Shows / Open Exam Prep
Open Exam Prep
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…
Episodes
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 9, The Underwriting Process
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 8, Types of Securities Offerings
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 7, Fiscal Policy
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 6, Monetary Policy Tools
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 5, The Federal Reserve System
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 4, Business Cycles
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 3, Economic Indicators
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 2, Primary vs Secondary Markets
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[SIE] 1, Introduction to Capital Markets
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and CFP designation. He is passionate about…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 10, Market Indices
Dow Jones is price-weighted, while S&P 500 is value-weighted, reflecting different market aspects. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 9, Investment Policy Statement
Guides investment decisions by outlining client objectives, risk tolerance, and constraints. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 27, Convertible Bonds
Bonds convertible into predetermined shares, offering potential for equity upside. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this learning…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 28, Property Valuation
Uses net operating income and capitalization rate to determine property value. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this learning…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 25, Bond Immunization
Strategy that matches bond durations to investment time horizons to reduce interest rate risk. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 26, Preferred Stock
Combines equity and debt features, providing fixed dividends without maturity dates. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 7, Security Regulations
Governed by acts like the Securities Act of 1933 and 1934, regulating primary and secondary markets. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 8, Money Market Securities
Include CDs, Treasury Bills, and commercial paper, each providing short-term liquidity with low risk. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 5, Dividend Dates
Ex-dividend date determines eligibility for dividends; stocks must be purchased before this date to qualify. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 6, Stock Splits
Increase shares and reduce stock price, affecting the number of shares and price per share post-split. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 23, Original Issue Discount
Bonds issued below par must accrete the discount annually for tax purposes. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this learning…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 24, Yield Curve Theories
Explain yield curve shapes based on liquidity preference, market segmentation, and interest rate expectations. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 17, Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
Relates risk and return using beta, helping in asset pricing and portfolio management. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 18, Portfolio Performance Measures
Include Sharpe, Treynor, and Jensen's Alpha, evaluating risk-adjusted returns. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this learning…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 21, Yield Measures
Include coupon rate, current yield, and yield to maturity, each providing different insights into bond returns. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 22, Accrued Interest
Buyers of bonds pay sellers for interest accrued since the last coupon payment. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this learning…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 19, Efficient Market Hypothesis
Assumes markets efficiently reflect all available information, making consistent outperformance challenging. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 20, Bond Duration
Indicates a bond's sensitivity to interest rate changes, with higher duration implying greater volatility. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 13, Correlation Coefficient
Indicates how two assets move relative to each other, aiding diversification strategies. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 14, Beta
Measures systematic risk, or sensitivity to market movements, relative to the market. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 15, Systematic vs. Unsystematic Risk
Systematic risk is market-wide and undiversifiable; unsystematic risk is firm-specific and diversifiable. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 16, Modern Portfolio Theory
Focuses on maximizing returns for a given risk level, using concepts like the efficient frontier. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 11, Standard Deviation
Measures total risk of a portfolio, indicating volatility and risk level. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this learning journey…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 12, Coefficient of Variation
Assesses risk per unit of return, useful for comparing investments with different returns. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 29, Investment Companies
Include open-end, closed-end, and unit investment trusts, each with unique characteristics. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 30, Options
Derivative securities providing the right to buy (call) or sell (put) an asset at a specified price. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 3, Margin Requirements
Initial margin is the equity needed to start a trade; maintenance margin is the minimum equity to avoid a margin call. --The CFP Exam is known for its…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 4, Research Reports
Value Line ranks stocks, while Morningstar ranks mutual funds and stocks, aiding investment decisions. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 1, Investment Options
Includes stocks, bonds, derivatives, and pooled investments, each offering different risk and return profiles. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and…
- Open Exam Prep
[Investment] 2, Short-Selling
Involves selling borrowed stocks hoping to buy them back at a lower price, requiring a margin account. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 20, Social Security Benefits
Includes retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, with eligibility based on work credits. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 18, Long Term Care
Covers various care types, with tax-deductible premiums and benefits for qualified policies. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 19, Disability Insurance
Provides income replacement, with definitions like "own occupation" affecting coverage and premiums. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 16, HSA Eligibility
Requires high deductible health plan, with tax-free distributions for qualified medical expenses. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 17, COBRA Coverage
Allows continuation of group health coverage after employment changes, with specific eligibility criteria. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 14, Health Insurance
Major medical covers hospitalization and physician fees, with deductibles and coinsurance affecting costs. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 15, PPACA Requirements
Mandates essential benefits, prohibits lifetime limits, and offers plan categories like Bronze and Silver. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 12, Universal Life Insurance
Offers flexible premiums and death benefits, with cash value used to cover costs. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this learning…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 13, Annuities
Provide periodic payments, with types including immediate, deferred, fixed, and variable, each with unique features. --The CFP Exam is known for its…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 10, State Regulation
Insurance is regulated at the state level, with NAIC providing model legislation but no direct authority. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 11, Life Insurance Types
Term life offers temporary coverage; whole life provides lifetime protection with cash value. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 8, Coinsurance Clause
Requires insured to cover a percentage of property value, affecting payout if underinsured. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 9, Rating Agencies
Evaluate insurer financial strength, with A.M. Best and Moody's providing ratings from high to low. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 7, Valuation Methods
Replacement cost, actual cash value, and agreed value determine compensation for insured losses. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 6, Exclusions and Riders
Exclusions specify non-covered events; riders modify coverage, affecting premiums and benefits. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 2, Risk Management
High frequency/severity risks require avoidance or insurance; low severity risks may be retained or reduced. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 3, Law of Large Numbers
Essential for predicting losses and setting premiums, reducing uncertainty for insurers. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on this…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 1, Insurance Purpose
Protects against pure risks by identifying and transferring risk in areas like home, auto, and health. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 4, Insurable Interest
Must exist at policy inception for life insurance and at both inception and loss for property/liability insurance. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty…
- Open Exam Prep
[Insurance] 5, Agent vs. Broker
Agents represent insurers, while brokers represent policyholders, impacting policy negotiations. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark on…
- Open Exam Prep
[Tax] 30, Deduction Clustering
Strategy to maximize deductions by alternating between itemized and standard deductions annually. --The CFP Exam is known for its difficulty, and as I embark…