The Trump administration’s tariffs regime has disrupted markets, darkened the outlook for employers and businesses and hammered consumer sentiment.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to take control of what you can financially. That can start with making sure your savings are earning the best returns possible and are parked in the right types of accounts, given your needs and time horizon.
Since the Federal Reserve on Wednesday decided not to lower its key overnight lending rate, which affects interest rates throughout the economy, you can still earn a very healthy yield on your cash.
That’s good news since economists believe inflation — which came in at 2.3% in March – will be going up this year as a result of the tariffs. By how much? Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US, told CNN’s Alicia Wallace he expects both headline and core inflation to top 4% later this year.
So you’ll want to look for returns on your cash that can match or beat that expectation.
For money you’re setting aside for emergencies or for near-term but not immediate cash-flow needs, consider using:
FDIC-insured online high-yield savings accounts: Having a checking and savings account at one of the big brick-and-mortar banks is great for money needed to pay monthly bills, groceries and other everyday expenses.
But for other money you want at the ready for less regular expenses, you’ll get a much better rate in a high-yield savings account at an online FDIC-insured bank.
All bank savings rates are variable — so will fall if the Fed lowers its benchmark rate later this year. But, for now, many of the highest-yielding online savings accounts are paying between 4% and 4.4%, versus roughly 0.1% at the biggest banks like Chase, according to Bankrate.com.
FDIC-insured online money market accounts: Another online banking option that pays very competitively are money market accounts.
“The average MMA yield at brick-and-mortar banks is a scant 0.41%, whereas the top-yielding, nationally available MMAs offered by online banks pay 10 times that amount, 4.1% or more. Ten times the return, while still being fully covered by federal deposit insurance and (offering you) access to the money when it is needed,” said Greg McBride, Bankrate’s chief financial analyst.
For money you’ve set aside for down-the-line expenses like a down payment or a year or more of living expenses if you’re retiring soon, you can lock in advantageous rates now through:
Treasuries: Treasury bills come in six different maturities, ranging from four to 52 weeks. Treasury notes mature in two, three, five, seven and 10 years.
If you buy one and hold it to maturity, you will lock in a rate of return that is higher than inflation while also preserving your principal. If you want to know how much you’ll make by holding it to maturity, “It’s hard to beat,” said Ken Robinson, an Ohio-based certified financial planner who is part of Wealthramp, a network of experienced, fee-only advisers.
As of Tuesday evening on Schwab.com, Treasury bills were offering average yields ranging from a low of 3.88% to a high of 4.33%, while Treasury note yields ranged from 3.78% to 4.28%.
Interest paid on Treasuries is exempt from state and local income taxes, so may be a good option if you live in a high-tax area. Know, though, that if you sell a Treasury before it matures, that can trigger a capital gain or loss on the price you get for it.
AAA-rated municipal bonds: The tax advantages of high-quality municipal bonds are particularly favorable for those in high-tax states, and especially people in the top income tax brackets. The interest you earn on munis, which are issued by state and local governments, is exempt from federal income tax. It also may be exempt from state and local taxes if you buy one issued by your home state.
“(Highly rated muni bonds) have a supremely strong record of paying what they’re supposed to when they’re supposed to,” Robinson said.
As with Treasuries, he noted, the key to getting the most out of a municipal bond is to hold it to maturity.
Certificates of deposit: CDs from FDIC-insured banks are a reliable place to park money that you can afford to lock up for a fixed period.
For instance, CDs with maturation periods ranging from 3 months to five years were all offering average yields over 4% on Schwab.com. A good number of individual one-year CDs were offering a return between 4.5% and 5%.
Keep in mind, earnings on a CD are subject to federal, state and local income taxes. In addition, if you buy a CD direct from a bank, you may pay an early withdrawal penalty if you cash it out before maturity, although such a penalty will be tax deductible. If you buy a so-called “brokered” CD on a brokerage platform — which offers you a much wider range of CDs to choose from — you might lose money on your principal if you don’t hold it to maturity and instead sell it into the secondary market at less than you bought it for, Robinson noted.
Money market mutual funds: Money market mutual funds are currently averaging 4.14%, according to Crane Data, with some funds paying close to 4.4%.
Unlike with fixed-rate bonds, Treasuries or CDs, you can’t lock in a rate of return with a money market fund. But it’s an easy, one-stop shop to park money that will always get the best cash yields on offer.
Money market funds, which invest in government and corporate debt securities, are considered low-risk investments that usually maintain a price of $1 a share, although there have been a few times when they “broke the buck” and traded below $1 a share.
If the fund invests in top-rated municipal securities issued by your home state, your returns may be tax-free.
Unlike money market accounts, money market mutual funds are not federally insured.
There is nothing encouraging to say about interest rates on debt other than at least the Fed didn’t choose to raise rates, which would make your prospects for finding an affordable loan worse. That said, how you manage your debt is ultimately way more important than any move the Fed makes.
Credit cards: Even if the Fed were to make dramatic rate cuts, the interest you pay to borrow money on a credit card likely will remain sky-high. In fact, the average credit card rate actually rose to 20.12% as of April 30 from 20.09% the week before, according to Bankrate.com.
The best thing you can do if you carry high-rate credit card debt is to see if you can get a 0% balance transfer card, said Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree. That will buy you up to 21 months interest free, during which time you can direct as much money as you can to paying down your balance.
Mortgages: As of May 1, interest rates on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.76%, according to Freddie Mac. That’s 0.05 points lower than the prior week, and just under half a point below the 7.22% average recorded around May 1 last year.
“For those shopping for a home this summer, rates are likely to stay in or around (the 6.6% to 7%) range in the near future. Even a rate cut from the Fed may not send mortgage rates lower, as the Fed doesn’t impact mortgage rates directly the way they do with credit cards,” Schulz said.
Car loans: Financing a car purchase is always a little complex. But the math is harder now.
“Today’s car shoppers are contending with the difficult duo of elevated vehicle costs and high borrowing rates,” said Joseph Yoon, a consumer insights analyst at Edmunds.com. “Adding to this scenario is the ambiguity surrounding tariff repercussions on vehicle supply and, consequently, their price tags, forcing buyers to navigate an ever-more complicated shopping path.”
In April the average amount financed for a new car rose about $400 to $41,444 at 7.1% interest over 69 months, with an average monthly payment of $744, according to data from Edmunds.com. For used cars, the average loan amount was up about $600 to $28,855 at 10.9% over 69.5 months, with an average monthly payment of $555.
Yoon’s advice: Be really clear what your needs are for a new car versus your wants — including things like size and desired features.
Then shop around for the best deals and carefully compare loan offers. To help with the math, Edmunds.com has a car loan interest calculator.
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