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Are You Well-Paid? Compare Your Salary to the Average U.S. Income

What's the average salary in the U.S.? What's the median income for men and women? Which professions make the most? Read on to find out what the research says.

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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 Business Insider, see how media outlets make use of our hard work:

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Study: Banking Needs, Digital Banking Trends, and Consumer Priorities

We surveyed 2,000 consumers to find out the most important banking features: security and fraud protection, quality customer service, and online 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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Average Credit Card Processing Fees and Costs in 2023

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 2023.

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The Hill: The Credit Card Competition Act would harm successful businesses in the name of competition
Sens. Richard Durban (D-Ill.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) introduced the bill in 2022 in response to complaints from small businesses and consumers who are frustrated by increased costs of interchange fees and asked Congress to intervene. Interchange fees are costs that businesses must pay to accept credit card payments, and amount to about 2-3 percent per purchase.
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Our Merry Band of Experts

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Jack Caporal

Writer

Jack Caporal is the Research lead for The Motley Fool and The Motley Fool Ascent. His research focuses on uncovering and analyzing trends that shape personal financial decisions across the United States, to help people become smarter, happier, and richer.

Jack's primary research has been featured across top-tier television networks, and accredited publications like the New York Times, Bloomberg, CNBC, and has been cited in Congressional testimony. He previously followed business and economic trends as a reporter and policy analyst in Washington, D.C..

Jack enjoys spending time in the mountains and cheering for his hometown Boston sports teams. Check out Jack's research.

Matt Frankel, CFP?

Writer, Analyst

Matt is a Certified Financial Planner? and investment advisor based in Columbia, South Carolina. He writes personal finance and investment advice for The Ascent and its parent company The Motley Fool, with more than 4,500 published articles and a 2017 SABEW Best in Business award. Matt writes a weekly investment column ("Ask a Fool") that is syndicated in USA Today, and his work has been regularly featured on CNBC, Fox Business, MSN Money, and many other major outlets. He’s a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Nova Southeastern University, and holds a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University.

Expertise

Personal finance, banking, brokerage, credit cards, student loans

Education

B.S. Physics, University of South Carolina
M.S. Mathematics, Nova Southeastern University
Graduate Certificate, Financial Planning from Florida State University

Past Experience

Mathematics professor
High school math teacher

Other Publications

Seeking Alpha

Career Highlights

Won "Best in Business" award from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) for my coverage of the tax changes
Host 3 different shows on Fool Live, and have been a regular on Motley Fool podcasts since 2015
Have been a guest on BBC, NPR, and various other news outlets

Charlie Pastor, CFP?

Certified Financial Planner?, Founder of Damn Good Planning

Charlie Pastor, CFP? is a full-time financial planner dedicated to overserving the underserved. He has a degree in Finance, Accounting, and Personal Financial Planning from the University of Colorado Boulder. His professional experience includes founding a Registered Investment Advisor firm dedicated to serving young professionals. Outside of writing for The Ascent, Charlie enjoys serving as political advocacy chair for the Financial Planning Association of Colorado.

Expertise

Banks, Brokers, Credit cards, Cryptocurrency, Insurance, Mortgages, Personal finance, Small business, Taxes

Other Publications

Journal of Financial Planning's Next Generation Planner

Career Highlights

Named BizWest's Boulder Valley 40 Under Forty, Founded a Registered Investment Advisor firm, Advocated for the Financial Planning Association in Washington, D.C.