Plan staggered maturities

CD ladder calculator

Split an initial amount across CDs with different terms. See when each rung matures and how keeping proceeds as cash differs from reinvesting at a rate you choose.

Estimated total ladder value(Example)

$10,965.50

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Your assumptions

Number of rungs

Term spacing

When a CD matures

Invest $0.01–$1 billion across 2–5 rungs, spaced 3, 6, or 12 months apart. Horizon must reach the longest initial term and cannot exceed 120 months. APYs: 0–100%, up to 4 decimals.

Estimated total ladder value

$10,965.50

Example only — edit inputs for your own estimate

Cash available at horizon: $10,965.50
Estimated value still locked: $0.00
Estimated total interest: $965.50

Locked value is not available cash. Matured cash earns 0%. CDs maturing exactly at the horizon stay in cash.

Equal cent allocations; extra cents go to earlier rungs. APY growth is estimated over elapsed months. Cash earns 0%; rollover rates are hypothetical. Excludes taxes, fees, brokered coupons, callable CDs, and market sales.

Amounts display to cents. Calculations and CSV retain full precision, so rounded rows may differ by a cent. All amounts are USD.

Your inputs stay in this page. Calculator inputs are not sent to analytics or stored in the URL.

Read the calculation method

Initial ladder allocation

Initial ladder allocation
Rung	Total investment (USD)	Initial term	Initial APY
1	$3,333.34	12 months	4%
2	$3,333.33	24 months	4.5%
3	$3,333.33	36 months	5%

Maturity events

Maturity events
Month	Rung	Total investment (USD)	Estimated total interest	Maturity proceeds	Action
12	1	$3,333.34	$133.33	$3,466.67	Move to cash (0%)
24	2	$3,333.33	$306.75	$3,640.08	Move to cash (0%)
36	3	$3,333.33	$525.42	$3,858.75	Move to cash (0%)

How this CD ladder is modeled

This tool models deposit-style CDs with compound growth from APY. It is a scenario calculator, not a list of bank offers or a prediction of future rates.

Initial rungs and maturity values

Maturity value = rung principal × (1 + APY / 100)^(term months / 12)

The initial amount is divided evenly to cents; remaining cents go to the earliest rungs so the total is preserved. With 12-month spacing, a three-rung ladder starts with 12-, 24- and 36-month terms. Each rung has its own input APY.

Schwab: CD and Treasury rollover mechanics

Cash versus full-proceeds reinvestment

Cash mode holds matured proceeds at 0% through the selected horizon. Reinvestment mode puts principal plus interest into a new CD with the longest original term, using your hypothetical future APY. A maturity exactly at the horizon becomes cash. Some real brokered rollover programs reinvest principal only; this model does not reproduce those programs.

Available cash and locked value

Available cash has matured. Locked value is an estimated accrued balance for CDs that have not matured, not an early-withdrawal quote. Total value is cash plus locked value; reinvested turnover is not added again. Taxes, fees, coupon payments, callable terms, brokered market prices and insurance eligibility are excluded.

Common questions

Will I get the future reinvestment rate?

No. You supply a hypothetical constant future APY to explore a scenario. Actual rates and available products can change at every maturity.

Does the tool assess FDIC coverage?

No. Rung count does not establish separate insurance coverage. Verify institution, ownership category and your combined deposits directly before making a decision.

Methodology