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Our Research In Action

We're at the heart of consumer trends in personal finance, and we're proud to say our work has been recognized by some of the most respected names around. From the White House to The New York Times, see how media outlets make use of our hard work:

We surveyed 2,000 consumers to find out the most important banking features: security and fraud protection, customer service, and online banking access.

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  • The White House: How Junk Fees Distort Competition
    Bank fees have attracted the attention of various regulators, including the CFPB, which has launched a junk fees initiative to better understand the problem and potential policy actions. When selecting a bank, consumers frequently cite “low fees” as an important attribute of a bank. However, banks charge fees in many different situations, often detailed in the “fine print” when setting up an account, making it difficult to compare banks on the full schedule of fees they charge. For example, many banks charge consumers a fee if they receive an incoming wire transfer. Wire transfers are simply electronic transfers of money between two customers of different banks. Consumers are typically unaware of the cost that a bank incurs to process such a transaction, so when the fee is levied—often $15, $25, or more—consumers may not necessarily realize that this fee can far exceed the cost to the bank. A consumer is typically captive at the moment they need to send or receive a wire transfer and have no choice but to pay the fee, as it would be costly and time-intensive to move their banking relationship to another bank with lower fees.
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Credit card processing fees can add up to a big expense for merchants. Here are the average fees and costs for many issuers and payment networks in 2025.

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Research Analyst & Spokesperson

Need a quote or want to chat with our research analyst? Reach out to [email protected] to coordinate an interview.

Jack Caporal

Jack Caporal

Writer

Jack Caporal is the Research Director for The Motley Fool and has worked full-time for the company since 2021. His research focuses on uncovering and analyzing trends that shape personal financial decisions across the United States. Prior to The Motley Fool, Jack covered business and economic trends as a reporter and policy analyst in Washington, D.C. His primary research has been featured across top-tier media like the New York Times, Bloomberg, CNBC, and has been cited in Congressional testimony.

Recent Research

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June 13, 2025 | By Jack Caporal

81% of Americans Have Credit Cards, but They Aren't Distributed Equally

Dive into credit card ownership statistics, including rejection rates, broken down by age, income, and race and ethnicity.
June 12, 2025 | By Jack Caporal

Banks Made $5.8B on Overdraft Fees -- Here's Who's Paying

Explore the latest statistics on overdraft fees, including how many Americans pay them, the average overdraft fee, and how much banks make from them.
June 10, 2025 | By Jack Caporal

Nearly 1 in 6 of Americans Aren't Paying Their Bills on Time

Explore the latest statistics on Americans missing bill payments, including breakdowns by income, age, race, and housing status.
May 28, 2025 | By Jack Caporal

America's Wasteful Spending Habits: From DoorDash to Dead Subscriptions

Explore wasteful spending statistics revealing how Americans overspend, like frequent DoorDash orders and impulse buys, across generations.
May 8, 2025 | By Jack Caporal

Financial Literacy Statistics: The Average American Scores Just 48%

Scores have stayed around 50% for nearly 10 years. Read on for a deep dive into financial literacy data.