Savings Accounts For Over 60s

Compare Savings Accounts For Over 60s

When putting your money into a savings account, you need to consider how long you intend to save for and how much of a return you would like to see. You can then compare the different types of savings accounts available to see which ones best match you saving goals.

If you are a saver over 60 then it is likely you are looking towards the future and searching for the best way to build your savings for retirement.

It may be a good time to review your financial situation to find the best strategy to help your savings grow over the next few years.

One way to stay flexible and access competitive interest rates is to use a combination of the accounts listed below.

By splitting your savings between a selection of current accounts, savings accounts and accounts that require longer term commitment, your savings can make some significant growth.

If you are looking for over 60s savings accounts options see the table above.

Current Accounts

Current accounts generally offer the best rates of interest for smaller sums of money. However, if you go over your account’s interest limit, your remaining balance will likely earn you nothing. 

To get the best deal, you may have to shop around and be willing to transfer your current account to a new provider. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some current accounts offer a better interest rate during an introductory period which then drops dramatically once that period is over.

Instant Access Savings Accounts

This type of account allows you to earn interest on your savings while still giving quick access to your money when necessary. Some instant access accounts come with a card that lets you draw money out at cash points, others require you to take money out in branch or transfer it to a current account online or by phone.

Please be aware there may be a limit on how many withdrawals you can make per year without losing some of your interest.

Easy Access Savings Accounts

Essentially the same as instant access accounts, except there may be a few days' delay when you wish to take money out. This is to allow withdrawal and transfer requests to be processed.

Some providers also refer to their instant access accounts as easy access accounts.

Notice Savings Accounts

These are similar to easy access and instant access savings accounts, except you have to give a certain amount of notice before removing funds. Common notice periods range from 40-95 days. The longer the notice period you are willing to give, the higher the interest rate you will usually receive.

Regular Savings Accounts

If you want to put away a little bit of money each month over a longer period, a regular savings account is likely to be the best choice. This kind of account usually requires you to deposit a minimum amount each month and will normally specify a maximum you can put in each month as well. There may also be a limit on how many withdrawals you can make each year.

Regular savings accounts often offer very attractive rates of interest, but it is important to note that, because you are only slowly building up capital, your initial yearly returns may be modest. This means that, while they can be used for short term savings, regular savings accounts are usually a better choice for longer term savings.

Fixed Rate Bonds

Fixed rate bonds tend to offer attractive rates of interest which will be guaranteed for the life of the bond (typically 1-5 years). The caveat here is that you cannot usually take money out of the bond until it matures (i.e. reaches the end of the fixed interest period).

This means most fixed rate bonds are not ideal for short term savings, although some providers do offer fixed rate bonds with terms as short as 3 months which may be worth considering.

If you are looking to lock your savings away until retirement, then fixed rate bonds could be a good option for you. If you are confident that you will not need your savings in the near future, you could put your savings in a long term fixed rate bond, benefit from the higher interest rate and, upon its maturity, use your savings when you are retired.

Cash ISAs

UK tax payers normally have to pay tax on any interest they earn on their savings. However, a cash ISA allows you to earn interest, tax-free, on deposits up to an agreed yearly limit. For the 2017/18 tax year that amount is £20,000.

There are two main types of cash ISAs – instant access and fixed-term. Instant access cash ISAs allow you to withdraw money whenever you need without paying a penalty, making them ideal for short term saving. Fixed-term cash ISAs have similar conditions to fixed rate bonds, so you may be unable to withdraw money until they reach the end of their term or have to pay a penalty in order to do so.

Cash ISAs do not always offer the best interest rates, so you will need to assess whether any tax savings will outweigh the benefits of the higher interest rates provides by other types of accounts.

If you have a significant amount of savings, you may want to use a cash ISA to take advantage of the £20,000 allowance. By using a cash ISA you can reduce the amount of tax you have to pay on the interest you receive on your savings, which ultimately means your savings can grow faster.  

Find the savings account for you if you are aged 60 plus

With so many different brands and products on the market, it can be hard to figure out which offer the best deals for you. The comparison table at the top of this page is regularly updated with the most attractive deals on short term savings accounts from across the industry. This makes it easy for you to contrast the features of different accounts for people aged 60 or older and find the right one for your saving needs.