Teachers Federal Credit Union has a trio of great CD rates for Long Islanders.

With a $1,000 minimum deposit, it’s paying:

• 1.85% APY for 36-month CDs.
• 2.15% APY for 48-month CDs.
• 2.35% APY for 60-month CDs.

While those are all way better than the top nationally available CD rates for their corresponding terms on our CD Rates Leaderboard, that 60-month CD rate beats its term leader by a full four-tenths of a percentage point. Click here to read more

In this rate environment, it was inevitable.

After flying high above the competition for months, UFB Direct has cut the rate on its Airline Rewards Savings Account by two-tenths of a percentage point to 1.10% APY.

Even with that cut, UFB offers the top nationally available savings deal.

Yep, things are that bad. Click here to read more

Like the smoke detectors in my home, I check my payable-on-death (POD) accounts twice a year to make sure they’re still operating properly.

Although not as basic as accurate account balances, correct POD designations are critical to my deposit insurance coverage.

Under FDIC and NCUA rules, I get $250,000 in extra insurance for each different POD beneficiary, up to five. (See the FDIC’s rules and limitations for more on these accounts.) Click here to read more

Doral Bank Direct has cut its long-term CD rates — in two terms by nearly a third of a percentage point — dropping it from the top of our CD Rates Leaderboard in the 3-year term.

It now pays 1.50% APY for 36-, 48- and 60-month CDs, down from 1.65% APY on its 36-month CD and 1.80% on its 48- and 60-month CDs.

The rate cuts mean Doral Bank Direct — the online division of Doral Bank, with branches in New York and Florida — now owns the second-best 3-year CD; it no longer ranks among the top 5-year CDs we track.

AmTrust Direct (www.amtrustdirect.com) now offers the top nationally available 36-month CD rates. It pays 1.55% APY with a $1,000 minimum deposit. AmTrust Direct is the online division of Cleveland-based AmTrust Bank, a division of New York Community Bank. Click here to read more

In December, I did something Ben Bernanke would like.

I opened online brokerage accounts at Fidelity and Vanguard.

I didn’t do this so I could invest in stocks, commodities and esoteric financial instruments — as the Fed chairman apparently wants me to do.

I did it so I could modestly expand my fixed-income portfolio. Click here to read more

The top CD rates at Digital Federal Credit Union are saved for its checking account holders.

That relationship is worth a quarter of a percentage point bonus, boosting the 60-month CD at this Massachusetts-based credit union to 2.50% APY.

Members without a checking account earn 2.25% APY, which isn’t too shabby either. Click here to read more

You can earn plenty of perks with a PerkStreet Financial checking account and Platinum Debit MasterCard, but you need to make sure to read the fine print to get the most out of the deal.

PerkStreet pays 2% cash back for the first 90 days after opening your account whenever you make signature-based transactions or pay your bills with your debit card. Click here to read more

Top nationally available 24-month CD rates continue to pay 1.30% APY on our CD Rates Leaderboard, but a new offer that pays less might be a better deal for some.

American Express Bank (www.americanexpress.com), an online bank owned by the credit card company, leads the category. It requires no minimum opening deposit. Click here to read more

Partners Federal Credit Union is offering special 14-month CD rates for its more than 100,000 members associated with the Walt Disney Co.

It’s paying 1.25% APY with a $2,500 minimum deposit of new money.

That’s a tenth of a percentage point higher than the top nationally available 12-month CD rate on our CD Rates Leaderboard. Click here to read more