Term Deposits
Are term deposits safe as houses?
If you’re saving for a home loan deposit, a term deposit could be a smart place to park your spare cash.
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Now showing 1 - 6 of 6 term deposits
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Product | Max rate | Min. deposit | Company | Interest rate | Next rate increased | Features | Go to site | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.50% p.a for 60 months | $1,000 |  Personal Term Deposit | 2.00% p.a for 6 months | Automatic Maturity Rollover Early Withdrawal Available Is Covered By Government Gurantee Joint Application Available Maturity Alert By Email Maturity Alert By Phone | More details | |||
2.00% p.a for 3 months | $250,000 |  Term Deposit ($250k+) | 2.00% p.a for 3 months | Automatic Maturity Rollover Early Withdrawal Available Is Covered By Government Gurantee Joint Application Available Maturity Alert By Email Maturity Alert By Phone | More details | |||
1.70% p.a for 3 months | $1,000 |  Term Deposit | 1.70% p.a for 3 months | Automatic Maturity Rollover Early Withdrawal Available Is Covered By Government Gurantee Joint Application Available Maturity Alert By Email Maturity Alert By Phone | More details | |||
1.60% p.a for 7 months | $5,000 |  Advance Notice Term Deposit | 1.45% p.a for 3 months | Automatic Maturity Rollover Early Withdrawal Available Is Covered By Government Gurantee Joint Application Available Maturity Alert By Email Maturity Alert By Phone | More details | |||
1.60% p.a for 5 months | $1,000 | Green Term Deposit | 1.15% p.a for 2 months | Automatic Maturity Rollover Early Withdrawal Available Is Covered By Government Gurantee Joint Application Available Maturity Alert By Email Maturity Alert By Phone | More details | |||
1.25% p.a for 60 months | $5,000 | Term Deposit | 0.85% p.a for 3 months | Automatic Maturity Rollover Early Withdrawal Available Is Covered By Government Gurantee Joint Application Available Maturity Alert By Email Maturity Alert By Phone | More details |
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If you’re looking to open a term deposit, it likely means you’re ready to build your savings and expand your investment portfolio.
You might be looking for interest rates for term deposits over $5,000, or a deposit with no minimum balance required. Either way, it’s important to understand how your money will earn you interest.
How is interest calculated?
The amount of interest your term deposit will earn depends on the deposit amount, term length, and interest rate. A fixed interest rate essentially signifies the percentage of your original deposit that you’ll earn in interest each year. That means that a $5,000 deposit earning an interest rate of 4 per cent will earn four per cent of $5,000 – or $200 per year.
You can also use a term deposits calculator to discover how much you can earn using specific amounts and rates. You can also estimate the interest on your own by multiplying your deposit amount, interest rate, and term length. For example, if you invest $5,000 at 4 per cent interest for one year, you’ll earn $200 in interest.
Are there different types of interest I should know about?
The interest rate is one of the most important components of your term deposit, so it’s essential that you understand your options. There are two types of interest you might encounter when opening a term deposit. The first of these is simple interest.
Simple interest is paid as a fixed percentage of the original amount of the deposit. For example, a term deposit of $5,000 at a simple interest rate of 3 per cent will earn $150 annually.
The second type of interest is compound interest. With compound interest, your earnings are reinvested so that the interest itself can earn interest. Compound interest will earn you more in the long run because your interest is able to earn you more interest.
How do I make the most interest from my term deposit?
When you invest over $5,000 in a term deposit, you want to get the most back in return. All term deposits pay interest, but making the most interest possible is a matter of securing a high rate and extending the term length.
The first step in making the most of your $5,000 term deposit is finding the highest interest rate on the market. A higher interest rate will earn you more interest no matter how much money you invest, so doing your research is essential. Start by comparing term deposits to find the highest interest rate available. Securing a high rate will ensure you make the most of your term deposit.
The second step is to determine how long your term should be. Generally, when the term is lengthened, the deposit will earn more interest. However, it’s important to remember that penalties will usually apply for early withdrawal, so only commit your $5,000 investment for as many months or years as you can afford.
Nick Bendel is RateCity’s property and personal finance editor, and covers property, loans, credit cards, superannuation, and other bank products. Nick has previously written for The Adviser, Mortgage Business, Smart Property Investment, Elite Agent, Lifehacker, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, and InvestorDaily, and loves getting elbow-deep in the latest ABS, APRA and RBA data.
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Are term deposits covered by the Australian government guarantee?
Yes, term deposits are covered by the Australian government guarantee.
Under the Financial Claims Scheme, the Australian government guarantees term deposits up to $250,000, capped at one person, per financial institution.
This means that your term deposit (if it’s $250,000 or less) is protected in the unlikely event the bank, building society or credit union collapses.
If you have more than $250,000 in a term deposit with one the one bank, for example, then only up to $250,000 of your principal is covered.
If you’ve got more than $250,000 and you wish to invest in a term deposit, you could consider dividing your money between term deposits and banks (limiting each deposit to $250,000 per bank).
That way all of your deposits are protected by the Australian government guarantee and you will not suffer any financial losses.
Which bank has the best term deposit rates?
If you’ve been shopping around for a term deposit, you might be wondering which bank has the best term deposit rates.
Term deposit rates will generally be affected by the amount you choose to deposit and whether you opt for a short or long term deposit.
Longer term deposits tend to have higher interest rates than shorter terms. The trade-off for earning a higher interest rate on your term deposit is that you can’t access your funds for the duration of the term deposit.
When comparing which bank has the best term deposit rates, it pays to do your research and compare how your funds will fare over the short and long term.
Unlike home loans or savings accounts which give you the option of fixed or variable rates, term deposits are always fixed, which means you get a guaranteed amount of interest over the term of the deposit.
What is the best interest rate for a fixed term deposit?
The best interest rate for a fixed term deposit changes all the time, as interest rates move up and down and banks compete with each other to win market share.
To find the best interest rate for a fixed term deposit, it’s helpful to understand how interest rates are applied to term deposits.
There are three factors that determine the fixed interest of term deposits:
- The size of your deposit
- The duration of the term
- The frequency of interest paid
Term deposits vary in duration from one month to five years or more. Interest rates generally work on a sliding scale; shorter terms get a lower rate, longer terms get a higher rate.
Here are a couple of examples of how interest is applied to term deposits.
- A $10,000 term deposit taken out over 12 months, with interest paid at maturity, might receive a fixed interest rate of 2.20 per cent.
- A $10,000 fixed term deposit taken out over 12 months, with interest paid quarterly, might receive a fixed interest rate of 2.00 per cent.
Using the size of your deposit, the duration of the term and how often you want to be paid interest, you can shop around for the best interest rate for a fixed term deposit.
Are term deposits safe?
Term deposits can be a great way to build your savings, but before you invest, you might have one important question. Are term deposits safe?
When it comes to investing your money, you can choose between high-risk and low-risk options. High-risk options tend to have a better potential payout, but you also risk earning no profit at all or even losing your original investment.
Low-risk options tend to earn less profit than high-risk options, but they’re also safer, with little to no risk of losing money. Term deposits fall into the low-risk category.
Term deposits are safe because they’re low-risk, but they’re also protected by the Australian government’s Financial Claims Scheme. This government guarantee will insure your deposit for up to $250,000 per person, per institution, meaning that even if the bank collapses, the government will reimburse you for your deposit.
Can you add money to a term deposit?
When you open a term deposit, you agree to lock your money away for a set period and earn a fixed amount of interest during that period.
Where everyday transaction accounts give you the flexibility to deposit and withdraw funds as frequently as you like, term deposits trade flexibility for higher interest rates.
Once your funds are deposited in a term deposit, they’re fixed for the length of the term, meaning you can’t add additional funds midway through the term.
When the term deposit matures, you may have the option to add additional funds and roll the funds over for another term, or you may choose to withdraw the money at that point.
If you have extra funds to invest, you could consider opening an additional short term deposit account or a high-interest savings account.
It’s worth noting that you can withdraw the funds midway through the term, but a penalty is likely to apply.
What is a short term deposit?
Sometimes you only want to tie up your money for a short period, maybe because you want to make a quick return on a large sum, or just to have more flexibility and access to your money. That’s where a short term deposit can come in.
Short term deposits are usually less than 12 months (e.g. 30 days, 90 days, six months or 12 months), though you will still not be able to access your money for the length of the term without incurring a penalty fee.
At the end of the term, you can roll your deposit over, or you can withdraw it. An advantage of short term deposits is that you can take advantage of higher interest rates with a different financial institution, if they are available.
How do term deposits work?
Term deposits are flexible, low-risk, and earn you interest over time. But before you apply to open a term deposit, you might be wondering: how do term deposits work?
A term deposit is an agreement you make with a financial institution. This agreement will specify a certain amount of money that you will give the bank for a certain amount of time. In return, you’ll earn a fixed amount of interest on your deposit throughout your term.
Term deposits work as an exchange between a financial institution and an individual. You can think of your term deposit as a loan to the bank. Because you’ve loaned the bank your money, they’re willing to pay you interest on your deposit.
Are term deposits worth it?
Ultimately, whether term deposits will work for you will depend on your particular financial needs.
Term deposits can be a great way to get your money working for you. By locking it away and forgetting about it for a period of time, it can earn interest for you. If you have the interest paid on a regular basis, rather than at maturity, you can either have some extra spending money or you can reinvest it into the term deposit to compound.
Of course, locking your money in a term deposit means you cannot access it for the length of the term, without paying a penalty for early withdrawal. This can remove the temptation to spend the money, while it also earns interest.
Can I break a term deposit?
One of the main components of a term deposit is your agreement that you won’t access your money until your term has expired. However, life can hand us unexpected expenses, and you might be asking yourself, “Can I break a term deposit?”
In most cases, you are able to withdraw money early from your term deposit, but it will usually come with a penalty. The penalty amount will vary from bank to bank, which is why it’s important to understand your deposit’s early withdrawal policy.
You should also be aware that some financial institutions enforce a waiting period for early withdrawals. This waiting period is typically up to 31 days and commences after you submit a request to withdraw your funds.