CIT Bank Review

CIT Bank CIT Bank Platinum Savings

4.35% APY

Overview

After a merger in January 2022, CIT Bank became part of First Citizens Bank (aka First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co.). It provides a number of savings options if you are looking to stash your money in high earning accounts. These accounts range from your basic savings account to certificates of deposit to checking accounts and even IRAs. Before you start the application process for a CIT Bank account, it’s important to know that most accounts require a minimum deposit amount. This amount varies from $100 for the Premier High Yield Savings Account to $1,000 for a CD account.

Like many banks we review, CIT Bank operates entirely online. The bank has made its website, apps and accounts easily navigable and accessible for customer convenience. Plus, you can reach a bank representative over the phone 24/7. While this might make banking easier for many, if you value in-person customer service, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Read on below to explore CIT Bank's many offerings.

CIT Bank Interest Rate Comparison

CIT Bank Overview

CIT Bank is a subsidiary of CIT, a financial holding company that offers commercial, business, real estate and rail financing. CIT was founded in 1908, but has grown to have billions in client assets in its accounts. The company is publicly traded under stock symbol CIT and provides financing, leasing and advisory services to companies. In addition to operating CIT Bank, CIT has a network of retail bank branches in southern California called OneWest Bank. CIT corporate office is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. CIT Bank, however, is an online savings bank and does not have physical locations of its own.

CIT Bank online offers savings products include a wide spectrum of CDs, as well as savings accounts, checking accounts, custodial accounts and IRAs. Home loans are also available through CIT Bank.

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• Savings & MMAs
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CIT Bank Savings Summary 

CIT Bank has a variety of savings products to choose from. Not only can you choose from the usual savings account and CD options, but you can also open a custodial fund for your child or an IRA for yourself. CD options at CIT Bank have a large range of options as well, rather than just one, which is the norm for many other online banks.

CIT Bank Platinum Savings Account

The CIT Bank Platinum Savings account is the highest interest-earning account offered by the bank for balances $5,000 and over. Accounts with balances under $5,000 earn a 0.25% APY.

CIT Bank requires a minimum of $100 to open a platinum Savings account. It does not charge any account opening or maintenance fees. 

CIT Bank Savings Connect Account

At a 4.00% APY, the CIT Bank Savings Connect account rivals the rates of even some of the top savings accounts on the market.

There are no monthly fees associated with the Savings Connect account, allowing you to maximize your savings. It does, however, require a $100 minimum deposit at opening.

CIT Bank Savings Builder Account

A new account from CIT Bank, the Savings Builder offers the opportunities to earn at an even higher rate than the Premier High Yield Savings account. All new accounts can start earning at the competitive 1.00% APY thanks to an Introductory Offer. The Introductory Period here lasts one month after account opening. 

After this Introductory Period, there are a couple of ways to maintain this high rate. One option is to keep a balance of $25,000 or higher in the account. If that balance is too high, you could instead make monthly deposits of at least $100 to the account. Otherwise, accounts with a balance below $25,000 and no minimum monthly deposits will earn at the lower, but still competitive, 0.40% APY.

CIT Bank eChecking Account

CIT Bank's eChecking account is a simple online checking account that earns interest, a feature that's somewhat rare in today's banking space. The rates are fairly strong too, with those who have higher balances garnering an upgraded rate. More specifically, if your account balance is less than $25,000, your money will grow based on a 0.10% APY. But if you can get your balance to or above that $25,000 mark, your rate will more than double to a 0.25% APY.

The only requirement necessary for the eChecking account is making a $100 minimum deposit upon opening. Once your account is active, CIT Bank won't charge you any monthly maintenance fees, ensuring you keep the money that you deposit. You can also deposit checks to your account through CIT's mobile app, and you can transfer funds to friends and family through Zelle. Direct online bill pay is also available through the CIT mobile app.

The eChecking account comes with a debit card that uses an EMV chip. Should you use your debit card at an ATM, CIT Bank will not charge you an ATM fee. However, if any ATM operators charge you a fee, CIT will reimburse you for it, up to $30 a month.

CIT Bank Term CDs (Certificates of Deposit)

A certificate of deposit (CD) is another way for you to save money and CIT Bank has a number of options choose from. This type of savings is not considered liquid because your money is set aside for the term length you choose. That means you can’t withdraw the funds until the CD reaches the maturity date without facing penalty fees. You can always withdraw the interest the CD earns, penalty-free, but that will lessen the overall amount of interest you accrue in the long run.

At CIT Bank, you need a minimum of $1,000 to open a bank term CD account. The shortest term you can open is six months and the longest is five years. This type of CD is the traditional type of CD. Your term and interest rate are locked for the length of time you chose, and you can’t add funds beyond the initial deposit. If, for example, you choose a three-year term you want to fund for $3,000, that’s it. If a year or two pass and you want to add additional money to that CD, you can’t. The CD initial deposit, also known as principal, is set once you deposit the money into the account. At CIT Bank, you can open a custodial CD account for a child in your care. 

CIT Bank No-Penalty CD

One of the unique options at CIT Bank is the no-penalty CD. With this CD, you can withdraw your funds any time after the first seven days, penalty free. The only term offered is 11-months and the interest rate is lower than a 12-month CD, but it offers you the flexibility to get your money back if you need it in a hurry. Similar to all the other CD options, no-penalty CDs are available as custodial accounts as well.

CIT Bank Jumbo CDs

For those with plenty of funds, CIT Bank offers a jumbo CD option. Choose from two-, three-, four- or five-year terms with higher interest rates than standard bank term CDs. The minimum deposit is $100,000, so this is not for those who are struggling for cash. This option is available as a custodial account as well, if you’d like to open one for your child.

While there are many different ways to save money, there is a strategy for maximizing CDs. CIT Bank has a section on its website devoted to CD ladders, which is a savings method that involves buying several different length CDs. The idea behind the method is that you can have some long-term and short-term CDs so that some of your money is available to you but you still are earning interest. The longer the CD term the higher the interest, but with smart CD laddering, you can divide your funds across multiple CDs. 

CIT Bank Money Market Account

The CIT Bank Money Market Account, a new addition to the CIT banking suite as of March 2018, offers customers a flexible way to grow and manage their money. The account comes with a high interest rate of 1.55% - that’s higher even than the bank’s Premier High Yield Savings Account’s interest rate. Plus, CIT Bank compounds interest daily, which means your money grows quickly at a competitive rate.

The CIT Bank Money Market Account provides easier access to your money than with a savings account or a CD. The free People Pay service allows you to send money from your account to anyone with just their email address or phone number. While the account does not have check writing or ATM card abilities, you can transfer money electronically, with wire transfers or by requesting a check sent by mail.

Even better, there is no monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirement. The bank also does not charge for incoming wires. You will face fees for outgoing wires, overdrafts and excessive transactions. Excessive transactions are any transfers or withdrawals you make over the federal limit of six outgoing transactions per statement cycle.

CIT Bank IRAs

Update: While CIT Bank updates its IRA program, no new IRA plans can be opened at this time. 

At CIT Bank, you can open a traditional or Roth IRA and fund it with any CIT Bank savings accounts and CDs excluding the Spring Savings account and six-month term CDs. IRAs come with certain restrictions and tax implications, so you’ll want to do your research prior to opening an account. And if you have an employer IRA and wish to roll it over to CIT Bank, you have the option to do so.

Where Can I Find CIT Bank?

CIT Bank is an online banking company. You can access the site on your desktop or mobile phone 24 hours a day seven days a week. If you don’t have internet access, you can call the automated telephone banking system 24 hours a day seven days a week and find out your account balance. To speak with a customer service representative within the U.S., call (855) 462-2652 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. or Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time. There’s also a contact email for any bank forms as well as a mailing address all found on CIT Bank’s contact page. 

What Can You Do Online With CIT Bank?

The bank was designed to be an online savings bank, so you’re able to complete almost all functions from the website. Some actions do have an annotation that you should call a customer service representative, but as there aren’t any physical locations, everything can be completed remotely. You won’t interact in person with another human being with CIT Bank. It’s via phone or website only. 

From start to finish, you can open and manage your accounts online. You can deposit and transfer funds electronically, monitor your CD maturity dates and check on your savings accounts.

However, you can’t deposit checks online. Some banks have apps that allow customers to take pictures of checks for electronic deposit, but not CIT Bank. You’ll have to send it via mail, which will take some time to process and reflect in your account. 

You can access the site via desktop or mobile, and you won’t need to download a separate app. As long as you have your username and password, you can log on to the site. CIT Bank has a blog on the site with topics to help you learn about saving and other financial matters.

Custodial accounts are another way to save money. Up to a certain amount can be claimed for taxes, so it may be worthwhile to start saving for your child’s future in a CD or savings account rather than piggy bank. And if you’re thinking of using CIT Bank’s IRA options, you should consult your financial advisor and carefully consider your options. While you can save with savings accounts at this institution, it’s not necessarily the best investment. If you’re seeking higher rates of returns (with more risk) you might want to consider stocks or other investment options. 

How Do I Access My Money?

You can transfer funds online, request a check be sent to you or request a withdrawal by phone. CIT Bank states in its frequently asked questions section that there is no limit on the number of payments that may be made directly to you if it’s by check made directly to you. Otherwise, you’re limited to six transfers and withdrawals (combined) per statement cycle. 

CIT Bank does not issue an ATM card with its savings accounts, which is something that only a few banks offer, but can add a level of convenience to access your funds. The quickest way to access your money is likely through an electronic withdrawal. 

If you opened a CD (excluding the special exception of a no-penalty account), you have to leave the money in for the length of the term you chose. If you do want to withdraw the money, you’ll face a penalty. Your other option is to withdraw only the accrued interest, which you can do penalty free. While you’ll earn more money in the long term by letting your interest accrue within the CD, you have the option to withdraw the interest. You can call CIT’s contact center and request a withdrawal, or you can set up an electronic transfer to another CIT Bank account or external account. 

Once your CD matures, you have a 10-day grace period to withdraw your money or it will automatically renew for the same term, but at the current interest rate. This means if you had a three-year CD and fail to withdraw the CD funds within 10 days of it reaching the maturity date, the CD will renew for another three years, locking your money in for another term. 

If you chose to open a custodial account, the money you deposit into the account is considered an irrevocable gift. You can’t withdraw or transfer the funds or use it for anything that doesn’t benefit the child. After the child reaches the age of majority (either 18 or 21 or sometimes 25, depending on state), the child takes control of the account. 

IRA accounts have certain rules that you should research prior to opening the account. Usually you can’t withdraw money until you turn 59-and-a-half years old without facing penalties and taxes. There are certain exceptions for the rule, so you’ll want to do your research prior to making any financial decisions. 

How Can I Save More Money With CIT Bank?

Depending on whether you choose a CD or savings account (or both!), you stand to earn some risk-free interest money. While you won’t earn large amounts of money with current interest rate, you will still earn some, which is better than none at all. If you have a stockpile of cash or a high balance in your checking account, it may be time for you to explore your savings options. Unlike stocks, you’re guaranteed to get your money back with FDIC-insured accounts. CIT Bank’s offerings are all FDIC-insured up to $250,000, so you can sleep easy knowing that you won’t lose your savings in case of an economic downturn. Your interest rates may go down on a savings account, but your CDs will be locked in.

What’s the Process for Opening an Account With CIT Bank?

The easiest way to open an account with CIT Bank is online through the website. While you can call, the preferred method for this online banking institution, is you guessed it, through digital means. Once you’re ready to open an account, you’ll need to have your personal information handy. As you can see in this sample image, this means your Social Security number, street address, date of birth, driver’s license or other identifying documents. You’ll input your information step by step, guided by the online application. 

You’ll also need your current bank account’s routing and account number so that you can fund your new CIT Bank account. You do have the option to mail a check or use a wire transfer, but the quickest and easiest route is online. If you choose to link an external bank account, CIT Bank will make two small test deposits into your external account to verify the account. Once you’ve verified the deposits (and this can take up to three business days), you’ll receive an email from CIT Bank letting you know that the account has been activated. After that, you’ll need to make your initial deposit. Savings accounts require $100 at CIT Bank, and the minimum for a CD is $1,000. 

What’s the Catch? 

Just like other banks, CIT Bank is FDIC-insured and charges no fees for account maintenance. Where it stands out from other similar online savings banks is its CD options as well as custodial accounts. If you’re planning for your children’s future and want to save some money online, this bank could be a good bet. 

The bank really does offer a wide variety of online options, but does have minimum deposits for all its accounts. Unlike online banks such as American Express which offers accounts at any amount of money, you’ll need $100 to open a savings and at least $1,000 for a CD. CIT Bank has a large range of options, however, ranging from savings accounts and CDs to IRAs and mortgage loans. However, if you’re just interested in getting the absolute highest interest rates for a savings or CD, you may want to shop around first. While CIT Bank advertises higher-than-average rates, it may not be the highest available. At the moment, the rates are among the top for online savings, but interest rates are always subject to change.

It’s a small thing, but if you want mobile check deposit or an ATM card for your savings account, you’re out of luck. Other banks do offer those options, but might not have as high of interest rates. It’s really up to what’s important to you in a bank for how heavily you’ll weigh the importance of factors like ATM cards and mobile deposit. If you’re more interested in digital banking and high interest rates, this may be a good option for you. 

However, if you really like brick and mortar banking, you don’t have that option with CIT Bank. It’s online only, and you won’t be able to visit a location in person. 

Bottom Line

CIT Bank offers a wide variety of CD and savings options at very competitive interest rates. However, it could be said that CIT Bank is better suited to those with more funds. With minimum deposits starting at $1,000 per CD, CIT Bank is on the upper end of online bank minimum deposits. It also requires $100 to open a savings account and as a minimum deposit, which is higher than Goldman Sachs, Synchrony or American Express which all require only one cent to open a savings account. 

The benefit of this company is that you can open a custodial savings account or CD. This means you can start saving for your child in a separate bank account. It’s not an offering that all banks have, so if you’re looking to start a fund for your child, this could be a good option. 

Finally, CIT Bank’s accessibility is on the basic end of the scale. You can access your accounts online and mobile, as well as automated phone or customer service, yet you can’t deposit checks remotely. You have to use the mail. The bank also doesn’t issue ATM cards, which is not uncommon, but there are other options such as Synchrony Bank that do issue cards.