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Open Exam Prep

Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

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 resources and created Open Exam Prep as a free solution for aspiring professionals.

Each episode breaks down complex major exam topics into clear, digestible lessons, covering everything from tax planning and estate strategies to retirement solutions and investment principles. Whether you’re studying during your commute, workout, or downtime, we are here to guide you—one question, one topic, one victory at a time.

Visit for more content: https://open-exam-prep.com/

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  • 61 episodes
  • Avg 3 min
  • English

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Episodes 61

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  • July 17 · 2 min

    Series 7 Exam Prep 40, Variable Annuities Basics

    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 variable annuity premiums are invested in a separate account, meaning the contract owner bears the investment risk. - How accumulation units are purchased during the pay-in phase and convert to a fixed number of annuity units at annuitization, resulting in a variable payout. - That all growth within a variable annuity is tax-deferred, with withdrawals taxed as ordinary income. - About key costs like surrender charges for early withdrawals and mortality and expense (M&E) charges that cover insurance guarantees. - Why variable annuities are only suitable for long-term retirement goals and generally not for seniors or those needing liquidity. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

Showing 61–61 of 61 episodes