Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Open Exam Prep

Education EN ↓ 349 episodes

Open Exam Prep: Mastering Financial ExamsThe 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...

Author

Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Episodes

Series 7 Exam Prep 34, Direct Participation Programs 11.07.2026 3:28

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 distinct roles and liability of general partners (unlimite...

Series 7 Exam Prep 33, Money Market Instruments and Short-Term Debt 10.07.2026 3:51

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: - Treasury Bills are issued at a discount and are the safest mon...

Series 7 Exam Prep 32, Municipal New Issues and Underwriting 09.07.2026 3:09

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 difference between a competitive sale, used for most G.O....

Series 7 Exam Prep 31, Municipal Bond Taxation 08.07.2026 3:12

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: - That municipal bond interest is generally federally tax-exempt...

Series 7 Exam Prep 30, Municipal Bond Credit Analysis 07.07.2026 2:57

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 analyze the creditworthiness of General Obligation (GO)...

Series 7 Exam Prep 29, Municipal Bond Basics 06.07.2026 4:10

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 fundamental difference between General Obligation (GO) bon...

Series 7 Exam Prep 28, Mortgage-Backed Securities and CMOs 05.07.2026 5:06

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 mortgage-backed securities pass through both principal and...

Series 7 Exam Prep 27, Government Securities 04.07.2026 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: - U.S. Treasury securities (Bills, Notes, Bonds) are backed by t...

Series 7 Exam Prep 26, Bond Ratings and Credit Risk 03.07.2026 2:46

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: - The key differences between investment-grade and high-yield (j...

Series 7 Exam Prep 25, Callable, Putable, and Convertible Bonds 02.07.2026 3:28

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 callable bonds benefit the issuer, especially in a fallin...

Series 7 Exam Prep 24, Yield Calculations and Bond Math 01.07.2026 3:57

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 a bond's current yield using its annual inter...

Series 7 Exam Prep 23, Bond Pricing and Yield Relationships 30.06.2026 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: - The inverse relationship between bond prices and interest rate...

Series 7 Exam Prep 22, Corporate Bond Basics 29.06.2026 3:36

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 components of a corporate bond: par value ($1,000), c...

Series 7 Exam Prep 21, Equity Valuation and Market Analysis 28.06.2026 4:00

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 Earnings Per Share (EPS) is the foundation for the P/E rat...

Series 7 Exam Prep 20, REITs and Real Estate Securities 27.06.2026 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: - How Equity REITs generate income from property rents versus ho...

Series 7 Exam Prep 19, ADRs, Foreign Securities, and Currency Risk 26.06.2026 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 core structure of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and...

Series 7 Exam Prep 18, Rights, Warrants, and Dilution 25.06.2026 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: - Preemptive rights give existing shareholders the ability to ma...

Series 7 Exam Prep 17, Preferred Stock Features 24.06.2026 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: - The hybrid nature of preferred stock, combining features of bo...

Series 7 Exam Prep 16, Common Stock Basics 23.06.2026 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 difference between statutory and cumulative voting rights...

Series 7 Exam Prep 15, Investment Objectives and Risk Tolerance 22.06.2026 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: - How to match the "preservation of capital" objective with the...

Series 7 Exam Prep 14, Suitability, Reg BI, and Recommendation Standards 21.06.2026 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 three core suitability obligations: reasonable-basis, cust...

Series 7 Exam Prep 13, Education Accounts and Tax-Advantaged Savings 20.06.2026 2:32

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: - The key differences between 529 plans and Coverdell ESAs regar...

Series 7 Exam Prep 12, Retirement Accounts and ERISA Basics 19.06.2026 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: - The critical tax differences between Traditional IRAs (pre-tax...

Series 7 Exam Prep 11, Margin Accounts and Customer Agreements 18.06.2026 3:48

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 components of the margin agreement: the credit agree...

Series 7 Exam Prep 10, Discretionary Accounts and Trading Authority 17.06.2026 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 three elements that define a discretionary trade: Asset, A...