Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Blended ladder yield
4.400%
Amount per rung
$10,000
First-year interest
$2,200.00
Average monthly interest
$183.33
Value at the end of the horizon
$62,012
Total interest earned
$12,012
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One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter total to invest ($).
- 2Enter number of rungs.
- 3Enter 1-year rate (%).
- 4Enter rate change per extra year (%).
- 5Enter years to project.
- 6Read your blended ladder yield on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
A ladder gives you the yield of longer terms with regular access to cash. Each rung matures in turn and gets rolled into the longest term, keeping the average rate high.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Total to invest: 50000 $
- Number of rungs: 5
- 1-year rate: 4.6 %
- Rate change per extra year: -0.1 %
- Years to project: 5
Results
- Blended ladder yield: 4.400%
- Amount per rung: $10,000.00
- First-year interest: $2,200.00
- Average monthly interest: $183.33
- Value at the end of the horizon: $62,011.54
- Total interest earned: $12,011.54
What each field means
Inputs
- Total to invest ($)
- The total to invest used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 50000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Number of rungs
- The number of rungs used in the calculation. Starts at 5 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 2–10.
- 1-year rate (%)
- The 1-year rate used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 4.6 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–12 %.
- Rate change per extra year (%)
- The rate change per extra year used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at -0.1 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: -1–1 %.
- Years to project
- The years to project used in the calculation. Starts at 5 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–15.
Results
- Blended ladder yield
- Returned as a percentage and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Amount per rung
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- First-year interest
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Average monthly interest
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Value at the end of the horizon
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total interest earned
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How does the cd ladder calculator work?
A ladder gives you the yield of longer terms with regular access to cash. Each rung matures in turn and gets rolled into the longest term, keeping the average rate high. The underlying maths is: Blended yield = Σ (Rung amount × rate) ÷ Total invested.
What do I need to enter?
5 values: total to invest, number of rungs, 1-year rate, rate change per extra year, and years to project. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move.
What does the blended ladder yield result mean?
It is returned as a percentage and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds.
Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?
Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser.
How accurate is the result?
It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
Who is this tool for?
It's built for anyone comparing money scenarios before committing — budgeting a payment, sanity-checking a quote, or seeing what a change in rate or term actually costs.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). CD Ladder Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cd-ladder
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cd-ladder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CD Ladder Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [CD Ladder Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cd-ladder) (2026).