Rolling Treasury Ladder Builder
Put idle business cash to work in T-bills without locking it all up. Updated for 2026.
A Treasury ladder splits your cash across bills that mature on a staggered schedule, so a slice frees up often while the rest keeps earning. Enter your amount and the current yields, and this tool shows your allocation, your annual income, and how it stacks up against a high-yield savings account.
| Rung | Matures (weeks) | Amount | Interest at maturity |
|---|
How this calculator works
The tool divides your cash evenly across the rungs you choose, then computes interest two ways: the annual income if the whole ladder earns the yield you entered, and the interest each rung earns over its own term. As each rung matures, you reinvest it at the longest rung, which keeps the ladder rolling and your money always close to maturing.
The math
- Per-rung amount = total divided by the number of rungs.
- Annual ladder income = total amount times the average yield.
- Interest at maturity for a rung = rung amount times yield times (weeks divided by 52).
- Extra vs savings = (T-bill yield minus savings APY) times total amount.
Why a ladder beats parking it all
A single long bond earns more but locks everything up. A pile of cash in checking earns nothing. A ladder is the middle path: part of your money matures within weeks for flexibility, while the rest captures the higher short-Treasury yield. For an owner who keeps a cash buffer for taxes and lumpy expenses, that mix of access and yield is the point.
How to apply the result
- Size the ladder to the cash you will not touch for at least a few months. Keep a separate operating buffer in checking.
- Buy the bills directly through TreasuryDirect or a brokerage. Set each maturing rung to roll into a new longest rung.
- Remember the state-tax exemption when comparing to a savings account or money-market fund.
New to this? Read Building a Rolling Treasury Ladder for Your Business for the full walkthrough.
Educational tool using simplified assumptions and the rates you enter. Not investment advice. Actual T-bill yields are quoted on a discount basis and vary by auction.