Percentage of major credit card holders who asked for a late fee waiver who were successful the most recent time they requested one, according to a CreditCard.com report: 84

Percentage who were able to get an annual fee lowered or eliminated: 70

Percentage of those who inquired about a higher credit limit who were successful: 85

Percentage who asked for a lower interest rate who got one: 56

Source: CreditCards.com.

Percentage of women who do not think they are making the same pay as men in their organization, though they possess similar experience and qualifications, according to a survey by CareerBuilder: 32

Percentage of men who said the same: 12

Percentage of women who never expect to reach above an entry-level role, compared to 9 percent of men: 25

Percentage of women who don't expect to reach a salary over $50,000 during their career, compared to 17 percent of men: 35

Percentage of men who expect to reach a six-figure salary, compared to 22 percent of women: 47

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Percentage of professionals who think changing roles every few years can be beneficial, with the biggest perk being a higher salary, according to research from Robert Half: 64

In a separate survey, percentage of CFOs who say they are unlikely to hire a candidate with a history of job hopping because they want to avoid losing them in the future: 44

When asked the number of role changes in 10 years that constitute a job hopper, number cited by professionals: 5

Number cited by CFOs: 6

Source: Robert Half Management Resources.

Percentage of people who said their biggest Tax Day fear is making a math mistake on their taxes, according to research by WalletHub: 30

Ranks of "not having enough money," "identity theft" and "getting audited" on the list of biggest fears: 2, 3,4

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of people who say they abandoned filling out at least one online form recently, according to a survey by The Manifest: 80

Percentage who cited security concerns as their reason: 29

Percentage who said they quit because the forms were too long: 27

Percentage who abandon an online form who are unlikely to return to complete it: 67

Source: The Manifest.

Percentage of Americans who believe that homosexual teachers should be allowed to teach in schools, according to a survey by Adam and Eve: 87

Percentage who said they did not think gays and lesbians be allowed to teach: 6

Source: Adam and Eve.

Percentage of global respondents who said they were unsure, but intrigued by the idea of self-driving cars, according to a study by Ipsos, on behalf of Ipsos Global Advisor: 58

Percentage who said they would never use them: 3

Percentage who are excited to use the cars and can't wait to do so: 30

Ranks of "parking," "commuting" and "driving on the highway" on the list of responses when asked which self-driving car features they were likely to use most often: 1, 2, 3

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

When employees were asked what they wish millennial bosses would do more of, percentage who said face-to-face communications, according to a new Korn Ferry survey: 29

Percentage who said millennial bosses could do more to keep their superiors informed: 27

When asked what millennial bosses do best, percentage who said creating flexibility in the workplace: 65

Source: Korn Ferry International.

Percentage of apartment renters who would pay more for a package of their top-three smart home amenities (i.e. security cameras, keyless entry, smart thermostats), according to a survey conducted by Entrata: 75

Percentage of residents who would be willing to increase their monthly rent by $20 to have these amenities: 57

Source: Entrata.

On average, amount that members of a wedding party spend on the wedding, bachelor or bachelorette party, and shower (including gifts, travel, attire and more), according to a Bankrate.com report: $728

Average amount that guests attending weddings for a close friend or family member, but not as part of the wedding party, spend on the wedding and associated pre-parties: $628

Average amount that those attending the wedding, bachelor or bachelorette party, and shower for a more distant friend or family member spend: $372

Source: Bankrate.com.

Idle Thought

"Evidence is the only good reason to believe anything." -- Richard Dawkins, biologist and author

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Percentage of Americans who say men face a lot of pressure to support their family financially, according to a Pew Research survey: 76

Percentage who say the same of women: 40

Percentage of Americans who say men feel pressured to be successful in their job or career: 68

Percentage who say the same of women: 44

Percentage who say women face a lot of pressure to be an involved parent: 77

Percentage who say the same of men: 49

Percentage of women who feel pressured to be physically attractive: 71

Percentage who say the same of men: 27

Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Percentage of people across 28 participating nations who believe their country is on the wrong track -- with Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Italy recording the highest levels of concern, according to a survey by Ipsos: 58

Ranks of financial/political corruption, unemployment, poverty/social inequality, crime and violence, and health care on the list of the top concerns on the world's worry list: 1, 2(tie), 4, 5

Rank of crime and violence among U.S. concerns: 1

Ranks of health care, terrorism, immigration control and corruption on the U.S. list of concerns: 2, 3, 4 (tie)

Source: Ipsos.

Percentage of drivers who believe distracted driving is on the rise, topping other risky behaviors, according to a survey from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: 88

Ranks of aggressive driving, drivers using drugs, and drunk driving on the list of risky behaviors: 2, 3, 4

Source: AAA.

Number of hours Americans spend doing their taxes each year, according to research by WalletHub: 8.1 billion

Number of hours the average person spends completing his or her federal taxes: 15

Amount of money the average person spends completing them: $270

Percentage of taxpayers who get a federal tax refund: 70

Average refund in 2018: $2,925

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of Americans who feel the urge to improve the appearance of their homes when they see their neighbors doing it first, according to a survey by Wakefield research conducted for Home Depot: 50

Percentage of millennials who admitted to feeling this pressure: 70

Percentage of these millennials who responded to it by completing a home improvement project specifically to outshine their neighbor: 50

Source: Home Depot.

Interest rate charged by the average gas-station-branded credit card -- nearly 7 percentage points higher than the national average for all credit cards (though many come with rewards that can't match up to a typical general-purpose credit card), according to a CreditCards.com analysis of 28 widely available gas cards: 23.61

Source: CreditCards.com.

Percentage of Americans who use AM/FM radio each week, more than any other platform, including TV, smartphones and tablets, according to Nielsen's April 2018 Audio Today Report: 93

Each week, number of listeners aged 6 and older who are using radio: 270 million

Ranks of country (13.2 percent share of the national audience) and news/talk (12.3 percent) on the list of the top formats in America last year: 1, 2

Source: Nielsen.

Percentage of U.S. broadband households that switched, downgraded or canceled their pay-TV service in the past 12 months, according to research by Parks Associates: 10

Rank of "service wasn't worth the monthly cost" and "new service costs less than old service" on the list of factors influencing the decision to make a pay-TV change: 1, 2

Source: Parks Associates.

Percentage of executives who say their executive assistant is important to their success, according to a survey by OfficeTeam: 100

Average number of minutes senior managers said their administrative professional's efforts save them daily: 101

Number of hours this adds up to weekly -- the equivalent of a full work day: 8

Source: OfficeTeam.

Percentage of organizations that have a formal sexual harassment policy in place, according to an XpertHR survey: 92

Percentage that plan to update their policies in 2018: 38

Percentage of companies that currently offer sexual harassment prevention training: 75

Source: XpertHR.

Idle Thought

"The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it." -- Jean Paul Richter, writer

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Rank of "failing to make eye contact" as the biggest body language mistake job seekers make during an interview, according to a CareerBuilder survey of employers: 1

Rank of "failing to smile": 2

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Ranks of food and groceries, clothing, household items, takeout and shoes on the list of the top impulse purchases, according to a survey conducted for Slickdeals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Percentage of Americans who buy the candy at the checkout register: 25

Percentage who impulsively buy food after passing a nearby restaurant: 32

Percentage of Americans who buy a pair of shoes when they see them in the store: 25

Source: Slickdeals.

Number of Americans who plan to take family vacations this year, according to research from AAA Travel: 88 million

Percentage of millennials who are planning a family getaway, more than members of Generation X (39 percent) or baby boomers (32 percent): 44

Of families who will take a trip this year, percentage who plan to visit an international destination -- a 9 percentage point increase from just two years ago: 35

Ranks of Cancun, Mexico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Rome; and Dublin, Ireland, on the list of the most likely international destinations for families: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: AAA.

Percentage of U.S. homeowners who plan a home improvement project to save money, according to a Coinstar survey: 65

Percentage of DIYers who will create a budget and use cash on hand to pay for projects: 70

Percentage who say they've left a project incomplete because they ran out of money: 30

Source: Coinstar.

Percentage of Americans who report using their own vehicle to get around daily, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos on transportation habits: 75

Percentage of Americans who own at least one vehicle who say that there is nothing that would make them consider not owning a car/owning fewer cars: 39

Percentage who say they opt to walk every day to get places: 10

Percentage who get around using public transportation: 5

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of obese Americans who say they suffer from foot pain and at times experience multiple foot and ankle conditions, according to a survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association: 81

Percentage of overweight Americans who say they experience foot problems: 74

Of those who experienced foot pain all or most of the time, percentage who said they would walk more if their feet didn't hurt: 79

Percentage who said they would exercise more: 72

Source: American Podiatric Medical Association.

Percentage of U.S. adults who strongly believe their spouse or partner is honest with them about money, according to a report from CreditCards.com: 52

Percentage who wholeheartedly believe they themselves are honest with their significant other when it comes to finances: 61

Percentage of all couples who say they never discuss their combined finance: 11

Source: CreditCards.com.

Ranks of "overall health and well-being" and "weight management" on the list of the top reasons Americans include more plant-based proteins in their diet, according to a Nielsen survey: 1, 2

Percentage of consumers who say that a balanced diet is key to healthy eating: 59

Source: Nielsen Analytics.

Percentage of Americans who are placing a higher priority on beefing up their emergency savings this year, according to a Bankrate.com report: 53

Percentage who are more motivated to pay down debt: 40

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of CFOs who are at least somewhat active on social media, according to a Robert Half Management Resources: 77

Ranks of Facebook and LinkedIn on the list of the most popular social networks for financial executives: 1, 2

Source: Robert Half Management Resources.

Idle Thought

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something." -- Plato

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)