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James Royal, Ph.D.

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

Bankrate principal writer and editor James F. Royal, Ph.D. covers investing, financial markets, wealth management, cryptocurrency and retirement issues such as IRAs, 401(k) plans and Social Security — helping individuals make smart financial decisions that can positively and significantly improve their lives. He’s been at Bankrate since 2019, and has been investing in the markets for more than two decades, starting to invest during the “dotcom” boom and bust.

In particular, James is focused on how to invest well, helping individuals build wealth. His articles focus on the real steps to build wealth as well as the financial moves to avoid, those peddled by people just looking to sell you something. Importantly, he also focuses on behavioral finance — an individual’s attitudes and experiences to money and investing — as a key place that people sabotage their own financial future, such as by approaching investing with fear and greed.

His work has been cited across major media, including CNBC, the Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN International and the Associated Press, and he has appeared on TV and radio in countless media outlets. James is also the author of The Zen of Thrift Conversions and Options Trading 101. He previously worked as an editor and analyst at the Motley Fool.

When he’s not thinking and writing about investing, James enjoys reading, French cinema and playing Jeopardy, having appeared on the TV game show.

James beyond Bankrate

Despite tariff whiplash, Trump downplays recession threat

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Exploring new retirement strategies amid

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5 smart ways to use your holiday bonus to invest in your future

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Why You Should Not Worry About Timing The Stock Market

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Now Is a Good Time to Check Your 401(k).

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

— James Royal, Ph.D.

James's Picks

People shop in the food section of a retail store in Rosemead, California
6 MIN READ

5 best investments that hedge against inflation, and others to avoid

Here are five of the best inflation hedges to help protect your portfolio against inflation.

Close up of hands holding a phone that shows a financial chart.
4 MIN READ

The 15 best wealth-creating stocks over the last decade

Here are the top 15 wealth-creating stocks of the last 10 years.

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC.
3 MIN READ

Tesla’s EU sales plunge in April: More bad news for CEO Elon Musk

Tesla’s sales continue to plunge in Europe, punctuating the trouble the carmaker has had since 2025 began in getting consumers on the continent into its cars. In April, major Euro countries saw huge [...]

Donald Trump sitting at a desk in the Oval Office.
5 MIN READ

Should bond investors beware Trump tariffs? How tariffs are hitting bonds

Tariffs are an import tax on foreign-made goods, and they act like a sales tax.

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
10 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