re: Brokered CDs. yea or nay

Like Slackster said, -P.O.D. on a CD is very convenient to handle at Brick and mortar bank. If this is for your mom and you are her eventual heir, that may matter at time when you least want complications.

Don't know how much money you are dealing with, but if she is near the SPIC coverage limit in her brokerage or FDIC at her bank, then it is worth keeping in mind.

-Even if she is not near the insurance coverage caps, it might not be a bad idea to have CD accounts in different entities because in the event of bank or brokerage being taken under, the processing time by the agency reorganizing may be longer than you would anticipate. Hopefully the odds that both would go under are unlikely, though if you were in Silicon Valley Bank and Charles Schwab last March you might have a different view.

So far as 3.5%, 4.25%, Hancock in S La. is offering 5% as of this morning.

Best wishes for you with your mom, been there myself, it can be a challenge to figure out the best boundaries for decision-making.