MARTINS RUDZITIS/mrs/Getty Images 
In the uncertain economic climate millions of Americans find themselves in currently, losing access to their hard-earned savings is not something many can withstand. But that’s what they’ll be required to do with a certificate of deposit (CD) accountwhich will provide savers with elevated returns on their money in exchange for the money being frozen for months or even years. That can be difficult to endure for many in today’s inflationary economy, however, and even more so for those who have a large, five-figure amount of money in question. If you have $18,000 in your traditional savings account, for example, transferring it into a CD may be appealing but ultimately unachievable.
Fortunately, a high-yield savings account offers savers a viable (and valuable) alternative. Interest rates on this account type are competitive with the top CD rates and even superior to a few different terms. Savers won’t need to sacrifice access to their money with this account, either, as they will be free to continue to make deposits and withdrawals. And, if interest rates rise later this year as now looks possible, rates here could also increase thanks to the variable rate nature of the account. In other words, this could be the ideal home for your $18,000 right now.
Before transferring any money, however, it helps to know the interest-earning capacity of an account of this size. Below, we’ll crunch the numbers that savers should know now.
Start earning more interest on your money with a high-yield savings account here.
How much interest can an $18,000 high-yield savings account earn this year?
While calculating the interest earnings of a high-yield savings account can be difficult to do with precision because of the account’s variable rate, with current rates largely frozen, now is a good time for savers to gain an approximate idea of how much they stand to earn. Here’s how much interest savers can make over the next two, four and six months, assuming today’s top rate holds steady and that no withdrawals or deposits are made against the account in 2026:
- $18,000 high-yield savings account at 4.10% after two months: $120.95
- $18,000 high-yield savings account at 4.10% after four months: $242.71
- $18,000 high-yield savings account at 4.10% after six months: $365.29
While the interest earnings after six months will technically be available in early 2027, they will be significant and worth hundreds of dollars, accumulated simply by maintaining your account without penalty. And, if interest rates rise before that point, even marginally, your interest earnings will, too.
Just understand that a variable rate works both ways, so if the rate climate cools, even without a formal Federal Reserve rate cut, your returns here could decline as well. But with virtually no risk and significant interest earnings to be made right now, this can still be a viable account type to open, particularly for larger deposit amounts.
Get started with a high-yield savings account online here.
The bottom line
An $18,000 high-yield savings account opened now will lead to interest earnings worth more than $100 before the summer is over and more than $300 by early 2027. If you deposit more or if rates increase, however, you’ll earn even more. Just be aware of the variability here, as this interest isn’t guaranteed the way a CD account can provide. At the same time, if it means not having to sacrifice access to your money in today’s uncertain economic landscape, that can be a worthwhile exchange worth making.