Inflation is surging again. These 2 savings accounts will help you outpace it.

It may not have been unexpected, but it was still jarring to see. Inflation is now over 4% again, a Wednesday report revealed, and is currently sitting at its highest level since April 2023. At 4.2%, the rate is more than two full percentage points above the Federal Reserve's target 2% goal. That not only erases the possibility of an interest rate cut anytime soon, but it's also now raising the prospect of an interest rate hike later this year, especially if this pattern continues in the second half of 2026.

While millions of Americans were already feeling this impact when filling up their gas tank or grocery shopping, this latest report underscores the importance of protecting and, ideally, growing your money in this economy. And while your ability to hedge against rising inflation will be limited, there are still effective ways to outpace it with the funds you already have. Right now, two specific savings accounts can help you do just that. Below, we'll examine both.

Start by seeing how much interest you could be earning with a high-rate CD account here.

2 savings accounts that outpace today's surging inflation rate

At 4.2% currently, keeping your savings in a traditional account with an average rate of 0.38% is no longer a viable option. With this account, you're essentially losing money by failing to keep pace with inflation. Fortunately, this is easy to fix by making the switch to one or both of the following two accounts now:

A CD account

A 1-year certificate of deposit (CD) account comes with a top rate of 4.11% now, easily outpacing inflation, and that rate will be fixed, and the return will be guaranteed once the account matures next June. Savers will just need to commit to leaving their money in the CD frozen until the maturity date hits, or they'll get stuck paying an early withdrawal fee. 

But that's not the only CD account that's outpacing inflation right now, as 18-month CDs come with a top rate of 4.15% now, and 6-month CDs have rates as high as 4.10%. So, if you want to outpace inflation and earn a competitive, fixed rate to offset today's turbulent market, there are various ways to accomplish both goals with a CD account.

Get started with a CD online now.

A high-yield savings account

You can find a high-yield savings account with a rate of 4.10% online right now and, unlike with a CD account, you won't need to sacrifice access to your money to earn that rate. You can continue to make deposits and withdrawals as you're already accustomed to. 

The caveat here is that the account has a variable rate that will adapt to market conditions, meaning that you could earn more or less over time, depending on what happens in the interest rate climate. But with the chances of a rate cut low now and the potential for a rate hike growing slightly, savers can still gain an approximate idea of what they can earn over the next year. And they'll keep their funds one step ahead of the growing inflation rate in the interim.

Get started with a high-yield savings account here.

The bottom line

A consistently rising inflation rate should encourage savers to adjust their savings strategy. Both CDs and high-yield savings accounts can help lower the impacts by protecting their money and growing the interest with a current rate that's outpacing inflation. Consider shopping around online for both account types now, then, as online banks and institutions tend to offer more competitive rates and better terms than their counterparts with in-person branch locations.