i have their bonds. ibond 6.86%. treasury bill 4.8%

Why would you withdraw early? Good planning precludes that from happening.

Careful planning has allowed us to ladder CDs from 4.00%-4:50%-4:75% through credit unions and banks, no fees. We have a reserve amount in a money market fund and a small balance CD at a lower rate which we will apply to this year’s RMD. With the social security increase, we are able to manage the raging, current inflation with the planned principle attrition. Everyone has different needs and requirements, as we know.

If you get a brokerage account you will pay a management fee.

That ibond quote is good for 6 months. Then they will set another rate. It could be higher/could be lower. Every 6 months the ibond sets a new rate.

There is no separate management fee with Fidelity. The brokered CDs listed on their website already have any fees built into the APY. There is a percentage fee if you turn over funds for them to manage, but that is optional, and you can allow them to manage only a part of your portfolio. Typically, that would be the individual stocks in your portfolio. It wouldn't make sense to pay them to select brokered CDs.

I currently have accounts at three separate brokerages: Ameriprise, Schwab and Vanguard. I pay no management fees as I manage my own investments and trade on-line without consulting or engaging an "advisor" in any capacity even though Ameriprise and Schwab have assigned advisors to me. I am certain the advisors are paid based on the size and number of accounts assigned to them. The brokerages of course make money on trade spreads, uninvested funds in accounts and in other ways. Ameriprise charges modest commissions but I rarely trade and have had the accounts since it was Olde Discount back in the 1970s which was bought by H & R Block after which Ameriprise bought the advisory business from H & R. Whew!

Generally true but sometimes life gets in the way of planning.

Believe me, I understand and thus the money market fund.

Worst thing about money market or savings accounts is the percentage can change over time.
Hopefully increase.

But too easy to run out of money with a long retirement. I like mutual funds with good long term track record with manager not near retirement age.

CD money is not as spendable as mutual fund money? I don’t quite understand your analogy but I do know our earnings and principle are FDIC and NCUA insured. We don’t have to pay any fees for our earnings.

I know. I have bought some for a short and shorter term. I was getting ready to do it again, but started over-thinking how long to tie up the cash.......

Sure, a CD is a known and it's good to have some knowns. And I have been waiting forever to get some return on cash......

But I could not decide how long to tie up the next batch......

I have been fretting about this for days.......How much? How long? I already bought a 4.7 something, so there it sits, and that's OK.....but I guess the thrill is gone.......

And soooooo, instead of buying a CD this time, I just spent the money on a utility that will pay me 4-ish. (not as much as a current CD rate would) It will never take me on a rocket ride, but the check will be in the mail, and there is always hope for gain along the way, and the term to hold is strictly up to me -- months? years? forever?

Hello, my name is Boomer, and I think I am addicted to dividends. (sigh)

Since I sold a couple investment real estate properties, one in 2022 and the other last month, I have put most of the proceeds into T bills, either 3 or 6 monthers as I will need 30%ish of my LTCGs for Uncle Sam come April 18th. I have been putting a fraction of the proceeds into mostly dividend paying stocks, slowly and carefully... I really do not understand where the economy is going so I am being cautious/

Not for nothing... I believe my Vanguard sweep acount (Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund - VMFXX) has a current yield of 4.50%.