Ep 31: Edu-Action: How to Build a Brokerage CD Ladder to Lock in Higher Rates for Your Cash

In the last episode (Ep. 30) of the Market MakeHer Podcast, we discussed how “The Fed” projects to cut interest rates 3 times by end of year. Hopefully, this means lower inflation, but it also means lower interest rates on your High Yield Savings Accounts as well.

Where can we stash our cash with higher interest rates for longer? Brokerage CDs!

One option is Brokerage CDs (certificate of deposit). This option is good especially if you have a very low risk tolerance and want to do something more than a HYSA that is a tad bit higher on the risk pyramid (Ep. 29), but still low-risk overall and locks in these higher yields we're currently seeing for a little bit longer.

We’ll teach you how to potentially lock in higher interest rates on your cash for longer with a Brokerage CD. You’ll also learn how to build a CD ladder! Watch the video on Spotify or our YouTube channel for visual how-tos. Otherwise, we’ll guide you through it with our words. 🎧🌚🌞

What is a regular CD?

CD = Certificate of Deposit (you normally see these at your bank or credit union where they offer you a decent interest rate on locking up a certain amount of cash with them for a certain amount of time, but did you know your brokerage firm can show you way more Bank CD options throughout the world and their current yields? Why only look at what your bank offers when you can see what 100s of banks are offering all at once!)

🔮 Takeaways:

• CD laddering is a low-risk strategy for parking cash and locking in higher interest rates.
• Brokerage CDs offer the advantage of a higher interest rate negotiated by the brokerage firm.
• Building a CD ladder involves structuring investments in different timeframes to ensure regular cash flow.
• Reinvesting and auto roll options allow for continuous investment and higher interest rates.
• Understanding the difference between T-bills, T-bonds, T-notes, and CDs is important for making informed investment decisions.
• Remember to keep your emergency fund separate - you don't want to lock up emergency money in a cage (or you can and just pay a penalty fee to get it out).

👩🏼‍🏫👩🏻‍🏫Edu-Action™

We’re starting our “edu-action series" where we show you exactly how-to do these different self-directed investing methods for yourself. Remember, even if you’re self-directed, you can ALWAYS call up your brokerage firm to have them help walk you through doing any of things for FREE. And investing is personal, so we’re not giving you advice, duh. We aim to empower you with tons of knowledge to help you come to the best strategy for your personal financial needs. 😉