Most financial institutions will deduct some of the interest that's accrued in your account if you withdraw funds from a CD before the maturity date. Losing three, or even six, months' worth of interest is fairly typical in the case of a 6-month CD, so there's a strong incentive to leave your money untouched until the certificate reaches maturity. Some places offer "no-penalty" CDs, but there's a rub: They tend to offer lower yields than standard CDs. What's more, they often require that you pull out the entire balance and close the account if you make an early withdrawal. All banks and credit unions charge an early withdrawal penalty if you opt to withdraw CD funds before maturity. But the penalties vary widely, so it's important to investigate whether an institution's penalty policy is mild, reasonable, or onerous before you commit.