What is the best high interest savings account in Canada right now?
This question is important for determining the right accounts for your personal financial systems. Understanding the best place to store different buckets of money is essential for optimizing your financial systems. Savings accounts often rank close to the top when people consider their own financial needs. There are even a dedicated number of people who will switch banks multiple times a year, all looking for the best savings account.
Unfortunately, this often misses the mark. While having a good savings account is preferable, the benefits are often too small to be really noticeable, in the grand scheme of life.
With that, let us look into why your savings account is important, but also why this is a decision that should be classified more in the “set it and forget it” category.
Why is your savings account important?
Your savings account is perhaps the very foundation of your financial fortress, and the starting point for future financial endeavors. Your emergency fund, the first real “investment” that you should be making, should be stored in cash. This safety net will see you through the ups and downs of life. With any luck, your emergency fund will sit there untouched for long periods of time. As a result, having that cash stored in a safe, accessible place is ideal.
Recall that your emergency fund should be stocked with 3-6 months of living expenses, and even upward to 12 months of living expenses. This is a sizable amount of cash, and to make the most of it, should be stored in a high-interest e-savings account. This will reduce the impact of inflation on that emergency fund, if only by a small margin.
Since these cash savings are stored in a cash savings account, it makes sense to secure the best high-interest account that you can.
Why your savings account choice shouldn’t change often.
Too many people focus solely on the interest rate provided by their savings account, even going as far as to switch banks to get the latest and greatest promotional offers and rates. While this may net you an extra half percent or so on your cash savings, the actual dollar value simply isn’t worth your time to swap banks.
Let’s assume you have an emergency fund of $ 30,000. You receive $ 300 per year in interest per percent of interest paid by your bank. Differences between top high-interest accounts, and the general high-interest offerings are probably less than 1-2% annually. What that means, is that the interest difference between various high-interest accounts is $ 600 or less, on a 30,000 dollar balance. Given the number of hours it takes to change banks, the hassle is often not worth it. These changes only make the illusion of progress towards your financial goals, when in reality your time is better spent elsewhere, such as improving your vital career skills, or refining your goals.
A better approach to savings accounts.
Rather than chasing the highest interest rates on savings deposits, it is far better to examine all the offerings at your chosen institution. This includes account fees, accessibility of your money, any extra service charges (like EFT fees), as well as investment options. Simplifying the services you use will save you both money on fees, and more importantly, save your time.
What High-Interest Savings Accounts are “best”?
Ensure you are taking into consideration all your financial needs and goals, and then pick the account that fits right with your plans. To help you get started, here are some of the available high interest accounts from some of the more popular financial institutions. Remember, these savings accounts are an essential piece, but still only one piece, of your financial puzzle. (Note: I am not affiliated with any of the institutions mentioned below.)
| Financial Service Provider | Account Requirements | Interest Rates (Annual) |
| RBC | No account minimum | 0.5% (after promotional period ends) |
| CIBC | No account minimum | 0.2% (after promotional period ends) |
| TD Canada Trust | $ 5,000.00 | 0.05% |
| Scotiabank | No account minimum | 0.15% - 1.35%, depending on length of time without withdrawing any money |
| BMO | No account minimum, $200 contributions monthly to unlock the best interest rates | 0.05% - 0.7%. Comes with 0.65% interest rate boost if minimums are met. |
| Tangerine | No account minimum | 0.25% (after promotional period ends) |
| Wealthsimple | No account minimum | 0.9% |
| EQ Bank | No account minimum | 2.00% |
| Alterna Bank | No account minimum | 1.9% |
Each of these accounts offers their own respective benefits and draw-backs. Remember, when making the decision about where to store your emergency fund, it is best to consider your other financial needs.
For example, I use other RBC and Wealthsimple products, such as investment accounts and credit cards. Keeping my savings accounts at these two institutions makes the most sense for me, providing visibility and access, despite not carrying the highest interest rates on the list.
Making the right choices starts with selecting the right accounts. Eliminating fees, and maximizing interest, in that order. Fees will shrink your financial resources far faster than interest can replace. Once that crucial first step is taken, sit back, relax, and move onto more important (and profitable) areas of your life, both financial and elsewhere.
The right knowledge, paired with decisive action will lead you to the financial success you strive for.
Interest rates and account details available as of June 1st, 2020.