Webull ACAT Transfer Bonus: 3% to 4% of Assets ($2k/100k Minimum)

Updated with new offer. The Webull brokerage app is offering an updated ACAT Transfer bonus of up to 4% of assets transferred plus up to $100 in outgoing fee reimbursements on your first transfer of at least $2,000. This specific offer ends March 31, 2026. This is for individual taxable brokerage accounts. Joint, Crypto, and IRA accounts are excluded.

You must transfer at least $100,000 in assets to get a 4% match, with a minimum hold of 5 years to get the full payout (they break it up into installments with the last one being paid March 2031). Max funding is $2,000,000. You must transfer at least $2,000 in assets to get a 3% match, also with a minimum hold of 5 years. 4% is a very high bonus, but it is a long hold period. Be sure to read all the terms and conditions.

Prime Visa Review: $250 Instant Gift Card, 5% Back at Amazon + Whole Foods

Limited-time offer now scheduled to expire 1/8. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you probably spend a good chunk at Amazon and should at least consider the Prime Visa, a credit card (not store card) available only to Amazon Prime members. During the holiday season, the bonus has boosted to a high of $250 but is going to expire 1/8. Highlights:

  • $259 Amazon Gift Card *instantly* upon approval exclusively for Prime members. No spending requirement.
  • 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership.
  • 5% back on Chase Travel(SM) purchases with an eligible Prime membership.
  • 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories
    on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership.
  • 2% Back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting
    (including rideshare).
  • 1% Back on all other purchases.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • No annual fee.

Rewards can be redeemed easily either on your next Amazon.com purchase or as a statement credit on your bill. But since you get 5% back on your Amazon purchases on this card… it’s slightly better to take the statement credit, even though it is also slightly more hassle.

I have this card set up as my default credit card at Amazon, and that’s its primary purpose in life, to absorb all my Amazon and Whole Foods purchases. (Which is still a lot, unfortunately…)

If you do this, remember that there are also the following extra protections built into the card:

  • Extended warranty protection. Extends the time period for the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
  • Purchase Protection. Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.

Bottom line. If you are a Prime member that spends a lot of money at Amazon and/or Whole Foods and prefer simplicity, using the Prime Visa can add up with minimal extra effort. Be sure to make it your default card for your Amazon account. You can then track all your Amazon spending on one card, and also be sure you remember that you get extended warranty protection and purchase protection on those items.

E-Trade from Morgan Stanley: Savings and Checking Account Bonuses

Savings offer improved. E*Trade (Morgan Stanley Private Bank) is running promotions for new customers on both their savings and checking accounts:

Hat tip to reader Greg on this one.

Up to $2,000 Savings promo details (deposit bonus).

  • Open a new Premium Savings Account on etrade.com by February 28, 2026 using promo code SAVE26.
  • Deposit qualifying new money (see tiers below) within the first 30 days after account opening.
  • Maintain your balance for 45 additional days after the 30-day funding period ends to earn your bonus.

If your deposit meets the minimum of a tier exactly then it works out to up a 1.5% bonus. Note that on some tiers it might be as low as 1%. If let’s say you hold for 60 days for some wiggle room, 1.5% for 60 days works out to a 9% bonus on an annualized basis. Add on the current 3.50% APY on the Premium Savings account for a total of 12.50% APY.

Even on the 1% bonus for 60 days, that works out to a 6% bonus on an annualized basis. Add on the current 3.50% APY on the Premium Savings account for a total of 9.50% APY. Not bad.

$300 Checking promo details (direct deposit required).

    CHECKING25. You are not eligible if you have or had owned or co-owned (joint) a Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account within the last 12 months from when you enroll in this offer.
  • Make at least 2 direct deposits, each of $1,500 or more, within 90 days of opening your new account.
  • Your bonus should arrive around 120 days from account opening.

As of 1/5/26, Max-Rate Checking Account pays 2.00% APY. You must maintain a $5,000 average monthly balance, otherwise there is a $15 monthly fee. The basic Checking Account only pays 0.05% APY (basically nothing), but has no minimum balance. This is notable since you’ll need to maintain an open account for at least a few extra months to get the bonus, so the basic Checking might be better.

Capital One 360 Checking Bonuses: $250 w/o Direct Deposit, $300 w/ Direct Deposit

Updated. Capital One has two different checking bonuses for new customers right now, one that requires direct deposit and another that requires 20 debit card transactions. You’ll have to pick one.

$250 bonus w/o Direct Deposit requirement:

  • Open a 360 Checking account using promotional code DEBIT250.
  • Use your 360 Checking debit card for qualifying transactions at least 20 of $10 or more within 75 days of account opening.

What is “new”? If you have or had an open 360 Checking, Simply Checking, or Total Control Checking account as a primary or secondary account holder with Capital One on or after January 1, 2024, you will be ineligible for the bonus. Hat tip to DoC.

$300 bonus w/ Direct Deposit requirement:

  • Open a 360 Checking account using my referral link. They should fill in the promo code for you.
  • Set up and receive at least 2 Qualifying Direct Deposits each of $500 or more to your 360 Checking account within 75 days of account opening.

For this one, if you have or had an open 360 Checking, Simply Checking, or Total Control Checking account as a primary or secondary account holder with Capital One on or after January 1, 2024, you will be ineligible for the bonus.

The 360 Checking account offers a rather disappointing 0.10% APY interest rate, and nothing exceptional other than the ability to link easily with 360 Savings. Highlights:

  • No monthly fees, no minimum balance required.
  • 0.10% APY on all balance tiers.
  • Remote check deposit via app.
  • Paper checks will cost you $20 for 50 checks, or $25 for 100 checks.
  • In addition to their own ATMs, Capital One uses the Allpoint ATM network for fee-free ATM access.
  • You can use your 360 Savings as the overdraft backup source of funds.

A pretty generous checking bonus if you are eligible, but not that attractive long-term unless you already prefer using CapOne 360 Savings. Capital One does seem to keep offering these bonuses regularly each year, making it a good idea to close any idle Capital One 360 accounts.

Free Credit Monitoring Alerts From All 3 Major Credit Bureaus

Updated. Happy New Year! 🎉 🥳 In terms of keeping my finances in order, what I’ve been finding most useful recently are credit monitoring alerts. The last time I applied for a credit card, I received multiple e-mails within minutes alerting me that someone had checked my credit report. I’m also told if a new account is added. This makes me feel more comfortable knowing that I’ll be alerted quickly if someone does try to steal my identity. The following third-party services listed below provide you a free credit score (of various algorithms) and/or free continuous credit monitoring from select credit bureaus.

Credit Karma

  • Free credit score (VantageScore 3.0) from both Transunion and Equifax.
  • Free credit monitoring from both Transunion and Equifax. Via e-mail alerts or app notification. Will let you know about things like a new credit check or a new account added.
  • Limited identity theft monitoring. Credit Karma uses your email address to search and notify you if they are listed in public data breaches.

Credit Sesame

  • Free credit score (VantageScore 3.0) from Transunion. Daily credit score updates and weekly credit report profile updates.
  • Free credit monitoring from Transunion. Via e-mail alert. Will let you know about things like a new credit check or a new account added.

Experian.com (Free Tier)

  • Free credit score (FICO 8) from Experian. Daily credit score updates and daily credit report profile, refreshed upon login.
  • Free credit monitoring from Experian. Free e-mail alerts.
  • Warning that Experian will regularly try to upsell you to a paid membership tier. Simply click “No, keep my membership” to stay on the free tier. I’ve been on it for years.
  • Improve your credit score by adding utility payments. Experian Boost is a free option that can potentially improve your Experian-based credit score by adding on-time utility and phone bill payments.

WalletHub

  • Free credit score (VantageScore 3.0) from Transunion. Daily credit score updates and free daily full credit reports.
  • Free credit monitoring from Transunion. Via e-mail alert. Will let you know about things like a new credit check or a new account added.

CreditWise from Capital One

  • Free credit score (FICO 8) from Transunion. You do not need to be a Capital One customer to sign up.
  • Free credit monitoring from both Transunion and Experian.

None of the services above require a trial or credit card number to sign up for their free tiers. They may ask for the last 4 digits of your SSN for verification. These are all ad-supported (they will pitch you stuff) and usually have a paid upgrade option (but you can stay on the free tier forever).

The government requires the credit bureaus to provide you a free credit report at least once every 12 months (now actually weekly since the pandemic). However, the site will not provide you credit scores or pro-active alerts if anything changes on those reports.

Note that some of the scores above are not FICO scores because Fair Isaac might charge more money in licensing fees. If you really want a FICO number, nearly every major credit card issuer now includes a monthly FICO score with their cards: Chase, Citi, Bank of America, Discover, Barclaycard, and American Express.

Bottom line. Used in combination, I use the services above to keep track of changes to my credit reports across all three credit bureaus for free. None of them require my credit card number, and they quickly alert me to things like new accounts, new credit check inquiries, and high credit line usage. I just ignore the generic ads and upsells.

Lyft: $15 Ride Credit by Linking Atmos (Alaska Airlines) Account

Get a $15 Lyft ride credit if you link your Atmos Rewards (Alaska/Hawaiian Airlines) and Lyft accounts for the first time before 1/14/26. Lyft ride credits will be awarded within 5 days of the end of the Promotional Period and expire on January 31, 2026 at 11:59PM PT. Just did it, was easy enough.

If you pick Atmos as your rewards earning partner on Lyft, you get:

  • 2 Atmos points per $1 spent on everyday Lyft rides including Standard, Priority Pickup, and XL rides.
  • 3 Atmos points per $1 spent on airport rides and elevated Lyft rides including Extra Comfort, Black, and Black SUV rides.
  • Work rides earn double points – With Lyft Business Rewards, eligible riders can earn 4-6 points per $1 spent on business profile rides vs. 2-3 points on personal rides.

Fine print:

Eligible Members who link their Atmos™ Rewards and Lyft accounts for the first time during the Promotional Period will receive a $15 Lyft ride credit. “Eligible Members” means Atmos™ Rewards Members who have linked their Atmos™ Rewards and Lyft accounts on alaskalyft.com during the Promotional Period and have selected “Atmos™ Rewards by Alaska and Hawaiian” as their active partner in the ‘Rewards’ section of the Lyft App at the time the Lyft ride credit is deposited. “Promotional Period” means December 17, 2025, at 12:01am PT to January 14, 2026, at 11:59pm PT. The Lyft ride credit is eligible to be used on any Lyft ride type, excluding bicycle and scooter rides. Valid only in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Members who linked their Atmos™ Rewards and Lyft accounts prior to the Promotional Period are not eligible for a $15 retroactive ride credit. Lyft ride credits will be awarded within 5 days of the end of the Promotional Period and expire on January 31, 2026 at 11:59PM PT. This offer may be modified, suspended, or terminated at any time without notice.

Walmart: $10 off $50 First 3 Pickup & Delivery Orders (New Customers)

Walmart has a promotion right now offering new customers $10 off $50+ on their first 3 orders of pickup or delivery with promo code HOLIDAY10. Here is the press release and the fine print with a few restrictions. If you do mostly grocery items like, they should be fine. Might be worth trying just to see if it works. Hat tip to DoC.

Terms & Conditions
– Valid only for your first (3) orders of pickup or delivery.
– $50 order minimum.
– Discount will be applied to your order of pickup or delivery.
– This offer can’t be used for photo, personalized items, pharmacy, gift cards, alcohol or items sold by Marketplace sellers.
– Customer responsible for all applicable taxes.
– This offer may not be combined with other special offers.
– Promotion code expires 12/31/25.
– Offer subject to change or expire without notice.

Everyone is dealing with inflation in their own way, and my response has been trying out all the many “Great Value” items that Walmart offers, from butter to yogurt to canned black beans. And honestly, they’ve mostly been just fine. I feel that Walmart business has been doing so well for this reason, and also because they make their Pickup service very user-friendly:

  • Even after making your initial order, you can continuously keep adding OR removing items, right up until they start shopping your order. Many stores don’t let you remove items after ordering.
  • Their inventory management is more accurate than before, with fewer out-of-stock items and substitutions. Frequent substitutions are really annoying when you try to meal-plan the entire week ahead, like me.
  • If they do substitute, they let you know beforehand and you can decline in the app.
  • You can also decline substitutions when you actually pick up, and they will return it for you without you having to enter the store.

inKind Dining App: New $25 off $25 Promo

Added new $25 off $25 link (may be targeted). inKind is a startup that provides restaurants financing in exchange for “food and beverage credit”. Retail customers can use inKind to pay their food bill at participating restaurants through the app and get 20% back in “inKind Cash” credit on their bills. They say over 4,000 restaurants are in their network, mostly nicer local spots, but some chains like California Pizza Kitchen are also included (which is a favorite for our family).

The good thing is that you don’t have to let the server know ahead of time, or do anything awkward like using a coupon. You just get the check and then use the inKind app to pay. All the restaurants use the same backend Toast software, so you just need a number from the top of the paper bill. Within the inKind app, you can link your existing rewards credit card and also earn those rewards on your net cost (will still code as dining). inKind works primarily for dine-in, but some restaurants do specifically allow take-out. You are supposed to order the takeout from within the inKind app, but as long as you get the bill with the code, you should be able to pay using the app.

Current promos:

If you have a big bill, know that you can “split the check” within the app, so that two separate people can use a $25 off $50 discount in their respective inKind apps.

You should see your multiple offers in the app:

California Pizza Kitchen is part of the inKind network, and they are a reliable way to use these offers. They usually have some sort of promo going, like right now they have $10 Pizzas on Monday and Tuesday that you can stack.

Now, I can’t guarantee this will work for you, but this may work with CPK take-out and not just dine-in. (Be sure order directly from CPK.com or over the phone, not another app like Doordash or Grubhub.) The place we go to just has a separate take-out counter and the default check that comes from them should work with inKind. If not, tell them you want to pay with inKind and they should be able to generate the right check with the number on top. Make sure you meet the minimum purchase amount.

Kraken Crypto: Existing Users 30 Days of Free Spins, New User Bonuses

Update: A quick heads up for existing Kraken users that many people are being targeted for another 30 days of their “Daily Spin” game given out to new users. You will need to make one trade to activate (even buying $1 of BTC or USDG and paying a penny fee works). Then you get 30 days of spins, like free slot machine pulls. The total average winnings over 30 days seem to be reliably at least around $15-$20. Check your offers tab; The e-mail subject was “🎄Spin to win up to $2,500 this Christmas!”, which looked a little spammy so you might have missed it.

Original post:

Crypto exchange Kraken is now offering up to a $150 bonus in crypto after you open a new account and complete the requirements. You can confirm when entering the code, as shown above. You must trade crypto that isn’t stablecoin, like BTC. The details are below. That’s my referral link, which should auto-populate with the promo code 2zr4jyp5 . Thanks if you use it!

  • Open an account and deposit at least $100.
  • Trade at least $100, earn $15.
  • Trade at least $300, earn $20. ($35 total)
  • Trade at least $500, earn $50. ($75 total)
  • Trade at least $5,000, earn $75. ($150 total)

Select cashback portals are offering bonuses as well, which change regularly but can be upward of $100 as well, like TopCashback and Rakuten (search “Kraken”). The payouts vary up to daily, but I would wait until one is above $100, currently Rakuten is at $150 at time of writing (Hat tip to DoC). I am not 100% certain if this will stack with the referral discount, but I would still try going through the portal link and then adding the referral code. There are multiple successful reports of stacking.

Be on the lookout for a Daily Spin game which offers free spins for 30 days as well.

Other crypto offers:

Best Interest Rates Survey: Bank Accounts, Treasury Bills, Money Markets, ETFs – December 2025

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of December 2025, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love taking advantage of idle cash, and you can often earning more money while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 12/5/2025.

TL;DR: Savings account interest rates have dropped slightly overall, moving with Fed rates. You can still get 4.6% and 4.5% APY if you accept some hoops/restrictions, but most are a little under 4% now. Short-term T-Bill rates have fallen, now ~3.7%. Top 5-year CD rates are ~4.25% APY, while 5-year Treasury rate is ~3.7%.

High-yield savings accounts*
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially no interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

  • The top saving rate at the moment: Pibank at 4.60% APY (no min), but they have some weird restrictions; like you can only use wire/Plaid to deposit and wire transfers to withdraw funds?! Hyperion Bank has a 4.50% APY money market account ($10,000 minimum, new money) with a 6-month rate guarantee. CIT Platinum Savings is now at 3.75% APY with $5,000+ balance and is offering an up to $300 deposit bonus which increases your effective APY for a while. There are many banks in between.
  • SoFi Bank is at 3.60% APY + up to 4.30% APY for 6 months + $325 new account bonus with qualifying direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features.
  • Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history. This month they start at 3.30% APY on up.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

  • No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 13-month No Penalty CD at 3.95% APY ($500 minimum deposit). Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit). USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.90% APY ($500 minimum deposit).
  • USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 12-month certificate at 4.18% APY ($500 min). Early withdrawal penalty is 180 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council (try promo codes “consumer”, “abnb”, or “USFFCU” to join for free).

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

  • Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has a 7-day SEC yield of 3.89% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 3.96%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
  • Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (100% for 2024 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current 7-day SEC yield of 3.88% (compound yield of 3.95%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

  • You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 12/5/25, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.72% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.61% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 3.85% 30-day SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 3.71% 30-day SEC yield (0.136% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.15 years. The new Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) has a 3.89% 30-day SEC yield (0.07% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years.

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

  • “I Bonds” bought between November 2025 and April 2026 will earn a 4.03% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
  • In mid-April 2026, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will post another update at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

  • OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $150 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
  • Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Oklahoma Central Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases (non-ATM) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union if they are “affiliated with another credit union”.
  • La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 5.75% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
  • First Southern Bank pays 5.50% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit or payment transaction, and enroll in online statements.
  • Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 5.50% APY (down from 6%) on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
  • Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

  • United Fidelity Bank has a 5-year certificate at 4.25% APY ($1,000 minimum), 4-year at 4.20% APY, 3-year at 4.20% APY, 2-year at 4.25% APY, and 1.5-year at 4.15% APY. Early withdrawal penalties are not disclosed clearly online.
  • Mountain America Credit Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.00% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.00% APY, 3-year at 4.05% APY, 2-year at 4.20% APY, and 1-year at 3.85% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council (use promo code “consumer” when joining).
  • You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable brokered CD at 3.90% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can (and will!) call back your CD if rates drop significantly later.

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

  • Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at 4.00% (non-callable) vs. 4.13% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 12/5/25.

* I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of significant loss due to poor recordkeeping and the lack of government protection in such scenarios. The point of cash is absolute safety of principal.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Lennar / Millrose Properties Odd Lot Tender (Sold My Shares)

Update 12/4/25 (by me). Shares sold; final profit of $890.54. My limit order was triggered yesterday and my shares were sold, closing out my position and finishing this deal. Here are my personal results, you may have done better or worse:

  • Bought 99 shares of LEN @$122.29 (11/14) for $12,107.
  • Tendered all 99 shares, exchanged for 409.53 shares of MRP (11/20 deadline).
  • Received 409 MRP shares and $15.88 cash for the partial share (12/1).
  • Sold 409 shares of MRP @$31.74 for $12,981.66 (12/3).

Net profit was $890.54. Total time between purchase and sale was 19 calendar days, working out to an internal rate of return (IRR) of 290.98%. (At 5% APY, my interest over 23 days on $12,107 would have been about $32.) I usually try to buy within a week of the tender deadline, and sell within a week of receiving the final shares, and it takes roughly a week to exchange so the total time is usually less than three weeks. The absolute ROI is 891/12107 = 7.4%.

Update 11/29/25 (by me). Check for exchanged shares. The final results have been released. My new MRP shares showed up after market close of Friday 11/28 in my Fidelity account, and probably in other brokerage accounts around this time as well. See original post below for past details, although the opportunity has passed.

The final exchange ratio was 1 share LEN to 4.1367 shares of MRP. The deal was oversubscribed, with a final proration factor of ~8.6% of shares tendered. However, those with “odd lots” of 99 shares or less were not subject to proration.

If treated as a short-term workout, your profit will depend on both your entry and exit price. This tender was drawn out due to the government shutdown, so your entry price could have varied widely, as low as around $115 per share. Mine wasn’t all that great at $122.29 x 99 shares = $12,107.

You would have gotten 409.53 shares of MRP, so 409 shares of MRP and a bit of cash later. At the Friday 11/28 close price of $30.46, 409 shares would be worth ~$12,458 for a rough profit of about ~$350 plus any fractional share payout later.

However, the actual price at which I will sell MRP is unknown. I don’t know how the market will open on Monday. I will note that 778,625 shares of LEN were tendered by odd-lot holders, which would now be about 3.2 million shares of MRP. Now, the 90-day average daily trading volume for MRP stock is only ~2 million shares. So if you think that all the odd-lot holders will want to sell, that might put some pressure on the stock for a while. I expect to watch things for a bit, but sell within a couple of weeks. Might put in a limit order.

If you did not hedge this bet (and thus losing some of the edge), then it is/was just a bet with a positive edge that you can still lose money on. Imagine you had to be “in the market” for a couple of weeks, but with a 6% buffer. If the market goes down worse than 6% during that time, you lose some money. Otherwise, you are ahead. For some, that is still too much risk. For others, it’s a gamble with an edge and they’ll take it using a appropriately sized portion of their bankroll. Personally, I would take that bet repeatedly. There’s a lot to be learned about investing with this little experiment. Again, please consider all the risks outlined in the original guest post below.

Update 11/14/25 (by me). Things moving forward. Things appear to have settled down, as this exchange offer had to be extended a few times due to the government shutdown (which includes the SEC). As it stands now, the expiration date is 12:00 midnight ET on November 21, 2025. Each broker will have their own cutoff time to participate in the offer, my Fidelity account shows a cutoff date of 11/20/2025 7:00 PM ET (although I’d call in before market close that day). I had to call in to tender my shares this time.

Lennar’s motivation to complete this exchange appears to remain strong, so my expectation is that it will go through. I make this update now because it means you still have time to do your own research (see risks explained in the guest post below), decide whether to buy 99 shares, and tender those shares. The site Envisionreports.com/lennarexchange remains a good place to see the updated live stats on this offer.

Original post 10/17/25:

From time to time, I participate in certain stock exchange offers which include a special provision for smaller investors, called “odd lot tenders”. You can find more background information on these short-term “arbitrage” plays in the last two offers that I joined: Cummins/Atmus Filtration and Johnson & Johnson/Kenvue.

Recently, Lennar (primarily a homebuilder) announced such an exchange offer as they try to complete their spinoff of Millrose Properties (an REIT, primarily a land bank). This time, Rich Howe of StockSpinoffInvesting.com – who has a lot more experience with these deals than me – has generously agreed to share his summary and analysis of the deal. Please enjoy the following guest post:

Buy Lennar – Exchange Offer – Special Situation

October 15, 2025
LEN: $122.21
Market Cap: $30BN
Recommendation: Buy 99 shares of LEN, Exchange for shares of MRP
Expected Profit: $772 / 6.4%

Summary

Lennar (LEN) announced an exchange offer on October 10, 2025 whereby investors can exchange their LEN shares for shares of Millrose Properties (MRP), Lennar’s land bank spin-off. To incentivize the exchange, LEN investors will receive $106.43 of value in MRP shares for every $100 of value in LEN shares. I expect the exchange offer to be oversubscribed. However, there is an odd lot provision such that any LEN shareholders with 99 shares or less (odd lot provision) will not be prorated. Thus, there is an opportunity to buy 99 shares of LEN and exchange them for shares of MRP. This should result in a profit of ~6.4% / ~$757 (at current prices) in less than a month. The profit is not guaranteed (of course!) but is low risk, in my opinion. To participate in this exchange offer, you must contact your broker (you may be able to participate in the exchange offer online). It will not happen automatically.

Deadline: The exchange offer will expire on November 7, 2025. So this is time sensitive. Brokers typically require investors to give them notice about the exchange well before the official deadline. Schwab’s deadline will likely be November 5, 2025, but it would be prudent to buy on November 3, 2025 at the latest as it takes two days for shares to settle. I’m planning to buy 99 shares of LEN shares on or before November 3rd and then immediately call Schwab and ask to participate in the exchange offer. Other brokers (Fidelity, Interactive Brokers, etc.) have their own internal deadlines which are typically after the Schwab deadline.

Additional Details

Lennar (LEN) spun-off ~80% of Millrose Properties (MRP), its land bank, in February 2025.

It retained ~20% of the business.

On October 10, 2025, Lennar formally announced that it would spin off its remaining ~20% stake in Millrose Properties via an exchange offer.

I’ve highlighted key terms but you can visit the transaction’s live website with additional details.

For every $100 shares of LEN that you own, you will receive $106.38 of MRP shares.

Since this exchange represents an attractive return in a short period of time, I expect the offering to be oversubscribed (similar to previous exchange offers that I’ve covered).

However, there is an odd lot provision such that if you own fewer than 100 shares, you will not prorated.

Here is the exchange offer filing and a website which tracks the exchange offer indicative exchange ratio.

This offering is very similar to the many other split off/exchange offers that we’ve participated in.

Examples:

How to Execute the Trade

LEN is currently trading at $122.21 per share.
MRP is currently trading at $31.96.
Here’s how the math works at current price levels.

Step 1
Buy 99 shares of LEN for $122.21 per share. Total cost of $12,099.

Step 2
Per the exchange offer, shareholders who elect to exchange their LEN shares will receive MRP shares at a 6% discount or at a price of $30.04 ($31.96 x (1-6%)). The MRP price hasn’t been finalized yet. But I’m using the current price plus the discount as I think that’s the best way to approximate what the actual price will be. The actual price will be determined by a formula laid out here.

$12,099 / $30.04 = 402.72 shares of MRP

402.72 shares of LEN / 99 shares of MRP = 4.07. 4.07 is lower than the max exchange ratio of 4.1367. If the ratio were higher than 4.1367, the number of MRP shares would be maxed out at 409 (4.1367 * 99).

Step 3
Sell MRP shares that are received once the exchange goes through. It usually takes Schwab about a week to process the exchange offer. I expect to receive my MRP shares by November 14, 2025 or shortly thereafter.

At current prices, the trade is expected to generate a profit of $772.

In terms of timing, the exchange offer expires on November 7, 2025 (unless LEN changes it), and so I recommend that you buy LEN shares no later than November 3rd to ensure you make the deadline (it takes two trading days for your purchase to settle and brokers internal deadlines are usually 2 days prior to the official company deadline). After you purchase shares, call your broker and ask them to tender your shares. This is important. Your participation in the exchange isn’t automatic.

I created a spreadsheet to track the profitability of this trade. Here is a screenshot of it:

You can access the spreadsheet here: LEN / MRP Exchange Offer Spreadsheet
(to edit, make a copy of the spreadsheet and plug in your own assumptions)

Thoughts on Millrose Properties?

Millrose was created when Lennar contributed ~$5.5 billion in undeveloped, partially developed, and some fully developed land assets, along with up to $1 billion in cash, to Millrose. Millrose operates as an independent entity, acquiring and developing land to deliver finished homesites under land option contracts. At the time of the spin-off, it only served Lennar but it plans to engage with other homebuilders as well.
Lennar pays Millrose option fees for the right to buy land on Millrose’s balance sheet.

This strategic move is part of Lennar’s ongoing shift toward an asset-light operating model, aiming to reduce financial risk and enhance returns by minimizing direct land ownership.

I’m happy to own Millrose Properties at a 6% discount, but don’t want to own the stock for the long term as I believe its ability to grow and generate upside is limited given Lennar’s right to purchase its land.

What are the risks?

LEN Sells Off
If you buy LEN, and it sells off prior to the exchange, you could lose money. I’m not particularly worried about this risk, as investors will likely continue to bid LEN shares up to take advantage of the share exchange.

A major sell off could happen if some random negative news hits LEN (for instance negative news in a lawsuit). This is unlikely but did happen during the MMM/NEOG exchange offer. JNJ also had a negative court ruling during its exchange offer, but the exchange was still profitable.

If LEN does sell off, it would have to sell off by ~6.4% for you to lose money. To minimize risk, you could also short out the MRP exposure.

I looked back at the performance of the parent during similar transactions and found that it usually performs well (average: +2.2%; median: +3.8%)

The Exchange Is Canceled or the Odd Lot Provision is Removed
Lennar wants to distribute its ~20% stake in Millrose Properties and this is an efficient way to do so. I don’t expect it to be canceled, but it’s possible.
The odd lot provision could be removed, however, this has never happened for split off transactions (that I’m aware of). Nonetheless, it could happen!

Millrose Properties (MRP) Stock is Weak After the Share Exchange Closes
If the share exchange closes and investors who’ve exchanged their LEN shares for MRP shares make 6.4%, but then MRP shares immediately depreciate by more than 6.4%, this trade will lose money. In other words, this trade can lose money even though the initial math looks favorable.

While this risk is valid, I’m comfortable participating in this trade and believe it represents an attractive risk/reward.

Disclosure
Rich Howe, owner of Stock Spin-off Investing (“SSOI”), doesn’t own LEN shares but plans to buy them. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice. This article is provided for informational purposes. We do not warrant the completeness or accuracy of this content. Please do your own due diligence and consult with an investment adviser before buying or selling any stock mentioned on www.stockspinoffinvesting.com.

Chime: Free Federal + State Tax Filing for All Customers (+ $100 New User Bonus)

Chime, one of the largest fintech banking apps, just send out an e-mail confirming that they are again offering “100% Free” tax filing software for both Federal and State returns, including e-file. Available for all new and existing Chime users, this is done in partnership with Column Tax and April, both companies that offer white-label “generic” tax software.

To allay fears of sub-par tax software, they include:

  • 100% Accuracy Guarantee: If a user pays an IRS penalty because of a calculation error made by Chime’s tax filing partners april or Column Tax, they will reimburse up to $10,000.
  • Max Refund Guarantee: If a member finds they’re eligible for a higher return elsewhere, they will be reimbursed the difference.

One drawback is that you have to do it in-app, which might be cumbersome if you a lot of manual entries. However, they do allow you to scan your last years’ tax return in order to import your data from last year. Chime does not require you to deposit your refund into your Chime Account to qualify for free tax filing.

According to Chime.com/taxes, they support everything up to W-2 income, self-employed, 1099 freelance, gig work income, unemployment income, crypto and/or stock sales, and itemized deductions. I’d say the sweet spot for this app is if your tax situation isn’t overly complex, but maybe you do have some stock transactions or 1099 income so you’d be nudged to upgrade to a higher TurboTax version that costs extra.

If you are thinking of joining as a new customer, you should first open via a $100 referral link which currently offers a $100 bonus after a $200+ direct deposit within 45 days of opening. That’s mine, thanks if you use it. Chime has no minimum balance and no monthly fees.