How much interest can a $50,000 3-year CD account earn if opened now?

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September 16, 2026 / 2:59 PM EDT / CBS News

A $50,000 balance in your savings account can be a lot or a little, depending on your financial circumstances and how you were ultimately able to acquire those funds. But whether that amount represents a substantial amount of your savings or just a fraction of it, you'll want to do your best to protect it and grow it as much as possible. That's especially true right now. Inflation is still considerably above the Federal Reserve's target 2% goal and interest rate hikes from the central bank are now back in play, which will inevitably lead to another spike in costs. Against this backdrop, a certificate of deposit (CD) account becomes a natural option to evaluate.

CDs have fixed interest rates, allowing you to rely on a guaranteed return that won't change even if market conditions do. Interest rates are also high, with those associated with 3-year terms some of the highest available currently. And by moving your $50,000 into an account with this term, specifically, you'll protect your money for…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/moneywatch/