Episodes

  • [Series 6] 24, 529 Education Savings Plans

    [Series 6] 24, 529 Education Savings Plans
    Mar 2 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - The tax advantages of 529 plans, including tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified expenses. - Contribution rules and the special five-year front-loading provision for gift tax purposes. - What constitutes a qualified education expense, including tuition, fees, books, and room and board. - The tax implications and penalties associated with non-qualified withdrawals. - Recent changes allowing for tax-free rollovers from a 529 plan to a Roth IRA under the SECURE 2.0 Act. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    3 mins
  • [Series 6] 23, Employer Retirement Plans

    [Series 6] 23, Employer Retirement Plans
    Mar 1 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - The primary differences between 401(k), 403(b), and 457 retirement plans. - How employer matching contributions are calculated and function as a key benefit. - The critical distinction between cliff vesting and graded vesting schedules. - A common exam trap: vesting only applies to employer contributions, not your own. - A memorable mnemonic to distinguish which plan type is for corporations, non-profits, or government entities. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 mins
  • [Series 6] 22, Roth IRA Rules

    [Series 6] 22, Roth IRA Rules
    Feb 28 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - The difference between after-tax contributions and tax-free qualified distributions in a Roth IRA. - The two critical requirements for a qualified distribution: being age 59 ½ and satisfying the five-year holding period. - How the five-year holding period is calculated and why its start date is a common exam trap. - How income limitations can prevent direct contributions and how backdoor Roth conversions work as a solution. - The specific ordering rules for withdrawals (contributions, conversions, earnings) and how they are tested. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 mins
  • [Series 6] 21, Traditional IRA Rules

    [Series 6] 21, Traditional IRA Rules
    Feb 27 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - The 2024 contribution limits and catch-up provisions for Traditional IRAs. - How income and workplace plan participation affect the tax-deductibility of contributions. - The age for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) as updated by the SECURE 2.0 Act. - The standard 10% penalty for early withdrawals and how it is applied. - A helpful mnemonic (HIM-DEAD) to remember the key exceptions to the early withdrawal penalty. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 mins
  • [Series 6] 20, Life Insurance Taxation

    [Series 6] 20, Life Insurance Taxation
    Feb 26 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - Death benefits from life insurance policies are typically received income tax-free by beneficiaries. - Cash value within a life insurance policy grows on a tax-deferred basis. - Policy loans are not considered taxable distributions for standard, non-MEC policies. - A life insurance policy becomes a Modified Endowment Contract (MEC) if it is overfunded and fails the 7-pay test. - Distributions from a MEC, including loans, are taxed on a Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) basis, with gains taxed first and subject to a potential 10% penalty if the owner is under 59.5. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    3 mins
  • [Series 6] 19, Variable Universal Life Insurance

    [Series 6] 19, Variable Universal Life Insurance
    Feb 25 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - The meaning of flexible premiums in a Variable Universal Life (VUL) policy and how they affect cash value. - The difference between the two primary death benefit options, Option A (level) and Option B (increasing). - How VUL policies combine the investment risks and potential rewards of variable products with the flexibility of universal life. - Common suitability questions and exam traps related to VUL insurance, such as the non-guaranteed nature of cash value. - A simple mnemonic to remember the key characteristics of VUL and its ideal client profile. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 mins
  • [Series 6] 18, Variable Life Insurance Basics

    [Series 6] 18, Variable Life Insurance Basics
    Feb 24 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - Variable life insurance is a permanent policy combining a death benefit with investment options. - Premiums are fixed, with a portion funding the insurance and the rest invested in a separate account chosen by the policyholder. - The policy's cash value fluctuates based on the performance of the chosen subaccounts and is not guaranteed. - The death benefit has a guaranteed minimum (the policy's face amount) but can increase with positive investment performance. - The policyholder, not the insurance company, assumes the investment risk for the potential of higher returns on the cash value. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    3 mins
  • [Series 6] 17, 1035 Exchanges

    [Series 6] 17, 1035 Exchanges
    Feb 23 2026
    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 opening up information to help everyone prepare better for financial certification exams. This episode covers content for the Series 6 Exam. In this episode you will learn: - The purpose of an IRC Section 1035 exchange and its primary tax-deferral benefit. - The specific types of "like-for-like" exchanges that are permitted for insurance and annuity contracts. - The single most important prohibited exchange that is frequently tested on the exam. - Critical rules that must be followed for an exchange to be valid, such as direct transfer and consistent ownership. - A memorable phrase to help you recall the forbidden exchange path and avoid common exam traps. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 mins