A Term Deposit can offer a secure investment option, but it’s important to have a strategy in place for when it matures.
In this article we’ll cover:
- Your options at maturity
- Interest rate considerations
- Superannuation tax considerations
- Early withdrawal costs and fees
- How to keep track of your CommBank Term Deposit
You generally get a week’s notice before your Term Deposit matures, but it depends on who you are invested with – so make a point of checking your maturity date.
Not keeping an eye on the maturity date could mean, at some banks, the Term Deposit funds will be automatically renewed for the same fixed term as before, at the interest rate that applies on that day, or funds could be placed in the holding facility at maturity. The risk with this approach is that it may be reinvested for a term that doesn’t suit you, or at a rate that isn’t giving you the best return.
What are your options at maturity?
When your Term Deposit matures with CommBank you can choose to:
- Place your funds in the holding facilityto give you more time to decide what to do.
- Proactively renew it for another term of one month or more
- Top-up and renew the new balance for another term of one month or more
- Withdraw a portion of your Term Deposit e.g. interest earned and reinvest the rest
- Withdraw all the money in the account
With so many options, it can be tricky to decide on the best strategy for you. A good starting point is to ask yourself one question – do I need this money soon? Your answer will give you guidance on what to do next.
Check the interest rate
Often, the longer the term, the higher the interest rate; but that may not always be the case. And don’t assume when you renew or invest your Term Deposit, you’ll continue to receive the same rate as when you first opened it.
That’s not necessarily going to mean you’re worse off – you may actually get a better interest rate. You can find our current Term Deposit rates here.
Superannuation tax considerations
You may choose to invest in a Term Deposit as part of your superannuation strategy.
If this is something you’re interested in, it’s probably a good idea to make an appointment with a Financial Planner, who can answer questions and help with your super strategy.
Early withdrawal costs and fees
Changing your mind can be costly. You need to give 31 days’ advance notice to withdraw from your term deposit before the maturity date, and you may also need to pay early withdrawal (prepayment) costs and fees if you choose to withdraw your term deposit before it matures.
So think carefully before you choose to open a Term Deposit or reinvest all, or part, of your money at maturity.
Getting the maximum benefit from a Term Deposit means locking it away. The downside to this is your money isn’t readily available to invest elsewhere if an opportunity arises, or simply for you to spend on some unplanned event.
Keeping track is key
It’s crucial to keep track of your Term Deposit, rather than choosing to set then forget about it. You can easily monitor your CommBank Term Deposit in NetBank,and choose to renew, top-up or withdraw it there too.
If you’ve got a Term Deposit with us you can also opt-in to get free alerts (email, SMS or a notification in NetBank) before it matures. This will give you time to consider what you want to do with your money when your deposit matures.
