How much of my money should be in a high-yield savings account? (2024)

How much of my money should be in a high-yield savings account?

For savings, aim to keep three to six months' worth of expenses in a high-yield savings account, but note that any amount can be beneficial in a financial emergency. For checking, an ideal amount is generally one to two months' worth of living expenses plus a 30% buffer.

For an emergency fund, experts suggest saving at least three to six months' worth of living expenses. This includes essentials such as housing, utilities, food, health care and transportation. For example, if your average monthly expenses are $3,000, you'd want to save at least $9,000 to $18,000.

The rate environment is favorable

In fact, rates on high-yield savings accounts are currently hovering around 5%, and you may be able to find something even higher if you shop around for an online bank. On a $10,000 deposit, that would equate to $500 after one year.

Although each financial situation is unique, it doesn't typically make sense for you to keep all of your money in a high-yield savings account. After all, most high-yield savings accounts limit withdrawals to only six per month, so a checking account is typically a better place to store your spending cash.

By keeping your extra savings in a high-yield savings account, you may be able to earn more interest. If you keep $20,000 in a high-yield savings account for one year at 4.50% APY, you can make $900 from interest. The longer you allow your savings to sit in your account, the more interest you'll earn.

Safety: As noted, most high-yield savings accounts are either FDIC or NCUA insured for up to $250,000. Moreover, as deposit accounts, they're not susceptible to the ebbs and flows of the market, so there's little to no chance you'll lose the money you deposit into one.

It's possible, but it isn't realistic for everyone. Living off of interest relies on having a large enough balance invested that your regular interest earnings meet your salary needs. Rest assured that you don't need to earn a million dollar paycheck to reach your goal.

Millionaires Like High-Yield Savings, but Not as Much as Other Accounts.

The cons of high-yield savings accounts

Interest rates on high-yield savings accounts are variable and can fluctuate at any time, so while a bank may advertise a high annual percentage yield (APY) when you apply, it likely won't last forever.

Why shouldn't I use a high-yield savings account?

While high-yield savings accounts offer high APYs and zero risk, they're not the best way to grow your wealth long-term. That's because your APY can go up and down, and your yield may not outpace the inflation rate.

If you've been stashing your savings deposits in the same account for at least a few years, it's worth checking that the current APY you're earning is competitive with today's top rates. Opening multiple accounts could be one way to ensure that you're maximizing the potential of your savings by earning the top yield.

Do I have to pay taxes on HYSA? Yes, you have to pay taxes on the interest earned from a savings account. If you earn more than $10 in interest on your savings account, the bank holding your account will send you a Form 1099-T to include in your tax return.

For instance, if your savings account is serving as an emergency fund, consider having at least three to six months' worth of living expenses deposited. The strategy may be different if you're using a high-yield account to save up for a large purchase, such as a house, a car, or a vacation.

How much of a difference does this make? If you deposit $50,000 into a traditional savings account with a 0.46%, you'll earn just $230 in total interest after one year. But if you deposit that amount into a high-yield savings account with a 5.32% APY,* your one-year interest soars to over $2,660.

At a 4.25% annual interest rate, your $100,000 deposit would earn a total of $4,250 in interest over the course of a year if interest compounds annually. Annual total: $104,250.

Cash equivalents are financial instruments that are almost as liquid as cash and are popular investments for millionaires. Examples of cash equivalents are money market mutual funds, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and Treasury bills. Some millionaires keep their cash in Treasury bills.

You Could Lose Out on Higher Interest Rates

Opening multiple savings accounts can help you earn more interest, but it's essential to read the fine print. Again, some banks have a tiered interest rate structure for savings accounts, meaning you may only earn the highest rates once your balance reaches a certain amount.

Living off interest involves relying on what's known as passive income. This implies that your assets generate enough returns to cover your monthly income needs without the need for additional work or income sources. The ideal scenario is to use the interest and returns while preserving the core principal.

Can you live off interest of $1 million dollars?

Historically, the stock market has an average annual rate of return between 10–12%. So if your $1 million is invested in good growth stock mutual funds, that means you could potentially live off of $100,000 to $120,000 each year without ever touching your one-million-dollar goose. But let's be even more conservative.

Wealthy people do not leave large amounts of money in saving/checking accounts earning no interest or income. Instead they invest their money in stocks, bonds, real estate, mutual funds, etc.

As of April 2024, no banks are offering 7% interest rates on savings accounts. Two credit unions have high-interest checking accounts: Landmark Credit Union Premium Checking with 7.50% APY and OnPath Credit Union High Yield Checking with 7.00% APY.