What is a high-yield savings account?

A really good starting point for investing in yourself is a savings account. 

The key is to find a bank account that’s right for you. One popular type of account is a high-yield savings account.

So what is high-yield savings vs. regular savings? Simply put, a high-yield savings account—sometimes called a high-interest savings account—is a bank account that often has a higher interest rate or annual percentage yield (APY) than a traditional savings account.¹ When checking out your high-yield savings account options, think about looking into what other added benefits it may offer, such as a low minimum balance and no fees.

When you’re looking for a high-interest savings account, it’s important to pay attention to the annual percentage yield (APY). The APY tells you how much interest your money will earn in a year. The more you earn, the better.

When looking for a high-yield savings account, try to find one with no fees. That way, none of your savings will be spent on bank fees. Once you deposit your money and keep it in the account, the interest alone will help your savings grow.

Also think about looking for an account that doesn’t require a minimum balance. That way, you can start with whatever amount you have available. 

Now that you have a better idea of what to look for, let's dig a little deeper into some other considerations.

When you're looking for a savings account, it's usually good to look for one with a high yield, no fees and no minimum balance requirements. Even a small difference in percentage can add up, thanks to compound interest.

It’s also a good idea to make sure the account is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—often called the FDIC. This means that the U.S. government protects your money from bank failure up to the allowable limits.²

It also might be a good idea to look for a high-yield savings account that makes it easy to deposit money. Options such as remote deposit or a linked checking account can simplify the process. After all, the easier it is to make a deposit, the easier it’ll be for you to save.

A high-interest savings account usually works like any other savings account. Keep in mind though that some savings accounts may have limits on how many withdrawals you can make each month.³

A high-yield savings account can be a safe place to park your hard-earned cash. High-yield accounts usually share the same security as traditional accounts.¹ The FDIC insures the balance of bank savings accounts up to the allowable limits at FDIC-member banks.² And the National Credit Union Administration provides coverage for savings accounts at credit unions.³

High-yield savings accounts can also be a good way to save for retirement or build an emergency fund for dealing with unexpected expenses. High-yield accounts also pay more interest on the money you put in the bank than traditional savings accounts.

Yes, the interest rate a bank offers on a high-yield savings account can change. Each bank sets its own interest rates. The Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate can also change, and that sometimes impacts the interest rate banks offer on a high-yield savings account.⁵ That’s because the Fed’s rates are one of the things that banks use to determine the rates they offer.⁶

In addition, interest rates banks offer sometimes change as the result of bank promotions. Sometimes a bank will offer a high rate for a limited period of time. But the rate decreases once the promotion is over. So, it’s important to compare both the promo rate and the standard rate when you look at the options offered by different banks.

There are some common things you can do to help your savings grow faster:⁷

• Put your money into a high-interest savings account and leave it in there to earn interest.
• Use direct deposit to have your employer deposit part of each of your paychecks into your savings account.
• Have money automatically sent on a recurring basis from one account (like your checking, for example) right into your savings account.

Sometimes we just need some inspiration to make important life decisions. There’s no time like today to start saving.