A time deposit or term deposit (in the United States also known as a certificate of deposit) is a deposit in a financial institution with a specific maturity date or a period to maturity, commonly referred to as its “term”. Time deposits differ from at call deposits, such as savings or checking accounts, which can be withdrawn at any time, without any notice or penalty. Deposits that require notice of withdrawal to be given are effectively time deposits, though they do not have a fixed maturity date.
Unlike a certificate of deposit and bonds, a time deposit is generally not negotiable; it is not transferable by the depositor, so that depositors need to deal with the financial institution when they need to prematurely cash out of the deposit.
Time deposits enable the bank to invest the funds in higher-earning financial products. In some countries, including the United States, time deposits are not subject to the banks’ reserve requirements, on the basis that the funds cannot be withdrawn at short notice. In some countries, time deposits are guaranteed by the government or protected by deposit insurance.
View More On Wikipedia.org
