Podcast
Open Exam Prep
Hosted by Ran Chen, EA, CFP® · EN
Open Exam Prep: Mastering Financial Exams
The path to becoming a certified financial professional is known for its difficulty, and finding high-quality, accessible study material shouldn't be the hardest part.
Created by Ran Chen—an AI application enthusiast, Financial Advisor, and holder of the EA (Tax), Life Insurance, Series 6/63/65, and CFP® designations—this podcast was born from personal experience. Having navigated these challenging exams himself, Ran realized the need for better resources and created Open Exam Prep as a free solution for aspiring professionals.
Each episode breaks down complex major exam topics into clear, digestible lessons, covering everything from tax planning and estate strategies to retirement solutions and investment principles. Whether you’re studying during your commute, workout, or downtime, we are here to guide you—one question, one topic, one victory at a time.
Visit for more content: https://open-exam-prep.com/
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
[Series 65] 57, QDROs and Special Distribution Situations
Yesterday00:03:39Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) allows for a penalty-free, but taxable, transfer of retirement assets to an ex-spouse during a divorce. - Hardship withdrawals are only permitted for specific, IRS-defined 'immediate and heavy financial needs' and are subject to taxes and potential penalties. - Rule 72(t) allows for penalty-free early withdrawals through Substantially Equal Periodic Payments (SEPPs) that must last for 5 years or until age 59 ½, whichever is longer. - Indirect rollovers must be completed within 60 days to avoid taxation and penalties, a rule that is a frequent source of exam questions. - The key difference between a direct rollover (trustee-to-trustee) and an indirect rollover, and why the 60-day rule only applies to the latter. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 56, ERISA and Plan Fiduciary Standards
2d ago00:03:17Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That ERISA governs private-sector retirement plans to protect employee assets. - The 'prudent man rule' requires fiduciaries to act with the skill and care of a knowledgeable expert. - Prohibited transactions, such as self-dealing or transacting with a party-in-interest, are strictly forbidden to avoid conflicts of interest. - Plan sponsors have a fiduciary duty of loyalty to act exclusively for the benefit of plan participants. - The Department of Labor enforces ERISA and can levy significant financial penalties for violations. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 55, Required Minimum Distributions
3d ago00:02:18Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The specific RMD age requirements based on birth year as set by the SECURE 2.0 Act. - How to calculate an RMD using the prior year-end balance and the IRS life expectancy factor. - The rules for a client's first RMD, including the April 1st deadline and the trap of taking two distributions in one year. - The 10-year rule for most beneficiaries of inherited IRAs and how it works. - The updated penalty for a missed RMD and how it can be reduced from 25% to 10%. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 54, Education Savings 529 and Coverdell
4d ago00:03:30Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That 529 plan contributions may be deductible at the state level, but not the federal level. - How the five-year gift tax averaging, or 'superfunding,' rule works for 529 plans. - The specific types of qualified education expenses for both 529 plans and Coverdell ESAs. - The strict annual contribution limit of $2,000 per beneficiary for a Coverdell ESA. - That high-income earners are prohibited from contributing to a Coverdell ESA, but not a 529 plan. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 53, Traditional and Roth IRAs
5d ago00:03:23Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That Traditional IRA deductibility is determined by income only if the individual is covered by a workplace retirement plan. - How Roth IRA contribution eligibility is based entirely on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), regardless of workplace plan coverage. - The mechanics of a Backdoor Roth IRA, a strategy for high-income earners to fund a Roth account via a non-deductible Traditional IRA contribution and subsequent conversion. - That converting pre-tax Traditional IRA funds to a Roth IRA is a taxable event in the year of the conversion. - That the annual contribution limit is an aggregate limit that applies across all of an individual's Traditional and Roth IRAs combined. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 52, Qualified Retirement Plans 401k and Pension
6d ago00:03:18Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical difference between defined benefit and defined contribution plans is who assumes the investment risk: the employer or the employee. - Employee contributions to a 401(k) are always 100% immediately vested, meaning they belong to the employee from day one. - Employer contributions, such as matching funds, are subject to vesting schedules, with ERISA setting maximums of either a three-year cliff or a six-year graded schedule. - A profit-sharing plan is a type of defined contribution plan that gives the employer discretion on whether to make contributions each year. - The Series 65 exam tests these concepts through scenario-based questions requiring you to apply vesting rules and differentiate between plan types based on risk. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 51, Tax-Advantaged Investment Strategies
1w ago00:01:41Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to calculate the taxable equivalent yield of a municipal bond to compare it to a taxable bond. - The rules of tax-loss harvesting, including the 61-day wash sale rule window. - The strategy of asset location for placing investments in the most tax-efficient accounts. - The requirements for a dividend to be considered 'qualified' and receive preferential tax treatment. - The limitation on deducting passive activity losses only against passive income. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 50, Capital Gains Tax Treatment
1w ago00:03:58Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical difference between short-term capital gains (taxed at ordinary income rates) and long-term capital gains (taxed at preferential rates). - The holding period for long-term capital gains is more than one year, and inherited securities are automatically treated as long-term. - The wash sale rule disallows a tax loss if the same or a substantially identical security is purchased within a 61-day window (30 days before or after the sale). - A disallowed wash sale loss is not lost forever; it's added to the cost basis of the new replacement shares. - The specific identification method for cost basis offers the most tax planning flexibility by allowing an investor to choose which shares to sell to minimize gains. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 49, Dollar Cost Averaging and Systematic Investing
1w ago00:03:15Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The mechanics of how Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) leads to a lower average cost per share compared to the average share price. - Key differences and exam-tested scenarios for Dollar Cost Averaging versus lump-sum investing. - How systematic investing and automatic reinvestment plans are practical applications of DCA. - Common exam traps, such as the misconception that DCA guarantees a profit or eliminates losses. - The importance of investing a fixed dollar amount, not a fixed number of shares, for the strategy to be effective. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →[Series 65] 48, Fixed Income Portfolio Strategies
1w ago00:03:41Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - To differentiate passive bond strategies: laddering for steady cash flow, barbells for a yield/liquidity mix, and bullets for a specific future liability. - That immunization is a method to offset interest rate risk by matching a portfolio's duration to an investor's time horizon. - To identify the motives behind different bond swaps, such as substitution swaps for relative value and rate anticipation swaps for interest rate forecasting. - That a primary benefit of a laddered bond portfolio is the mitigation of reinvestment risk by staggering maturity dates. - How to match the correct fixed-income strategy, like a bullet portfolio or duration matching, to a client's specific financial goal, which is a common exam question. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →