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I Kept $25,000 in Savings for 12 Months and Tracked Every Interest Payment. Here's the Total

A high-yield savings account could help your money grow without locking it away.

Young woman tracking interest on her savings account
Roxana Loomes
Melinda Sineriz, ABFP®
By Roxana Loomes , Edited by Melinda Sineriz, ABFP®
Updated Nov. 13, 2026
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Quick Read

  • A $25,000 balance in a high-yield savings account paid $938.39 in interest over 12 months, even as the rate slid from 4.1% to 3.5%.
  • Monthly payments ranged from about $49 to about $86. Each one was small enough to feel modest but large enough to add up.
  • Rate changes moved the payments more than anything else, since I made no withdrawals and the interest stayed in the account.
  • At the national average savings rate of 0.38% (as of 06/15/26), $20,000 earns $76 a year. The same balance could earn up to nine times more with a SoFi Checking and Savings account. See SoFi®'s current rate.

Over the last 12 months, my $25,000 in a high-yield savings account (HYSA) accrued $938.39 in interest. I opened the account in November 2025 at a six-month promotional APY of 4.1%. Once the six months ended, the rate has varied between 3.75% and 3.5%. I didn't withdraw any money (it's my emergency fund), so the interest stayed in the account and earned more. By the end of October, the balance had grown to $25,938.39.

If you've heard HYSAs pay more, but have never seen what that actually looks like, here's what each monthly payment looked like and what moved the numbers.

Why I started tracking

For me, an APY is hard to feel. When I think about "4.1%," I don't immediately see whether that means a few dollars each month or a few hundred.

Looking at real money was a game-changer. Once the abstract percentage became a monthly deposit, I could see how interest compounds in real life. As each payment gets added to the balance, the following month's interest is calculated on the slightly larger number.

Every payment, month by month

Month Balance APY Interest paid
November 2025 $25,000 4.1% $49.54
December 2025 $25,049.54 4.1% $85.49
January 2026 $25,135.03 4.1% $85.78
February 2026 $25,220.81 4.1% $77.75
March 2026 $25,298.56 4.1% $86.34
April 2026 $25,384.90 4.1% $83.84
May 2026 $25,468.74 3.75% (May 13) $82.46
June 2026 $25,551.20 3.5% (June 20) $75.46
July 2026 $25,626.66 3.5% $74.88
August 2026 $25,701.54 3.75% (August 15) $77.99
September 2026 $25,779.53 3.75% $78.01
October 2026 $25,857.54 3.75% $80.85
Total $938.39

Note: November's payment only covers 18 days (I transferred the money on the 13th).

What moved the numbers

Rate changes: The account paid three different rates, and that was the biggest factor. The low point came in July, when a full month at 3.5% paid $74.88. Once the rate moved back to 3.75%, payments recovered. Had the promotional rate held all year, it would have paid about $989, so the dips cost me roughly $51.

Month length: Look at February: $77.75, versus $86.34 in March at the same 4.1% rate. Banks accrue interest daily, so a 28-day month pays less than a 31-day month even when nothing else changes.

Compounding: It's real but small. Each payment gets added to the balance, so the next month's interest is calculated on a slightly larger number, adding up to a dollar or two a month over the year.

What surprised me

The rate came back up. After watching it slide twice, I assumed it only moved one direction, but it returned to 3.75% in August, and my payments climbed with it.

I was also surprised by how much a short month matters. February's payment was nearly $9 less than March at the same rate. I thought my rate had changed, but the month's 28 days were the actual culprit.

I don't have big plans for the interest. I'm content to have it grow for at least another year, when I may put it toward a down payment.

Bottom line

My $25,000 earned $938.39 in 12 months, about $78 a month, even as the rate drifted down from the initial 4.1%. I'll keep tracking it. I want to see when the next rate change shows up in the payments and how this month's deposit changes the math again.

FAQs

How often do high-yield savings accounts pay interest?

Most high-yield savings accounts pay interest monthly, though some pay quarterly. Many banks calculate it daily and deposit it monthly. Likewise, some show interest as it accrues (mine does), while others show the monthly total.

How is savings account interest calculated?

Banks typically take your balance each day, apply a daily portion of the annual rate, and add it all up over the month. The APY already includes compounding, so it reflects what you'd earn over a full year at the same rate and balance. However, HYSA rates are variable, and the bank can change them at any time.

Do I have to pay taxes on savings account interest?

Usually, yes. Interest from a savings account is generally taxable as ordinary income at the federal level, and many states also tax it. Banks usually send a Form 1099-INT if you earn $10 or more in interest, but you must report the interest even if you don't get a form. A tax professional can tell you how it applies to your situation.

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