Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Finance Exam Prep

Education EN ↓ 174 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...

Author

Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Episodes

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 49, Premium Tax Credit and Excess APTC Reconciliation 05.03.2026 4:06

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 calculate household Modified AGI for the Premium Tax Cr...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 48, Residential Energy Credits 04.03.2026 4:05

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 the Section 25C credit for home imp...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 47, Adoption Credit and Employer-Provided Benefits 03.03.2026 3:16

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 adoption credit is a nonrefundable credit with a five-year...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 46, Retirement Savings Contributions Credit 02.03.2026 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 Saver's Credit is a non-refundable credit with a maximum o...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 45, Education Credits - Lifetime Learning Credit 01.03.2026 3:10

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 Lifetime Learning Credit is capped at $2,000 per tax retur...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 44, Education Credits - American Opportunity Credit 28.02.2026 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 AOTC is worth up to $2,500 per student, calculated as 100%...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 43, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) 27.02.2026 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: • EITC is the largest refundable tax credit, providing a refund...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 42, Child and Dependent Care Credit 26.02.2026 3:25

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: • A qualifying child must be under age 13; expenses stop qualify...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 41, Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit 25.02.2026 3:15

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 Child Tax Credit for 2025 increases to $2,200 per child un...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 40, QBI Deduction - Limitations and Phase-Outs 24.02.2026 1:49

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 critical 2025 QBI income thresholds ($197,300 Single / $39...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 39, Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction 23.02.2026 4:09

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 38, Gambling Losses Deduction 22.02.2026 3:42

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: • Gambling losses are only deductible up to the amount of your r...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 37, Casualty and Theft Loss Deductions 21.02.2026 3:44

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: • Personal casualty and theft losses are only deductible if they...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 36, Charitable Contributions - Property 20.02.2026 3:24

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: • Deduct the Fair Market Value (FMV) for long-term capital gain...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 35, Charitable Contributions - Cash 19.02.2026 2:59

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: • The maximum deduction for cash contributions to public chariti...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 34, Home Mortgage Interest Deduction 18.02.2026 3:43

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 home acquisition debt limit is $750,000 ($375,000 MFS) for...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 33, State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction 17.02.2026 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: • The SALT deduction is capped at $10,000 per household, or $5,0...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 32, Medical and Dental Expenses 16.02.2026 4:30

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: • Medical expenses are only deductible to the extent they exceed...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 31, Itemized Deductions - Overview 15.02.2026 4:11

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: • Itemize on Schedule A only when total deductions exceed the st...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 30, Moving Expenses for Armed Forces 14.02.2026 4:13

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: • The moving expense deduction is exclusively for active-duty Ar...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 29, Educator Expenses Deduction 13.02.2026 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: • The Educator Expense Deduction is an 'above-the-line' adjustme...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 28, Student Loan Interest Deduction 12.02.2026 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 student loan interest deduction is an "above-the-line" adj...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 27, Traditional IRA Contributions and Deductions 11.02.2026 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: • The 2025 IRA contribution limits ($7,000) and the age 50+ catc...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 26, Health Savings Accounts (HSA) 10.02.2026 3:56

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: • HSA contributions for 2025 are capped at $4,300 for self-only...

Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 25, Self-Employment Tax Calculation 09.02.2026 3:32

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: • Always multiply net self-employment earnings by 92.35% before...