Flagstar Direct has one of the best certificate of deposit rates for 36 months. The bank is offering a 3-year CD with a 3% annual percentage yield (APY). Flagstar also has a 1-year CD with an APY of 2.01%. The details of the offer include:

• Minimum opening deposit of $500
• Interest is fixed for term of CD
• Insured by Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC)

You cannot make additional deposits into the account before maturity. You can withdraw interest anytime after it has been credited to the account. However, withdrawing interest before maturity affects the APY earned on the CD.

If you withdraw principal before the maturity date, you pay a penalty. The 1-year CD has a penalty of 180 days interest, whether it is earned or unearned. The 3-year CD has a penalty of at least 180 days interest, depending on how the penalty is calculated.

CDs automatically renew upon reaching maturity unless you notify the bank in writing before that date. The interest you received is based on rates being offered on new CDs. Flagstar also has the option of preventing the CD from being renewed if it notifies you in writing 30 days before maturity.

Open a checking account at Webster Bank and receive a cash bonus of up to $100. The bank offer is for residents of New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Other details of the offer include:

• Customer must complete one direct deposit, five Visa Check Card Signature purchases, or five online bill payments by Dec. 31, 2009
• Customer cannot have had a Webster checking account in the past 60 days
• Free online banking
• Bonus to be received by Feb. 19, 2010

Three checking accounts are eligible for the bonus promotion.The bank deals include a $25 bonus for opening a Totally Free Checking, which has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. This account requires a minimum opening deposit of $50.

The WebsterOne Relationship Checking offers a $50 bonus. This account has free ATM access at any bank with no Webster fee. However, there may be a charge from a non-Webster bank for using its ATM. The minimum opening deposit is $50 and deposits earn interest.

The Premier Checking offers a $100 bonus. The minimum opening deposit for this account is $500, and deposits earn interest based on current rates. If you are charged for using a non-Webster ATM, Webster Bank rebates the fees to you.

Open a new personal checking account at Citizens Bank and earn a cash bonus of up to $220. You have until Nov. 13 to take advantage of this bank deal. The amount of the cash bonus you receive is:

• $50 when you set up direct deposit
• $25 when you make five online bill payments
• $25 when you make five debit or credit card purchases
• Up to $120 a year when you go paperless by enrolling in Green$ense

You can choose from several personal checking accounts. They all include unlimited check writing, free ATM or debit card, free online bill pay, and FDIC insurance.

Some of the accounts offered are the Green Checking, which has no monthly maintenance fee, can link to overdraft protection, and has a rewards program. Circle Gold Checking offers interest and free checks, but has a $20 monthly maintenance fee for accounts with a combined balance of less than $20,000 on all Citizens Bank accounts.

Circle checking has a $15 monthly maintenance fee for accounts that have a combined balance of less than $7,500. It also offers interest and free checks. The Personal Checking with interest has free checks and a monthly maintenance fee of $10 for accounts with a balance of less than $1,000.

You can get up to a $75 bonus for opening an M&T Bank checking account. You can open it online, by phone, or in a bank branch. M&T Bank has branches and ATM access in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.

Details of the bank deals on checking accounts include:

• Overdraft protection and direct deposit required to receive cash bonus
• Free online banking and bill pay
• Check card available

For the Direct Checking account, there is no monthly fee with direct deposit or if the balance of the combined accounts is $1,500. There is unlimited check writing. This account pays a $25 cash bonus with direct deposit.

The Select Checking account is available with interest. There is no monthly fee if the average daily balance is $5,000 or if there is a combined balance of $10,000 with other eligible accounts. If the balance requirements aren’t met, the monthly fee is $14.95. This account pays a $50 bonus with direct deposit.

The Classic Checking account offers free checking for people 50 and older. There is no minimum balance or monthly service fee. This account pays a bonus of $25 with direct deposit.

ING Direct has an Added Value CD with a rate of 2.25% annual percentage yield (APY) for 12 months, one of the best CD rates around. You must open the certificate of deposit online and  funds must come from a non-ING checking account. Other details of the offer include:

• Certificates of deposit can’t be used for business, power of attorney, beneficiary, or individual retirement accounts
• FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor
• Penalty for early withdrawal
• Interest can be disbursed monthly or annually to external checking account

ING Direct also offers other CD rates for certificates of deposit linked to ING savings or checking accounts. Orange CDs are for terms of six months to 60 months. The following CD rates are current as of Oct. 2:

• 6 months - 1.55% APY
• 9 months - 1.15% APY
• 12 month - 2.1% APY
• 18 months - 1.5% APY
• 24 months - 1.5% APY
• 30 months - 1.5% APY
• 36 months - 1.5% APY
• 48 months - 1.75% APY
• 60 months - 1.75% APY

Interest on ING Direct CDs is calculated daily and compounded monthly. CD statements are delivered electronically each quarter unless there is activity on the account, in which case statements are delivered monthly. Interest payments alone are not considered activity. Once a certificate of deposit matures, you can renew it for the same term or a different term.