Jack Caporal

Research Director | TMFJackCap

Expertise

Data collection, analysis, and visualization; consumer research & insights; financial education

NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS: 95 | LAST PUBLISH DATE: 12-02-2025

Past Experience

Reporter and Policy Analyst

Summary

Jack Caporal is the Research Director for The Motley Fool and Motley Fool Money and has worked full-time for the company since 2021. Jack leads efforts to identify and analyze trends shaping investing and personal financial decisions across the United States. His research has appeared in thousands of media outlets including Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and CNBC, and has been cited in congressional testimony. He previously covered business and economic trends as a reporter and policy analyst in Washington, D.C. He serves as Chair of the Trade Policy Committee at the World Trade Center in Denver, Colorado. He holds a B.A. degree in International Relations with a concentration in International Economics from Michigan State University.

Jack's Recent Articles

• The Average Savings Account Balance
  May 12, 2025
  How much do Americans have in their savings accounts? New data shows their average savings account balance and whether they can handle an emergency expense.
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• How Much Time Does the Average American Spend on Personal Finance?
  Nov 12, 2024
  Americans spend more time each day doing laundry than working on their personal finances. Find out how a few more minutes a day could increase …
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• Personal Bankruptcy Statistics: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13
  May 16, 2025
  Are bankruptcies increasing or decreasing? Who files bankruptcy the most? Find the answers and more in these Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy statistics.
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• Lottery Statistics and Revenue by State
  May 15, 2025
  Americans shelled out $103 billion on state lottery tickets in 2023 and earned a prize payout of $69 billion. Does that make playing the lottery …
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• The 10 Most Affordable Cities With High Salaries and Low Cost of Living in the South
  May 9, 2025
  The South is home to many of the most affordable cities in the country. Check out the 10 most affordable places to live in the …
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• Financial Literacy Statistics: The Average American Scores Just 48%
  May 9, 2025
  Scores have stayed around 50% for nearly 10 years. Read on for a deep dive into financial literacy data.
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• The 10 Most Affordable Cities With High Salaries and Low Cost of Living in the Northeast
  May 8, 2025
  The Northeastern United States has high salaries and costs of living. Check out the 10 most affordable places to live in the Northeast U.S.
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• Tariffs Are Already Raising Home Prices -- Here's How Much and Why
  Apr 25, 2025
  Tariffs on homebuilding materials could add thousands to the cost of a new home. Here's how tariffs may impact buyers, builders, and mortgage rates.
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• The Average Cost of a Wedding
  Apr 9, 2025
  The average cost of a wedding is $33,000. Read on for a wedding budget breakdown.
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• Average Tax Refund: When Will I Get My Tax Refund?
  Apr 1, 2025
  The average tax refund is $3,221 as of March 21, 2025. Read on for a deep dive into tax refunds in 2025.
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• How Much Do Americans Spend on Gas Every Month?
  Mar 28, 2025
  Americans spent $2,449 on gas in 2023, roughly 3% of their budget. That's down from $2,805 in 2022. Read on for state-level data and tips …
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• Renting vs. Buying a Home: Comparing the Costs
  Mar 19, 2025
  Many renters are considering becoming first-time home buyers. How much more expensive is it to own a home than it is to rent? We ran …
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• The Financial Health of Same-Sex Couples and LGBTQ Americans
  Dec 5, 2024
  Same-sex couples and LGTBQ individuals face unique financial challenges. We've gathered the latest statistics to create a comprehensive picture of their financial health.
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• SNAP Statistics and Eligibility Changes for 2023
  Sep 11, 2024
  SNAP helps over 42 million low-income households afford groceries each month -- but big changes have impacted the program. Read on to see how.
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• Study: Americans Value Credit Card Rewards Over Trust
  Feb 14, 2025
  How do Generation Z, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers use credit cards differently? We surveyed 2,000 Americans to find out.
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• What Customers Want From Banks: Online Banking Trends and Consumer Priorities
  Aug 29, 2024
  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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• Credit Union vs. Retail Bank Mortgage and Interest Rates
  Oct 27, 2021
  Who has better interest rates, credit unions or banks? We looked at data from the past 10 years to find the answer.
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• How Your Driving Record Impacts Your Car Insurance Payment
  Sep 4, 2024
  A DUI can add over $1,000 to the annual cost of car insurance. See how your driving record changes your auto insurance payment here.
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• Millennial Home Buyers Are Changing the Home-Buying Process: 39% of Millennials Are Comfortable Buying a Home Online
  Sep 27, 2021
  Digitally savvy millennials are changing how Americans buy homes. We report on the statistics, including digital home-buying and priorities, here.
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• The 2021 Housing Market: 89% of Properties Sell in a Month
  Oct 27, 2021
  The 2021 housing market is red-hot. Sellers are getting an average of four offers on their homes, and the average time on the market is …
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• Average Closing Costs on a House
  Mar 5, 2025
  What are the average closing costs on a house? What's included in closing costs? We have state-by-state figures to give you the best data.
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• Survey: The Hidden Costs of Homeownership
  Mar 3, 2025
  Over a third of homeowners run into unexpected costs after closing on their new home -- find out what they are and how much they …
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• Survey: The Most Common Home-Buying Regrets
  Feb 25, 2025
  A quarter of home owners surveyed by Motley Fool Money have some type of buyer's remorse. Read on to find out the most common home-buying …
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• What Is the Average Down Payment on a House?
  Feb 20, 2025
  The median down payment on a house is 15% of its value. Want more down payment statistics? We have them right here.
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• Study: Generational Credit Card Habits
  Feb 14, 2025
  The Motley Fool Motley Fool Money surveyed 2,000 Americans on their credit card habits and found some generational differences. Find out if they apply to …
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