Morgan Stanley is trying to get its large customer base to move some of their assets back to the bank from other institutions that may have offered better rates in the past. They are doing this by offering an promotional savings rate of 2.10% or a 6-month CD rate of 2.40% so long as the capital is transferred from outside of Morgan Stanley. These offers are available under December 7, 2018 and are subject to availability. Certain conditions may apply.
Customers can deposit up to $2 million per product in each of two issuing subsidiaries – Morgan Stanley Bank, NA and Morgan Stanley Private Bank. Each is separately FDIC insured.
The 2.10% savings rate is competitive versus online savings rates. However, according to the terms of the offer, the rate will revert back to the non-promotional rate on March 1, 2019.
As of this publication, the 2.40% 6-month CD rate is above any nationally available online 6-month CD rate. Locally available 6-month rates may be higher (check rates where you live here).
In the Spring, we suggested that these types of short-term promotional products offered by investment banks may become less attractive after depositors account for the loss of interest while transferring their money in (and presumably out, when the promotion ends). You may also experience significant periods where your cash is sitting idle at the bank waiting for the bank’s next purchase date. Read my earlier article here. (
Additionally, the 6-month CD operates as a brokered CD, as cannot be made liquid with the payment of an early withdrawal penalty like most online CDs can so you better be awfully sure that you won’t need access to your money. We’ve cautioned against brokered CDs many times (recently here) and you should be especially cautious in a rising interest rate environment like we are entering now.
Bottom line: You might be better off checking the best online savings rates here.
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