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Hard to justify a CD with penalty at 4.6% when a no penalty at 4.4% exists (Sallie Mae/Savebetter). Give yourself the flexibility/liquidity option and give up the 0.2%, seems like the right move.
Well, step 1 is maxing out the i-bond contribution ($10k/pp/py) if you haven't done that, before May when the new rate will certainly be lower. So, do that first for your first $10k.
Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so, NOTE: This may be #1 if you live in a high income tax state)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
I think you're thinking about this correctly. A 50bp move from the current rate isn't going to make a material difference in 5y CD yields, which seem to be between 4.3% and 4.5% at the time of writing. Instead, consider what WILL drive them:
1. The dot plot released in subsequent Fed meetings where Fed members provide forward guidance on the terminal rate.
2. The Fed's forecast of core inflation through 2024 and beyond (I believe they're looking at 3.1% long-run, but I might be off on that, don't want to check right now)
3. How 2-5y yields react to the above 2 points
4. How breakevens are pricing cuts moving forward. When, for how long, and how much as well as how aggressively.
With all that in mind, and this is really more of a thought exercise from a trading perspective than for consumers holding these products to maturity, I think the current 5y CD rates will have a positive real return as early as Q3 2024. I think less so of the US 5y mostly because it's trading at 3.5%, but even then I'd probably be long the US 5y rather than short.
I'm not intimately familiar with these banks' business models but a few of these rates, at a surface level, give off an "asleep at the wheel" vibe. The short bond trade is super crowded across funds and crowded trades usually don't go well.
If I were specifically in the market for 5y CDs (I'm not) I'd be buying them now, and I think this will be close to, if not the, secular terminal rate for this cycle.
Well, step 1 is maxing out the i-bond contribution ($10k/pp/py) if you haven't done that, before May when the new rate will certainly be lower. So, do that first for your first $10k.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy.
In order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2%, for the opportunity cost alone. Never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
Thanks. Do you think with each passing auction the 12-24 month t-bill rates will keep going down?
Also in regards to the ibond... I have heard the theory that the i-bond is no longer a good investment if buying today because it will lock in 6% for 6 months but in the next 6 months the rate might only be 0.4% because inflation is going down? I'm not an expert but I've seen some threads where people seem to be against the i-bond currently, and they're waiting until some date in April to decide if they want to get it (I'm not sure when). Know anything about that?
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Thanks. Do you think with each passing auction the 12-24 month t-bill rates will keep going down?
Also in regards to the ibond... I have heard the theory that the i-bond is no longer a good investment if buying today because it will lock in 6% for 6 months but in the next 6 months the rate might only be 0.4% because inflation is going down? I'm not an expert but I've seen some threads where people seem to be against the i-bond currently, and they're waiting until some date in April to decide if they want to get it (I'm not sure when). Know anything about that?
If I knew what the 12-24 month t-bill rates were going to do with any certainty, I'd be trading futures and making insane money on a beach somewhere. So, unfortunately I can't be of much help there. All I can say is that with rate declining, and some CDs lagging behind that decline, I think it's a matter of time before CD rates drop to align with the drop in t-bill yields.
As far as i-bonds are concerned, that's a fair assessment, but I don't think we're going to 0.4% or anywhere near that low based on the calculation methodology for the inflation component of the bond. I think you'll still get a blended rate in the 5% range over the 12 months and can withdraw at month 15 shaving off 3 months of interest, with no state/local tax on the cap gain. It may be objectively a better move to just buy the 12 month bill instead and remove the guesswork for the May rate. If the math says so, then ok.
Last edited by ImaPuppy January 19, 2023 at 04:04 PM.
I was planning on getting long duration T-bills like 1 and 2 year, but have I missed the boat? With each passing week are the 1 and 2 year T-bill interest rates going down now?
I don't think anyone knows for sure. Certainly the pricing of treasuries indicates that people expect lower rates in the future. In a normal world, yield would increase with duration, but right now it's almost the opposite. Personally, I'm not buying anything longer than a year right now.
Well, step 1 is maxing out the i-bond contribution ($10k/pp/py) if you haven't done that, before May when the new rate will certainly be lower. So, do that first for your first $10k.
Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
Hold up with the I-bonds. I-bonds have restrictions and rules that make them far less liquid than t-bills. I'm not saying that they're a bad investment, I'm just saying that they're not right for everyone. And while you do get the ~7% rate for the next 6 months, you might get a crummy rate in the 6 months after that. Back a few months ago, you could guarantee basically a whole year of stellar returns, which justified the illiquidity, but now that's not the case.
Hold up with the I-bonds. I-bonds have restrictions and rules that make them far less liquid than t-bills. I'm not saying that they're a bad investment, I'm just saying that they're not right for everyone. And while you do get the ~7% rate for the next 6 months, you might get a crummy rate in the 6 months after that. Back a few months ago, you could guarantee basically a whole year of stellar returns, which justified the illiquidity, but now that's not the case.
When you say illiquidity, I assume you mean the 3-month penalty upon withdrawal before 5y, correct? If so, then yeah that's a legitimate concern (though not necessarily for the guy I was responding to). If you're talking about actual illiquidity of pricing the bond and the ability to sell it/withdraw, then that's not correct, of course, as it's a savings bond.
Well, step 1 is maxing out the i-bond contribution ($10k/pp/py) if you haven't done that, before May when the new rate will certainly be lower. So, do that first for your first $10k.
Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
I disagree with your order if you live in a high income tax state (like NY or California). The 12-month t-bill is not taxed at the state level.
Anyone know if we buy 3-month T-bills, will it auto cash out to the funding account when it reaches 3 month? In other words, do we need to log in and cash out? TIA.
Last edited by ychen07 January 19, 2023 at 04:21 PM.
My savings account, at ufb direct, gives me 4.11%, and has no restrictions. With rates continuing to go up every quarter due to the fed, I have a hard time wanting to lock up my money for a year.
When you say illiquidity, I assume you mean the 3-month penalty upon withdrawal before 5y, correct? If so, then yeah that's a legitimate concern (though not necessarily for the guy I was responding to). If you're talking about actual illiquidity of pricing the bond and the ability to sell it/withdraw, then that's not correct, of course, as it's a savings bond.
You literally can't sell/withdraw the I-bond for a year after purchase. The 3-month interest penalty is then active through 5 years from purchase.
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Anyone know if we buy 3-month T-bills, will it auto cash out to the funding account when it reaches 3 month? In other words, do we need to log in and cash out? TIA.
I have a Schwab account.
If I disable Auto Roll when purchasing, the T-bill cashes out.
You literally can't sell/withdraw the I-bond for a year after purchase. The 3-month interest penalty is then active through 5 years from purchase.
Yes I'm aware but this is pretty widely available information. Yes it's illiquid, but so is holding a 12-month to maturity in the same manner. I doubt most laymen are selling off t-bills before maturity or even care about knowing how to do so.
My savings account, at ufb direct, gives me 4.11%, and has no restrictions. With rates continuing to go up every quarter due to the fed, I have a hard time wanting to lock up my money for a year.
Circle back around to this a year from now and let us know what that rate looks like. I'd bet a good amount it's below your current rate.
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Jan 20, 2023 4:16 AM
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Well, step 1 is maxing out the i-bond contribution ($10k/pp/py) if you haven't done that, before May when the new rate will certainly be lower. So, do that first for your first $10k.
Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so, NOTE: This may be #1 if you live in a high income tax state)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
Curious as to your take on the current state of yields for 5 year cd's? It looks like the fed will probably hike around 50bps more (maybe 2 hikes of 25bps) and then most likely pause. If that's the case I wonder if 5 year cd rates might go a little higher with these upcoming hikes or if maybe this is the best it's going to get? I wouldn't think 50bps of hiking at this point in the cycle would move the needle much (if any) on 5 year cd's? I think when the fed hiked 50bps in Dec a few of the big banks (Discover and Cap One) increased 15bps as all.
Thoughts?
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Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so, NOTE: This may be #1 if you live in a high income tax state)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
1. The dot plot released in subsequent Fed meetings where Fed members provide forward guidance on the terminal rate.
2. The Fed's forecast of core inflation through 2024 and beyond (I believe they're looking at 3.1% long-run, but I might be off on that, don't want to check right now)
3. How 2-5y yields react to the above 2 points
4. How breakevens are pricing cuts moving forward. When, for how long, and how much as well as how aggressively.
With all that in mind, and this is really more of a thought exercise from a trading perspective than for consumers holding these products to maturity, I think the current 5y CD rates will have a positive real return as early as Q3 2024. I think less so of the US 5y mostly because it's trading at 3.5%, but even then I'd probably be long the US 5y rather than short.
I'm not intimately familiar with these banks' business models but a few of these rates, at a surface level, give off an "asleep at the wheel" vibe. The short bond trade is super crowded across funds and crowded trades usually don't go well.
If I were specifically in the market for 5y CDs (I'm not) I'd be buying them now, and I think this will be close to, if not the, secular terminal rate for this cycle.
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You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy.
In order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2%, for the opportunity cost alone. Never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
Thanks. Do you think with each passing auction the 12-24 month t-bill rates will keep going down?
Also in regards to the ibond... I have heard the theory that the i-bond is no longer a good investment if buying today because it will lock in 6% for 6 months but in the next 6 months the rate might only be 0.4% because inflation is going down? I'm not an expert but I've seen some threads where people seem to be against the i-bond currently, and they're waiting until some date in April to decide if they want to get it (I'm not sure when). Know anything about that?
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Also in regards to the ibond... I have heard the theory that the i-bond is no longer a good investment if buying today because it will lock in 6% for 6 months but in the next 6 months the rate might only be 0.4% because inflation is going down? I'm not an expert but I've seen some threads where people seem to be against the i-bond currently, and they're waiting until some date in April to decide if they want to get it (I'm not sure when). Know anything about that?
As far as i-bonds are concerned, that's a fair assessment, but I don't think we're going to 0.4% or anywhere near that low based on the calculation methodology for the inflation component of the bond. I think you'll still get a blended rate in the 5% range over the 12 months and can withdraw at month 15 shaving off 3 months of interest, with no state/local tax on the cap gain. It may be objectively a better move to just buy the 12 month bill instead and remove the guesswork for the May rate. If the math says so, then ok.
Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
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If I disable Auto Roll when purchasing, the T-bill cashes out.
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Edit: ^ The above has an argument against it depending on your view of how Feb-Apr CPI will impact the inflation component of the next i-bond rates. YMMV.
You didn't miss the boat at all btw, I just think this is a good time to buy. There's a lot of laymen inflationary talk and fearmongering going on but sharp traders who actually trade bonds are already looking ahead towards deflation here, and the retail interest-bearing products are going to catch up to that sentiment imo.
Anyway, in order after i-bonds if you don't need the money for 1-2 years:
1. 27-month (a little over 2 years but still) CD posted on SD today that was at 5%
2. 12-month t-bill (~4.65% or so, NOTE: This may be #1 if you live in a high income tax state)
3. CD like the one here for 4.6%
4. No-penalty CD at SallieMae for 4.4%
I actually think the liquidity with the SallieMae CD is worth the 0.2% as I said in my first comment, for the opportunity cost alone. I would rank it ahead of this Ally CD but curated it based on what you said. You never know what could open up and this is a hedge against rates rising higher due to unforeseen wage growth or other inflationary (from a CPE perspective) components that the Fed would use to justify more hikes than anticipated/priced in. Just my 2c, but anyway, buy the ibonds first this quarter.
Thoughts?
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