1. low
   high
2. unfair

Though the interest rate on savings accounts are usually quite low, many people prefer keeping their money in one because they are no-risk.

1. low
   high
2. no

Stocks are considered high-risk compared to savings accounts, since there is really no way to predict how they will fare in the future.

1. lower
   higher
2. fairer

While certificates of deposit offer a higher rate of interest than savings accounts, the drawback is their maturity date. You can't withdraw your money early without paying a penalty.

1. an early withdrawal fee
   a late-withdrawal fee
2. a deposit-withdrawal fee

If you would like to withdraw your money before the maturity date of a certificate of deposit, you will have to pay an early withdrawal fee.

1. college tuition
   retirement
2. both of the above

CDs are a great long-term investment for funding expenses like your child's college tuition, a home down payment or your retirement that you expect further down the road.

1. the County Deposit Insurance Corporation
   the State Deposit Insurance Corporation
2. the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures all savings accounts and certificates of deposit for as much as $250,000 per depositor, per bank.

1. simple interest
   compound interest
2. fixed interest

In the case of compound interest, every time your funds get interest added to them, the next interest is taken on the total amount of your original funds plus the previously earned interest. Although the interest rate remains constant, the amount of interest added increases each time.

1. the annual percentage rate
   the annual percentage yield
2. the annual percentage credit

The annual percentage rate (APR) is the simple interest rate. The annual percentage yield (APY) refers to the rate of return you earn in a year allowing for compounded interest.

1. CDs
   money market accounts
2. savings accounts

To get the benefits of CD laddering, you should buy several CDs with different maturity dates. As the first one expires, you can either choose to keep those funds liquid or you might reinvest the funds from the first CD into one of the other CDs that have a longer life and therefore a higher interest rate.

1. a bus
   a loan
2. a vacation

Try to avoid a situation where you need to take out a loan while holding a CD. If the interest you pay on your loan exceeds the interest you're making on your CD, you will actually be losing money.