Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Finance Exam Prep

Education EN ↓ 282 episodes

Finance Exam Prep is a daily podcast designed to help future tax and finance professionals pass their certification and licensing exams with clarity and confidence. Built and operated by OpenExamPrep, this podcast breaks down major tax exams into focused, easy-to-digest episodes covering the CPA & Enrolled Agent (EA) Exam, including Part 1 (Individuals), Part 2 (Businesses), and Part 3 (Representation, Practices, and Procedures). Each episode targets one key tax concept, common exam trap, or high-frequency test topic—making it ideal for studying during commutes, workouts, or short study sessio...

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Author

Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Episodes

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 07, Becoming an Enrolled Agent and Form 23 12.08.2026 3:08

This 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: - You must file Form 23, the Application for Enrollment, within...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 06, Special and Limited Appearances 11.08.2026 3:03

This 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 individuals, like family members and full-time em...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 05, Limited Practice by Return Preparers 10.08.2026 3:17

This 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 representation rights granted to Annual Filing Se...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 04, Unlimited Representation Rights 09.08.2026 3:20

This 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 three professional designations (Attorneys, CPAs, Enrolled...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 03, What Constitutes Practice Before the IRS 08.08.2026 3:13

This 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 "practice before the IRS" is a specific set of actions de...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 02, Exam Format PSI Testing and 2025 Law Cutoff 07.08.2026 3:23

This 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 EA Part 3 exam contains 100 questions, but only 85 are sco...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 01, Introduction to Representation Before the IRS 06.08.2026 3:14

This 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: - What it means to 'practice before the IRS' and the activities...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 100, Real Estate Professional Status and Material Participation 05.08.2026 3:29

This 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 two strict tests required to qualify for Real Estate Profe...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 99, Passive Activity Loss Rules — §469 04.08.2026 3:49

This 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 general rule that passive activity losses can only be dedu...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 98, Rental Real Estate — Schedule E 03.08.2026 3:02

This 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 distinguish between currently deductible repairs and capita...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 97, Farm Inventory and Crop Insurance Proceeds 02.08.2026 3:59

This 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: - Cash-method farmers are generally not required to maintain or...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 96, Farm Income Averaging — Schedule J 01.08.2026 3:31

This 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: - Farm income averaging on Schedule J allows farmers to spread c...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 95, Farm Income — Schedule F 31.07.2026 3:46

This 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 distinguish between ordinary income from livestock held...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 94, Form 5500 — Plan Annual Reporting 30.07.2026 3:27

This 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 key differences and participant thresholds for Form 5500 (...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 93, SEP-IRA and SIMPLE-IRA Plans 29.07.2026 3:13

This 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: - SEP-IRA contributions are made only by the employer and are di...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 92, 401(k), 403(b), and Profit-Sharing Plans 28.07.2026 3:34

This 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 key difference between 401(k) plans for for-profit entitie...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 91, Qualified Retirement Plans — DB vs DC 27.07.2026 2:12

This 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 core difference between Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined C...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 90, Tax-Exempt Status Application — Form 1023, 1024 26.07.2026 3:14

This 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 crucial difference between Form 1023 for charitable 501(c)...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 89, Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) 25.07.2026 3:41

This 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 three-part test (Trade, Regularly Carried On, Not Substant...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 88, Form 990 Filing Requirements 24.07.2026 3:26

This 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 key filing thresholds for Form 990 are gross receipts of $...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 87, Section 501(c)(3) — Public Charity vs Private Foundation 23.07.2026 3:18

This 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 all 501(c)(3) organizations are considered private founda...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 86, Form 709 — Federal Gift Tax 22.07.2026 3:21

This 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 gifts exceeding the annual exclusion ($19,000 for 2025-202...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 85, Form 706 — Federal Estate Tax Overview 21.07.2026 3:39

This 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: - Form 706 is required when the gross estate plus adjusted taxab...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 84, Estate Income Tax — Form 1041 for Decedent's Estate 20.07.2026 3:23

This 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: - An estate is a separate taxpayer from the decedent, reporting...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 83, Grantor Trust Rules — §671-679 19.07.2026 3:20

This 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 a grantor trust is a pass-through entity for income tax,...