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

 
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

CNBC
Yahoo Finance
Reuters
Cheddar TV
Forbes
Barron’s

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

— James Royal, Ph.D.

James's Picks

Illustration of the symbol for Bitcoin overlaid on a rising chart.
7 MIN READ

What is Bitcoin?

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

Warren Buffett
6 MIN READ

Warren Buffett’s investment advice: Top 10 tips for investing success

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

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

  • Interactive Brokers Review 2025

    If you're not afraid to dive into the market with both feet, Interactive Brokers is the most powerful and customizable platform available.

    8 min read Mar 29, 2019

  • moomoo

    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.

    5 min read Mar 29, 2019

  • Lightspeed

    Lightspeed brokerage focuses on serving active traders with large amounts of trades, and offers benefits like lower prices and access to multiple powerful trading platforms, but it doesn’t prioritize small costs offered by other brokers.

    7 min read Mar 29, 2019

  • Vanguard Review 2025

    Though investors who want to be in control may feel Vanguard falls short, hands-off investors who like the investment firm's low-cost mutual funds and ETFs will feel right at home.

    6 min read Mar 29, 2019

  • TD Ameritrade

    If you're a novice investor but serious about getting more involved with the market, TD Ameritrade will hold your hand every step of the way.

    5 min read Mar 26, 2019

  • Robinhood Review 2025

    Robinhood offers zero commission trades on stocks, ETFs and options — a key feature that made Robinhood a household name. Commission-free cryptocurrency trading is also available, albeit with a built-in markup.

    9 min read Mar 26, 2019

  • Fidelity Investments Review 2025

    Fidelity made a name for itself with mutual funds that were ahead of the curve, and its online broker platform looks to help customers share in that success via in-depth research tools and low transaction costs.

    2 min read Mar 26, 2019

  • Charles Schwab

    Charles Schwab offers a robust and cost-effective platform that offers something for everyone, from a wide array of commission-free funds to deep research to rich educational resources.

    7 min read Mar 20, 2019