I'm posting this for anyone that's locked into the add-on CD's that GTE Financial offered back in 2019 but it probably applies to most of their CD's opened prior to this year. If interested check your CD disclosure.
Their has been many threads over on depositaccounts.com regarding EWP policy and a poster SouthernGirl explains how to do it with zero EWP and it worked for me.
https://www.depositaccounts.com/community/ask/50021-gte-early-withdrawal-penalty.html
This is the post that explains it all and I followed it to the letter and it worked for me via their chat feature with no hassle whatsoever. I pulled out 100K the first time a few weeks ago and then chatted with them again yesterday and closed the CD out entirely.
IGR,
Have you received the dividends monthly? If not, withdraw the dividends that have been posted. It is so simple to have GTE to mail a check for dividends. Confirm that the principal balance is your original amount that you opened it for originally. After the dividends have been paid to you, there will be no dividends to take a 180-day dividend penalty. There should be no loss of principal. Confirm that the closing amount is equal to the principal and plus interest that is accrued and close the CD. According to GTE Truth and Savings disclosure, there is a 180-day dividend penalty. It does not disclose a principal penalty or a principal loss. Do not argue. On day one, just ask for the dividend withdrawal. On day two, just ask for the closing amount. If you agree, then close the CD.
GTE is aware of this loophole and have since changed their disclosure this year for any new CD's. They are also now allowing you to upgrade to their current specials, originally it was only new money when I inquired last month which is why I closed the entire CD and was lucky enough to move it all to a 6% CD elsewhere.