A savings account is a basic type of bank account that is designed specifically for money to sit and grow with interest. The more money you have in the account, the more money you’ll earn in interest.
Some savings accounts pay out a higher interest rate as you pass certain levels of account balances. So, the more you put into your account, the more likely you will be able to earn a higher rate on money deposited. These are called “tiered” savings accounts.
Let’s take a closer look at these types of accounts and help you determine if they’re something you may want to open.
What Are Tiered Savings Accounts?
Banks make their profits off of money deposited in savings accounts by lending it out to others. They earn interest on this money loaned out and repay their own customers through an interest rate, which represents a very small portion of the profits they earn.
Banks can only lend out capital that is given to them by their clients, which is why they offer interest rates to incentivize people to open bank accounts and deposit money into them.
It’s in the best interests of banks for clients to keep their money in their savings accounts for long periods of time. The longer, the better. That’s because they can then use that money to lend out to others and earn profits from such loans.
The more money you have in your savings account, the higher the interest rate the bank offers. They do this to encourage you to deposit more. You’ll earn more money in interest because you have more money sitting in your savings account.
This is what’s known as the ‘tier system’. For example, you may earn 0.50% interest on a balance of $5,000 but can earn 1.00% on balances of $5,000 or more.
This system may also be based on the length of time that your money is left deposited into your savings account. For instance, you may earn 0.55% after 90 days, 0.75% after 180 days, and 1.00% after 360 days, as long as you do not withdraw any funds during this time.
Partial Vs Whole Balances
It’s important to understand the difference between partial and whole balances, as this can affect the interest rate on your deposited funds.
Partial Balance
With this system, you’ll be paid the higher rate only on the amount exceeding the base amount. Using the above as an example, you would earn an interest rate of 0.50% on the initial $4,999.99, then 1.00% on any amount over $5,000. This system pays out less in interest compared to a whole balance system.
Whole Balance
You’ll be paid out the highest interest rate the moment you reach the next tier, which means you’ll make more money with this system compared to a partial balance tier system.
Banks may also use a combination of the two systems. To illustrate, let’s say a bank offers 4 different tiers as follows:
- 1st tier: 0.30% for balances up to $2,999, using the whole balance system.
- 2nd tier: 0.45% for balances between $3,000 to $5,999 using the whole balance system.
- 3rd tier: 0.60% for balances between $6,000 to $9,999 using the partial balance system.
- 4th tier: 1.00% for balances over $10,000 using the partial balance system.
In this example, the interest earned will be based on how much you have deposited, with each tier’s rate based on a different system as you climb the ladder.
Final Thoughts
Rather than getting paid out one interest rate, regardless of what your account balance is, a tiered savings account rewards you with a higher rate with a higher balance. These types of accounts are ideal for consumers who intend to maintain high balances in their savings accounts.
That said, you’d need to hold a few thousand dollars in your account or make it worth your while. If a tiered savings account offers a high interest rate — especially if it uses a whole balance system — it may be worth looking into to help your money grow over time.
