TCF National Bank CD Rates

TCF Bank 18-Month CD

0.10% APY

TCF Bank serves seven states and offers a wide range of certificate of deposit (CD) term options. With terms ranging from three months to 10 years, it’s sure to appeal to both short- and long-term savers. The minimum deposit of $100 is also lower than many large banks. However, interest rates from TCF Bank do not always compare favorably to some of the best CD rates. You can get a higher rate with a promotional CD, but promotional CDs have their own requirements that may make them too expensive for some people.

Whether or not you open an account with TCF Bank will depend on your individual goals and financial situation. Below we go over everything you need to consider before opening an account.

To calculate how much interest you could earn with a CD, try using SmartAsset's CD calculator.

18-Month CD Interest Rate Comparison

Overview of TCF Bank CDs

TCF Bank has about 320 branch locations spread across Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In order to open a CD, you will need to visit a local branch.

The CDs from TCF Bank all require a $100 minimum deposit. Terms range in length from three months to 10 years.  All CD terms and rates also qualify for use in an individual retirement account (IRA).

Interest compounds monthly and when it credits to your account will depend on the length of your CD term unless otherwise stated. The default option is for interest to credit to your account, but you can elect to have your interest go into a TCF Bank savings or checking account. If you choose to move your credit to another account, you have the option to receive interest payments quarterly or monthly.

Even though you can transfer interest payments out of your account, you cannot remove any of the principal before the end of your term. Any principal you withdraw is subject to an early withdrawal penalty. The penalty is generally from 1 to 12 months' interest on the amount withdrawn based on the duration of the CD's term when you withdraw. However, the penalty will never be less than 7 days' interest.

To withdraw funds without paying a penalty, you will need to wait until your CD reaches maturity. At that point you will receive a seven-day grace period. You can make any changes, withdrawals or additions to your account within that time. Your CD will automatically renew at the end of the grace period as long as you have at least $100 left in your account. The new CD will have the same length as the original with the current available interest rate.

In addition to its standard CDs, TCF Bank may also offer promotional or featured CDs. Promotional and featured CDs offer higher rates than a standard CD of the same term length. The minimum deposits are still $100. Interest rates are the same for all customers. There is no relationship rate. The big caveat with promotional CDs is that they require new money. This is money you do not already have on deposit with TCF Bank.

How Much You Earn With TCF Bank CDs Over Time

The interest rates from TCF Bank are not very high, and you won’t earn much in interest payments. The best way to make sure you earn decent interest is to choose long-term CDs and to deposit as much as you can afford. Promotional CDs will also get you better rates.

To illustrate how low the interest rates are, consider that if you only deposit the account minimum ($100) to a twelve-month CD, you will earn about 5 cents at the end of your term.

The table below shows what your approximate total balance will be based on different initial deposits and term lengths. 

How TCF Bank CD Rates Compare to Other Banks’

Because TCF Bank has low interest rates, you should definitely compare CD rates from other banks before opening an account. Depending on what your savings goals are, certain banks may offer more appealing rates.

For example, customers with short-term goals will like the rates from Ally Bank. Ally’s interest rates for terms of one year and less are among the highest on the market. Ally is an entirely online bank, so you won’t be able to visit a branch in person. But the tradeoff is higher rates. There is also no minimum deposit on Ally CDs. 

If you prefer a bank with physical branches, consider Capital One. Capital One requires no minimum deposit and has competitive interest rates.

If you are primarily interested in TCF Bank’s long-term options, you may be interested in brokered CDs. For example, CDs from Edward Jones offer some of the highest rates and have terms of up to 10 years long. The minimum deposit is $1,000 but the higher price tag could be well worth it if you’re looking for the highest rates.

Should You Get a TCF Bank CD Account?

You should consider a CD with TCF Bank if you already have a relationship with the bank and you don’t want to open an account at any new institution. Otherwise, you should consider other banks. There are better interest rates available whether you are looking for short- or long-term options.