Question

Suppose you buy a CD for $500 that earns 3% APR and is compounded quarterly. The CD matures in 3 years. Assume that if funds are withdrawn before the CD matures, the early withdrawal fee is 3 months' interest. What is the early withdrawal fee on this account?

Answer 1

$3.75

Explanation:

I = Prt

I = $500·0.03·(3/12) = $3.75

The early-withdrawal fee is $3.75 for the first quarter.

_____

Each quarter after that, the principal amount will be larger, so the interest penalty will be larger. The fee would be the amount of interest that would be credited at the end of the next quarter, or at the end of the quarter currently in progress.