Compare Term Deposit Accounts

Fixed Term Deposits are a great way to fix in the returns on your money.

A term deposit is also often known as a fixed savings account because the interest rate you earn is fixed, and so is the account balance – you can’t put any more money in, or take any out until the end of the term you have chosen. A term deposit is just one way you can save for your future or for a specific goal, and here, we can help you decide whether a fixed term deposit account could be right for all or even just a part of your financial plans. You may also be interested in a high interest savings account.

Featured Term Deposit Rates

Term Deposit	1 Month	3 Month	4 Month	6 Month	12 Month	24 Month	36 Month	60 Month	Min Deposit
RaboDirect Term Deposit	4.00%	5.10%	5.10%	5.40%	5.45%	5.10%	5.30%	6.00%	$1000
St.George Term Deposit	2.55%	3.25%	5.05%	5.05%	5.05%	5.10%	5.20%	5.50%	$5000
UBank Term Deposits (online)	3.36%	5.21%	5.21%	5.61%	5.41%				$1000

Australian Term Deposit Accounts

There are only a few types of investments that can be considered as stable and the term deposit is one category of these. For investors that are more interested in long term money, it is a good means to achieve their goal. They know how much they put in, the interest rate, the time when they receive the money and how much they will receive. There are various interest rates that are available with the different terms but they are considered one of the best and safest ways to invest and grow money.

This being said, for someone who wants to withdraw the money early, there are penalties and again, these change with the banking or financial institute. It can take away a part of all of the interest earned on that account. It is essential that when a person invests their money in term deposits that they understand all of the terms and conditions that go along with them and go with the ones with the least amount of penalties for the highest amount of interest.

To help with your decision, we will explain:

• How you can benefit from a term deposit account.
• Exactly what a fixed rate means.
• What to do with your existing savings account.
• How to live off of the interest of a term deposit account.
• How to decide if a term deposit meets your financial needs.
• How to compare the term deposit accounts on offer.
• How to decide on the best fixed rate term.
• How to guarantee a secure term deposit investment.

Other Term Deposit Resources

• Best Term Deposit
  Compare the leading term deposit accounts on the current market and discover what features to look for in a term deposit.
• Bank Term Deposit
  View the market-leading term deposit accounts on offer from Australia’s top banks. Discover the benefits of opening a term deposit account with a bank.
• Term Deposit Rates
  Compare interest rates on the top term deposit accounts on the Australian market. Secure the most competitive rate and reach your savings goals faster.
• Fixed Term Deposit
  Discover the benefits of a fixed term deposit account as your money is kept secured and you are not tempted to make withdrawals.

How You Can Benefits From A Term Deposit Account

Everyone who uses a term deposit will benefit differently depending on their individual goals, and that in itself is a benefit because you can tailor a term deposit account to meet your needs, and achieve your goals, no matter what they are.

Consider whether these benefits appeal to your needs:

• The ability to choose a term anywhere between one month and five years, to meet your short, medium or long term savings goals.
• Term deposits can require a small minimum deposit amount, often around $1,000.
• They are completely managed for you so you don’t have to have any specialist financial or investment experience.
• Your interest rate, your investment amount and your returns are all guaranteed so you don’t have to worry about movements in the share market, the official interest rate or the property bubble.

Term Deposits – Will It Be Advantageous For You?

Term deposits are often sold as the holy grail of savings in the financial institutions.

For many of us, it’s common knowledge that when you’ve got extra money, the best thing you can do with it is to stuff it into a term deposit account and watch it grow. Then something funny happens, your buddy is telling you how these accounts can’t do much more than keep up with the rate of inflation, if that. This means you’re simply staying at the same level, or worse, slowly losing money.

Which Version Of The Story Is Right?

Are your term deposit accounts a waste of your time, or are they a legitimate investment that is actually going to help you? They seem attractive as they guarantee a higher rate of interest with absolutely zero risk of losing any money.

The truth is, they are still useful, if only minimally. Term deposits are even more useful if they’re used as part of a diversified portfolio of savings and investments.

Here are just a few tips about how to use your term deposit savings.

Go The Distance

The longer you can keep your money in the account, the more money you’re making. Also, the longer terms often offer higher interest rates. The longest term deposit accounts generally run 5 years, so if you can place your money in them for that long, you’ll be well ahead of where you went in when the five years are up. You should also remember to shop around for the best interest rates you can find.

The only downside is that if interest rates rise, you’re stuck with the money out of sight and nothing you can do to fix it. This could put you at a slight disadvantage. If you’re sure that interest rates are going to raise soon, go with a shorter term deposit so you can switch not long after the raise.

Wait For Interest Rates To Rise

The interest rates will rise eventually, they always do. If you can wait for them to up, then you will be able to get in at the beginning of the rise in rates, and protect yourself from any drops that may happen during the term. Currently, banks are paying pretty high rates for term deposit accounts as they’re all looking for funds. Some rates currently are easily as high as 9%.

Pay Yourself

You can have your interest paid out daily from start until maturity or you can have the interest reinvested. Reinvesting can help to increase the size of your nest egg quickly. You can also diversify your term deposits, and have them across a variety of rates and maturity time lines.

Don’t forget to leave enough money accessible if your regular savings account to account for any unforeseen expenditures you may have, such as vehicle repairs or emergencies, and you should be pretty well set. If you have a little extra cash stashed away, then a term deposit may be the perfect way to invest. These accounts are no risk and relatively high interest.

What Do You Mean By A Fixed Rate?

If you’re waiting for a catch you’re not alone, and you’re right to be wary when it comes to your finances, however, in this instance a fixed interest rate really does mean fixed.

Most high interest savings accounts and transaction accounts which pay interest have a variable interest rate. This means that the rate is set by the provider, but they are able to change it whenever they choose, in line with the movements of the Reserve Bank on official rates, or to reward customers when the bank has made a profit, or reduce the rate to cover losses. While it is possible to watch the standard variable rates of the major high interest savings account providers to follow the account with the highest interest rates, if you’re looking for an easier solution to securing a high rate, fix it.

A fixed interest rate on a term deposit account will be calculated based on the term you have chosen, the amount you are investing and how you choose to have your interest paid – quarterly, six monthly, annually or at maturity. The provider will then calculate the best rate for your options, and guarantee your savings will earn that rate every single day for your entire term. Your returns are therefore guaranteed too.

However, a fixed interest rate will only remain fixed if you do not access your account during the term. If you need to make a withdrawal you will jeopardise your interest earnings, plus you can’t add to your account balance until maturity.

You also need to make sure you are happy with the interest rate you have fixed, because during the term, your provider may raise their interest rate in response to economic movements, and you have to be content in the knowledge you are also protected from drops in the rate. At the same time, there are plenty of providers who are willing to offer very competitive rates because they want to add your savings to their reserves, to save them having to borrow from the still shaky global markets.

What To Do With Your Existing Savings Account

The interest rate on your existing savings account is variable, this means it can change at the whim of your provider. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to close this account and move all of your funds to a fixed account, because a traditional savings account can be used as part of your fixed term deposit strategy.

First make sure you are getting the best possible variable rate on your existing savings account because that is still important. Negotiate with your current lender or shop around for the best rate, an account with no fees and one which allows you to deposit and withdraw your savings your way.

Second, choose a term deposit structure which will allow you to maximise your interest earnings and that means opting to receive your interest at maturity. How does this allow you to live on your interest? Say you want $5,000 a year to spend on holidays, the house or special treats, this is the portion of your savings you want to live on in a year. If your total savings balance was $100,000 but you only needed instant access to $5,000 of that amount, you can maximise the interest earned on $95,000 in a fixed term deposit account, earning 5% interest a year.

You then use your $5,000 in your existing savings account, which may be earning 3% interest for example, and you can access that whenever you like. Your interest from your term deposit account at the end of the year will total $4,750 (5% of your $95,000) and you can live off of that interest throughout the year.

How To Decide If A Term Deposit Meets Your Financial Needs

Deciding on a term deposit account means being sure that a fixed investment is the right option for you, and then making sure that you tailor your account to your needs – not to how you think the account should be used.

To help you decide if a term deposit is for you, follow these steps:

1. Clarify your savings goals.
   This will not only help you determine whether a term deposit is the right investment for you, but will also help you decide on a term and a deposit which is right too. For example, if you only have a small investment amount, but you need that amount to grow significantly to help you prepare for the arrival of a new baby, or to help you save for a house deposit, then you may choose to look at longer terms for your term deposit account, as a longer term will offer you a higher interest rate and better returns. Alternatively, if you’ve just about met your savings goal for a new car or TV, you may want to lock away your savings for just a few months so they can continue to earn interest, but you’re not tempted to spend them.
2. Be realistic about the term of your investment.
   Only you know what your finances are like – and if you need confirmation of the best investment style you may want to consult a financial advisor or accountant – and you will know whether you need your savings in an emergency fund you can access. Using a term deposit account as an emergency fund can work well, if you know what your emergencies are likely to be; for example in November you could lock away some savings for just a few months so they don’t get spent in the Christmas chaos, but are there when you have those endless back to school expenses which can quickly turn into emergencies.
3. If you don’t want to risk your investment, use a term deposit account.
   Shares and property can secure you high returns on your investments, but they can just as easily cost you more than you’ve invested too – and there are no guarantees. With a term deposit account you know how long your money is invested for, at what interest rate, and what your expected return at the end of the term will be, all before the first day of your term has elapsed.

How To Compare Term Deposit Accounts

Most Australian financial institutions will offer a form of term deposit account, many will even offer more than one type of term deposit, that is how varied the product can be. That is also why you need to know what you are looking for in your comparisons, to ensure that you make your comparisons as easy as possible, and you track down the account which is right for you.

To compare term deposit accounts:

• Decide on your term and then compare term deposits.
  Some financial institutions want to attract long term term deposits, and others prefer to facilitate short term investments. Therefore, before you choose a term deposit, you need to choose your term as one financial institution may offer 4.50% on a six month investment, where another will offer you 5.50% for that same term.
• Compare based on your investment amount.
  This will allow you to make comparisons on a level playing field because many term deposit providers will tier their interest rates based on the deposit amount. Therefore a six month term deposit of $5,000 may earn 4.50% while a six month investment of $20,000 may earn 5.50% and you can save a lot of time in your comparisons by comparing based on what you can afford to invest.
• Find out about fees.
  You don’t want to plan for a big return on your term deposit investment only to find that there are monthly fees, fees to open the account or fees at the end of the term – it is possible to find a term deposit account without any of these fees so it is worth making the comparisons. While you are comparing term deposit account fees, also find out what you are charged to leave the term early – if an emergency does arise and you need access to your funds sooner than expected, some financial institutions will charge you a percentage of the investment, where others will have a set cancellation fee.
• Save time as you save money by choosing an online term deposit account.
  Saving and investing your funds is something you have to do amongst all of your other commitments and if setting up and managing a term deposit account costs you time, is it really worth the returns? Instead choose an online term deposit account which can be opened online, where the statements can be viewed online or emailed to you and you can reinvest or cancel your investment through internet banking.

How To Decide On The Best Fixed Rate Term

While you can choose a term for your investment from between one month and five years, some of the most popular investment terms are one, two and three years. To help you start thinking about the right term for you, consider how you would choose a one, two or three year term deposit account, and what might be happening at the end of that term:

• A one year term deposit.
  It is possible to find a one year term deposit account which offers you a higher interest rate than an at call high interest savings account. This can be because the provider is running a sale, they want to attract new customers, or simply because they expect rates to keep rising in the next year. As a result you can earn more interest, and not have to worry about dropping rates or dipping into your savings funds ‘accidentally’.
• A two year term deposit.
  You may be surprised by just how much more interest you can earn by choosing a two year term deposit but don’t get swept away by the seemingly higher rate. Remember that there are two years’ worth of official rate rises calculated into that fixed rate, so think about whether rates will rise by that much, or more – you don’t want to miss out.
• A three year term deposit.
  You’re taking a bigger gamble on future rate rises by locking away your funds for three years, but the rewards can be greater too. Before you choose a three year term deposit consider where official rates are in their cycle now, if they have already started to rise, then they are likely to continue that way until they reach their standard level around 7% so your decision to choose a three year term deposit account will need to be based on a rate which takes into account all of those rate rises, and profits to cover inflation.

How To Guarantee A Secure Term Deposit Investment

When you are still in the comparison stage of term deposits, you may come across attractive rates from several providers on the term you want. However, before you go back to sign up for the account a few weeks later when you are sure in your decision, make sure that the rate is the same as it was when you first looked. While a term deposit rate is fixed once you open the account, providers will still move their rates on term deposits in line with the economy – you may even find that the interest rate changes from the day you fill in an application form to the day your account is activated. Luckily some providers will guarantee you the rate on the day of your application with a simple checkbox for you to fill out, while others may charge you a small fee to hold the rate on the day of your application.

Term deposit accounts are also especially exposed thanks to the government guarantee. The government’s deposit scheme came into place after the Global Financial Crisis, to instil some confidence in the Australian banking and financial sector. The government said that they would guarantee the deposits of all Australians, in any Authorised Deposit-Taking Institution (ADI), until October 2011, up to the value of $1 million.

This has encouraged Australians to trust their providers thanks to the free guarantee, however, when it comes to term deposits if you are choosing a term which ends after October 2011, your savings could be at risk if the provider collapses. Of course your savings have always been at risk, it is just that we are more aware of how fragile a bank can be in the wake of the GFC. Therefore, instead of choosing a term deposit which matures before October 2011 to be safe, all you have to do is do your due diligence in choosing a provider.

Make sure you:

1. Still choose an ADI.
   Authorised Deposit-Taking Institutions are regulated by independent government bodies to ensure their operations are fair, transparent and responsible, and choosing an ADI can help you feel secure in your choice of provider.
2. Choose a high credit rating.
   Banks and financial institutions have credit reports just like you do and every financial institution’s credit rating is public knowledge. Therefore, choose a bank with a high credit rating, around A or AA (where AAA is available too) as all of the Big Four Banks in Australia are rated AA to give you a benchmark.
3. Spread your savings around.
   If you’re worried about putting all of your eggs in one basket, or all of your savings in one term deposit, split up your funds between several providers. However, just be aware that if you are doing this to spread the risk, many Australian banks are part of the same group; Westpac, St.George and Bank SA for example, BankWest and Commonwealth Bank.

Term deposit accounts are a reliable, easy and high yield way to secure your savings against movements in the economy, or just temptation on a shopping trip. Now that you are armed with the information you need to understand, compare and choose the best term deposit account for your needs and goals, view our comparison tables here.

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• Term Deposit Government Guarantee
  With many Australians uncertain about investing their earnings following the GFC, the Australian Government has committed to the Deposit Scheme to guarantee returns on all investments up to $1 million until 2011. Find out how your investment will remain guaranteed under the scheme and how to find the right provider for investments extending the set period.
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• Top Term Deposit
  Finding the top term deposit is not just about finding the best term deposit rate but also the best provider for your investment. While the Government Deposit Scheme will guarantee a return on your investment until October 2011, it's essential to know how to find the right provider for term deposits extending this period.

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