James Royal, Ph.D.

Principal writer, investing and wealth management
Ribbon EXPERTISE
  • Investing
  • Wealth management
  • Behavioral finance
  • Stock analysis
Education EDUCATION
  • Bachelor of Science in management, University of Florida
  • Master of Arts in English, University of Florida
  • Doctorate in English, University of Florida

About the author

Bankrate principal writer and editor James F. Royal, Ph.D. covers investing and wealth management. His work has been cited across major media, including CNBC, the Washington Post, The New York Times and the Associated Press. Royal believes in the power of education to help individuals make smart financial decisions that can positively and significantly improve their lives.

Experience

James is the author of The Zen of Thrift Conversions. He’s a veteran writer and stock analyst with a history of working in the financial-services industry, including at the Motley Fool and Bankrate.

Education

Royal has a bachelor’s degree in management as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in English earned at the University of Florida.

Media mentions

Our goal is to get wiser every day and avoid the mistakes of the past.

— James Royal, Ph.D.

James's Picks

A picture of Warren Buffett
5 MIN READ

Warren Buffett’s investment advice: 9 top pieces of wisdom for investing success

Buffett’s wisdom seems so commonsense and practical, and yet it can lead to great wealth.

An artist's rendering of bitcoin
6 MIN READ

What is Bitcoin?

Some say Bitcoin is the future of currency while others decry it as just a speculative bubble.

A shopper wearing a protective face mask fills a grocery cart with bottled water at a supermarket.
7 MIN READ

Should you be worried about inflation? Here’s what the experts are saying

Higher inflation is here, but the big question is whether it’s here to stay or not.

A few pedestrians pass in front of a GameStop store
9 MIN READ

‘To the moon’: How GameStop-boosting stock traders kicked off a shocking Wall Street feeding frenzy

It may come with a classic Hollywood setup, but the GameStop trading story isn’t quite that simple.

James's latest articles

  • A White couple dances in their living room

    What is a spousal IRA?

    The spousal IRA allows a spouse who did not have earned income to contribute to an IRA.

    3 min read Mar 06, 2024
  • An older Black couple hangs off a boat

    What is estate planning?

    Estate planning is the process of arranging who will receive your assets when you die.

    7 min read Feb 28, 2024

  • tastytrade Review 2024

    tastytrade is a newer brokerage that caters to traders, especially options traders looking for attractive commissions. Amazingly, they even offer a low-capped commission on your options trades.

    Jan 02, 2024

  • moomoo Review 2024

    Competitive pricing on stocks, ETFs and options will prove welcome with traders, though others may find the lack of account types, limited available securities and high transfer fees off-putting.

    Jan 02, 2024

  • Marcus Invest review 2024

    Known for its high-yield online banking accounts, Marcus is now taking its game to the robo-advisor space with Marcus Invest. It brings the core functionality – portfolio management, rebalancing – and adds some less common options such as socially responsible investing into the mix.

    Jan 02, 2024

  • Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Review 2024

    You might initially think of broker Charles Schwab only as an option for “do-it-yourself” investors, but the dean of discount offers up a highly competent robo-advisor, too: Schwab Intelligent Portfolios.

    Jan 02, 2024