Earn up to 4.55% yield1
with a Treasury account
Become a member for $49/year to get exclusive access to the Atomic Treasury account — plus cash rewards and exclusive savings worth up to $425/year.2
See how much you could earn
Estimated returns are shown gross of fees. Calculator assumes highest income rate per state (Source: Federation of Tax Administrators). Savings may be less if a lower income rate applies. High-yield savings rate defaults to average of the best high-yield savings accounts, compiled by NerdWallet.com. NerdWallet does not provide investment, tax or legal advice. You should consult your legal, tax, or financial advisors before making any financial decisions. Results may vary with each use and over time. IMPORTANT: The projections or other information generated by this analysis tool regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. The calculation for annual interest earned assumes a constant 4 week Treasury yield throughout the year. To estimate annual interest, the 4 week interest earned is multiplied by 13, since there are approximately 13 4 week periods in a year. Please note that actual Treasury yields may fluctuate, and this assumption may not reflect real market conditions.
All about Treasury Bills
T-Bills are short-term debt securities issued by the U.S. Government. They’re typically sold in increments of $100 and mature in less than a year.
Once you’ve deposited money into your Atomic Treasury account, T-Bills are purchased for you at a discount and are held to maturity (unless you withdraw money early). Your earnings and principal are automatically reinvested into new T-Bills of the same term.
Because T-Bills are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, they’re nearly risk-free if held for the entire term.
It varies, but for example — a $1,000 T-Bill may cost $996.41 to purchase, generating an income of $3.59 over a 4-week period. This equates to 4.68% annualized yield.†
What sets the Atomic Treasury account apart
| ATOMIC TREASURY ACCOUNT4 | HIGH-YIELD SAVINGS ACCOUNT | REGULAR SAVINGS ACCOUNT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| YIELD* | T-Bills tend to offer higher yields than high-yield savings accounts. Yields are fixed for each T-Bill held in your account. | Yields are typically lower than a Treasury investment account and can fluctuate at any time, and payment of interest is not guaranteed | Yields are a fraction of what a high-yield account or Treasury investment account may offer, and payment of interest is not guaranteed |
| TAXES** | Earned interest is exempt from state and local taxes, so you can keep more of your money | Earned interest is subject to state and local taxes, which can be hefty in areas with high tax burdens | Earned interest is subject to state and local taxes, which can be hefty in areas with high tax burdens | SECURITY | Protected by SIPC but not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation3 | Insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to maximum limits allowed by law | Insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to maximum limits allowed by law |
*This is the money you are paid from investing in T-Bills or keeping your money in savings accounts.†
**Earned interest generated from these accounts is typically taxed — just like your paycheck. Federal tax is due each year on earned interest.
Join for just $49 a year to get access to the Atomic Treasury account and more:
Earn cash for making smart decisions with eligible products5 on NerdWallet — and for the smart financial moves you’re already making.
FAQs
The Atomic Treasury account is an investment advisory account offered through our partnership with Atomic Invest LLC (Atomic Invest) and is available exclusively to NerdWallet+ members. The Atomic Treasury account offers customers a competitive yield of up to 4.55%1 through the purchase and reinvestment of 4-week Treasury Bills (T-Bills). Key benefits include:
• High yield:
Enjoy a competitive yield of up to 4.55%1, which can be more attractive than high-yield and regular savings accounts.
• Tax advantages:
Earned interest is exempt from state and local income taxes — which can make the Atomic Treasury account more attractive for customers in states with high tax burdens, like New York and California.
• Daily liquidity:
Access your funds any time with no restrictions on withdrawals.4 However, to capture the full yield, you’ll need to allow your T-Bills to mature — this generally takes up to 4 weeks.
• Security:
T-Bills are a low-risk investment backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
• No minimums:
The Atomic Treasury account has no minimum deposit or balance requirements.
• Automatic management:
Once funds are deposited into the Atomic Treasury account, they are automatically used to purchase your Treasury Bills. As your Treasury Bills mature, their interest and your principal are re-invested in new T-Bills of the same term — so your money is working hard for you with minimal effort.
Find the insurance assistant on your NerdWallet+ member dashboard.
Once you open and fund your Atomic Treasury account through Atomic Invest, Atomic Invest will automatically invest funds in high-yielding 4-week T-Bills to maximize returns.
Treasury Bills (T-Bills) are short-term U.S. debt securities issued by the federal government that mature in less than a year. Common maturities are 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 13 weeks, 26 weeks, and 52 weeks. The Treasury account available to NerdWallet+ members invests in T-Bills that mature within 4 weeks.
T-Bills are typically purchased in increments of $100 par value — the T-Bill’s value at maturity. T-Bills are purchased at a discount, and the difference between the discounted price and the par value is your yield. For example — a $1,000 T-Bill may cost $996.41 to purchase, generating an income of $3.59 over a 4-week period. This equates to 4.68% annualized yield.†
T-Bills generally rise in value and approach par value as the maturity date nears.
When your T-Bills mature, the principal and earned interest are automatically reinvested by Atomic Invest in a new T-Bill of the same term.
For providing its investment services, Atomic Invest charges 0.18% annually.7 This amount will be deducted from your Atomic Treasury account on a monthly basis.
Earned interest earned on T-Bills is subject to federal income tax but is exempt from state and local income taxes. We suggest consulting with a tax advisor to understand the specific tax implications for your situation.
Atomic Brokerage LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation). The SIPC protects securities customers of its members up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for claims for cash). Explanatory brochure available upon request or at www.sipc.org. Unlike FDIC insurance, which protects deposits in banks; SIPC coverage is specific to brokerage accounts holding stocks, bonds, and other securities. However, SIPC does not cover losses from market declines or bad investments. Instead, it protects against the loss of funds or securities held in a brokerage account if the broker dealer goes bankrupt or mismanages customer assets.
For more information about NerdWallet+, visit this page.
2$425 value is based on a combination of the maximum $253 in rewards and a maximum of $180 savings on exclusive offers like ID Theft protection. Value does not include potential Treasury earnings or insurance assistant savings. Offers may expire or change without notice.
3The Atomic Treasury account is an investment advisory account managed by Atomic Invest LLC (“Atomic Invest”) and held in a brokerage account through its affiliate, Atomic Brokerage LLC (“Atomic Brokerage”). Atomic Invest is an SEC-registered investment adviser and Atomic Brokerage is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Investments in securities are not FDIC insured, not bank guaranteed, and may lose value.
4The Atomic Treasury account is an investment advisory account. SIPC protects securities customers of its members up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for claims for cash). Explanatory brochure available upon request or at www.sipc.org. Investment advisory accounts are not FDIC-insured. Neither Atomic Invest nor Atomic Brokerage, nor any of their affiliates is a bank.
5All eligible products require partner approval. See partner terms and conditions before applying.
6Access to your funds is typically available at any time. Transactions will be monitored and may be held, delayed or blocked if the transfer could result in fraud or another form of financial harm. Additionally, sometimes transfers can be delayed.
7How Fees are Collected: The annual investment advisory fee of 18 basis points (or 0.18%) will be accrued daily and collected monthly in arrears or, if you terminate your account before a month-end, the investment advisory fee will be prorated through the Account termination date. Investment advisory fees will also be prorated based on additions or withdrawals to the Account during the applicable billing period. Investment advisory fees will be based on the market value of the securities as determined by Atomic Invest, including any cash in your account at the end of each business day, as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or as of the immediately preceding close of the NYSE for days when the NYSE is closed. Any cash balance in your account will be held in a money market fund.
An investment in a money market fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although a money market fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund. Yields fluctuate and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses and other information about the money market fund are found in the fund’s prospectus.
†The value of T-Bills fluctuate and you may receive more or less than your original investment if sold prior to maturity. T-bills are subject to price change, yield change and availability. Although T-bills are considered safer than many other financial instruments, you could lose all or a part of your investment. T-Bills carry a variety of risks, including credit risk, interest rate risk, and liquidity risk. Income earned on Treasuries is exempt from state and local taxes, but taxable by the federal government.
All images are for illustrative purposes only.
