Rate Watch, September 2026: Where MYGA and CD Rates Stand Right Now
As of September 2, 2026, the top multi-year guaranteed annuity (MYGA) rates in AnnuaLife's tracked ledger run about 6.00% for a 3-year term, 6.25% for 5 years, 6.35% for 7 years, and 6.25% for 10 years. By comparison, the FDIC national average 5-year CD paid 1.36% as of August 17, 2026. MYGAs are backed by the insurer, not FDIC insured.
Think of a rate chart the way a boater thinks of a tide table. The tide table does not promise the water will be high when you launch next week; it tells you exactly where the water stands today and which way it has been moving. A rate watch does the same job for your retirement dollars. It cannot tell you where rates will be in three months, but it can show you, in plain numbers, where the water sits right now.
This is our first monthly reading. Every figure below is stamped with the date it was pulled, because a rate with no date is just a rumor. When you are ready to see live numbers for your own state and term, our rates hub and the MYGA rate page refresh far more often than a blog post can.
One honest note before the numbers. A MYGA and a bank CD are cousins, not twins. The comparison below is useful, but the two products carry different backing, different tax treatment, and different exit rules. We will lay all of that out so the spread you see is a fair one, not a cherry-picked headline.
How do you read this month’s rate chart?
Read it as a snapshot, not a forecast. Every rate on this page reflects the guaranteed base rate a carrier was crediting as of the pull date, for a new contract, before any state or minimum-premium restrictions are applied. Three things change what you can actually get: the state you live in, the amount you put in, and the exact day you apply. Carriers refresh their rate sheets constantly, so treat these figures as a starting line, then confirm the live number before you sign anything.
A quick vocabulary check, because the labels do real work here.
MYGA
AM Best rating
Surrender period
What are the best MYGA rates right now?
As of September 2, 2026, the highest guaranteed MYGA rates in our ledger reach 6.00% for 3-year terms, 6.25% for 5-year terms, 6.35% for 7-year terms, and 6.25% for 10-year terms. Here is the top of each term by carrier, with the product, its AM Best rating, and the minimum premium the rate requires.
Top MYGA rates by term (as of September 2, 2026)
| Term | Base rate | Carrier | Product | AM Best | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 6.00% | Revol One Financial | DirectGrowth 3 | B++ | $10,000 |
| 3 years | 5.85% | Wichita National | Security 3 | B+ | $10,000 |
| 3 years | 5.85% | Ability | ReliAbility MYGA 3 | B+ | $100,000 |
| 5 years | 6.25% | Wichita National | Security 5 | B+ | $10,000 |
| 5 years | 6.25% | Ability | ReliAbility MYGA 5 | B+ | $100,000 |
| 5 years | 6.15% | Revol One Financial | DirectGrowth 5 | B++ | $10,000 |
| 7 years | 6.35% | Aspida | Aspida Advisory 7 | A- | $100,000 |
| 7 years | 6.15% | Revol One Financial | DirectGrowth 7 | B++ | $10,000 |
| 7 years | 6.10% | Heartland National | Secure Rate Pro 7 | B++ | $5,000 |
| 10 years | 6.25% | Revol One Financial | DirectGrowth 10 | B++ | $10,000 |
| 10 years | 6.15% | Heartland National | Secure Rate Pro 10 | B++ | $5,000 |
| 10 years | 6.05% | American Century Life | American Freedom Max Growth 10 | B++ | $5,000 |
Source and limits. AnnuaLife rate ledger (AnnuityRateWatch feed), pulled September 2, 2026. Rates are the guaranteed base rate for a new contract and are subject to change. Availability and exact rates vary by state. Guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer and are not FDIC insured.
Notice that the highest headline rate is not always attached to the highest-rated carrier. The top 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year rates this month all come from B+ or B++ carriers, while the strongest-rated option on the board, Aspida at A-, happens to lead the 7-year term. That is not a reason to rule any of them out; it is a reason to weigh strength against yield rather than chasing the top row on reflex.
What are current annuity rates by term?
Right now, longer terms pay more up to a point, and then the curve flattens. Committing for 7 years earns you roughly a third of a point more than a 3-year term, but stretching to 10 years actually pays slightly less than 7. Here is the shape of the curve in our ledger this month.
| Term | Best base rate (Sept 2, 2026) | Top-tier range |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 6.00% | 5.85% to 6.00% |
| 5 years | 6.25% | 6.15% to 6.25% |
| 7 years | 6.35% | 6.10% to 6.35% |
| 10 years | 6.25% | 6.05% to 6.25% |
The takeaway is not “always buy the longest term.” It is that the reward for tying up money longer is modest right now, and past seven years it stops paying you at all. The honest question is whether you need access to that money before the surrender period ends. If you do, a shorter term or a different tool may serve you better even at a lower rate. A higher number you cannot touch is not automatically the better deal.
A rate you cannot reach when you need it is not yield. It is a fee you have not paid yet.
The AnnuaLife Team
How wide is the 5-year MYGA vs CD spread?
This month the spread is wide, but only if you compare the top MYGA to the average CD. As of August 17, 2026, the FDIC national average 5-year (60-month) CD paid 1.36%, and the national average 12-month CD paid 1.71% (FDIC, National Rates and Rate Caps). That average is dragged down by large brick-and-mortar banks that pay very little. The best nationally available CDs told a different story: top 5-year CDs recently reached about 4.50% APY (NerdWallet, September 2026).
So the honest 5-year picture looks like this.
| Feature | Top 5-year MYGA | Best nationwide 5-year CD | FDIC average 5-year CD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recent rate | up to 6.25% (Sept 2, 2026) | around 4.50% APY (Sept 2026) | 1.36% (Aug 17, 2026) |
| Backing | issuing insurer’s claims-paying ability, not FDIC insured | FDIC insured within limits | FDIC insured within limits |
| Taxes on growth | tax-deferred until you withdraw | interest taxable each year | interest taxable each year |
| Early exit | surrender charge, and possibly a market value adjustment | early-withdrawal interest penalty | early-withdrawal interest penalty |
| Where it lives | insurance company | bank | bank |
The spread between the best MYGA and the best CD this month is roughly a point and three quarters of yield. That is real money over five years. But you are not paid that extra yield for nothing. You give up FDIC insurance in exchange for the insurer’s own guarantee, and you accept a surrender schedule instead of a simpler early-withdrawal penalty. Whether that trade is worth it depends on your situation, not on the size of the number. Our MYGA vs CD calculator lets you run your own dollars through the comparison, and the full MYGA vs CD guide walks through when each one wins.
Why is the number you see not always the number you get?
Because a rate sheet is a list of ceilings, not promises for your exact situation. Four things routinely move the real number between what a chart shows and what a carrier will actually issue to you. Check each one before you compare quotes.
- Your state. Some products are not filed in every state, and a few carry a different rate or surrender schedule in states like California. A rate available in Texas may not exist for a Florida buyer.
- Your premium amount. Several top rates require a minimum of $100,000. Put in less and you may fall into a lower rate band, or a different product entirely.
- The application date. Carriers reprice regularly. A rate quoted on the 2nd can be gone by the 20th, and rate locks have their own rules and windows.
- Rider and liquidity choices. Adding a feature such as a larger annual withdrawal allowance can trim the base rate. A “no liquidity” version often pays a bit more precisely because it gives you less access.
None of this is a trap. It is simply the difference between a published menu and the meal you actually order. The fix is to confirm the live rate for your state, amount, and term before you commit, which is exactly what a Certified Annuity Advisor match is for.
What could move rates next month?
MYGA and CD rates both take their cues from the broader bond market, so the same forces that move Treasury yields move these products, usually with a lag. When yields on medium-term bonds rise, carriers tend to raise crediting rates to stay competitive, and when yields fall, rate sheets drift down over the following weeks.
We are not going to guess a direction. Guessing rates is how people talk themselves into waiting forever. What we will do is come back next month and mark the tide again. If today’s numbers work for your plan today, the fact that they might tick up or down later is not a reason to sit on cash earning nothing while you wait for a perfect entry that may never announce itself.
How soon are you retiring?
Moving forward
A rate watch is one instrument on the dashboard, not the whole trip. The best rate in the table is only the right rate if the term fits your timeline, the carrier’s strength fits your comfort, and the money is cash you genuinely will not need until the surrender period ends. That is a personal fit, and it is not something a chart can decide for you.
When you are ready to turn this month’s snapshot into a real quote for your state and amount, start with whichever of these fits where you are.
Check today’s live rates
The rates hub refreshes far more often than this monthly post.
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Go straight to MYGA rates
Filter the current board by term, carrier, and minimum premium.
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Match with a Certified Annuity Advisor
Confirm the live number for your state and walk the trade-offs with no pressure to buy.
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The tide will keep moving. Your job is just to know where it stands the day you decide.
See today’s real, date-stamped annuity rates.