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Finance Exam Prep: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Ran Chen, EA, CFP
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 sessions. Created by Ran Chen, EA, CFP®, a financial professional and exam specialist who has personally passed multiple professional licensing exams, Tax Exam Prep was developed from firsthand experience with how complex—and often poorly explained—tax exam material can be. The goal is simple: make tax exam preparation clearer, more accessible, and more effective through structured explanations and modern learning tools. Whether you’re preparing for the EA Exam, transitioning into a tax career, or reviewing before test day, this podcast is designed to guide you step by step—one concept at a time. Free practice tools, AI-powered explanations, and additional exam prep resources are available at: https://open-exam-prep.com/
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Yesterday3 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 92, 401(k), 403(b), and Profit-Sharing Plans
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 entities and 403(b) plans for non-profits and schools. - The 2026 employee elective deferral limit of $24,500 and the additional $8,000 catch-up for those age 50 and over. - How profit-sharing plans are funded by discretionary employer contributions, deductible up to 25% of total participant compensation. - The calculation of the maximum overall contribution to a defined contribution plan, which is $72,000 for 2026, plus catch-up amounts. - How to avoid the common exam trap of confusing the employee deferral limit with the total combined employee and employer contribution limit. 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
- 2 days ago2 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 91, Qualified Retirement Plans — DB vs DC
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 Contribution (DC) plans concerning investment risk. - How employer contribution requirements are calculated for DB plans versus DC plans. - Key ERISA requirements for vesting and the specifics of cliff and graded vesting schedules. - How nondiscrimination rules, including ADP/ACP tests and top-heavy rules, are applied to qualified plans. - Common exam traps related to safe harbor plans and immediate vesting requirements. 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
- 3 days ago3 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 90, Tax-Exempt Status Application — Form 1023, 1024
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)(3) organizations and Form 1024 for other non-profits like social clubs and business leagues. - The specific financial thresholds for using the streamlined Form 1023-EZ, including the $50,000 gross receipts and $250,000 total asset limits. - How the 27-month rule determines if an organization's tax-exempt status is retroactive to its formation date. - Key exceptions to the filing requirement, such as for churches and organizations with less than $5,000 in gross receipts. - A simple mnemonic to remember the correct forms: '3 for Charity, 4 for More.' 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
- 4 days ago3 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 89, Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT)
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 Substantially Related) for identifying Unrelated Business Income (UBI). - How the $1,000 specific deduction reduces Unrelated Business Taxable Income (UBTI). - Common exam traps involving passive income, volunteer labor, and debt-financed property. - The function and filing requirement of Form 990-T for exempt organizations with $1,000 or more in gross UBI. - The impact of the Section 512(a)(6) "silo rule" on calculating tax with multiple unrelated businesses. 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
- 5 days ago3 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 88, Form 990 Filing Requirements
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 $200,000 or more, OR total assets of $500,000 or more. - Organizations with gross receipts under $200,000 AND assets under $500,000 may be eligible to file the simplified Form 990-EZ. - Private foundations must always file Form 990-PF, regardless of their income or asset levels. - The filing deadline for the Form 990 series is the 15th day of the 5th month after the end of the organization's tax year. - The Form 990 is an informational return for transparency, not a return for paying taxes, and failure to file for three consecutive years results in automatic revocation of tax-exempt status. 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
- 6 days ago3 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 87, Section 501(c)(3) — Public Charity vs Private Foundation
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 foundations by default unless they can prove they qualify for public charity status. - Which types of organizations, such as churches, schools, and hospitals, are automatically classified as public charities. - How the one-third public support test is used to determine if an organization qualifies as a public charity based on its funding sources. - The key operational differences, including the 1.39% excise tax on net investment income that applies only to private foundations. - The 5% minimum annual distribution requirement that private foundations must meet to avoid significant penalties. 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
- 1 weeks ago3 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 86, Form 709 — Federal Gift Tax
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 2025-2026) trigger a Form 709 filing requirement, even if no tax is due. - The rules for gift splitting, which allows married couples to double the annual exclusion to $38,000 per donee but requires filing Form 709. - The critical distinction for unlimited exclusions: tuition and medical payments must be paid directly to the institution or provider. - How taxable gifts reduce the unified lifetime gift and estate tax exemption, which stands at $15 million for 2026. - The filing deadline for Form 709 is April 15, and how it can be automatically extended with a Form 1040 extension. 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
- 1 weeks ago3 min
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 85, Form 706 — Federal Estate Tax Overview
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 taxable gifts exceeds the lifetime exemption ($15 million in 2026). - The unlimited marital and charitable deductions can significantly reduce the taxable estate. - A surviving spouse can use a deceased spouse's unused estate tax exemption (DSUE) only if a timely Form 706 is filed to elect portability. - A common exam trap is forgetting to add prior adjusted taxable gifts to the gross estate to determine the filing requirement. - The deadline for Form 706 is a strict nine months after the decedent's date of death, with a six-month extension available for filing but not for payment. 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
About Finance Exam Prep
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 sessions. Created by Ran Chen, EA, CFP®, a financial professional and exam specialist who has personally passed multiple professional licensing exams, Tax Exam Prep was developed from firsthand experience with how complex—and often poorly explained—tax exam material can be. The goal is simple: make tax exam preparation clearer, more accessible, and more effective through structured explanations and modern learning tools. Whether you’re preparing for the EA Exam, transitioning into a tax career, or reviewing before test day, this podcast is designed to guide you step by step—one concept at a time. Free practice tools, AI-powered explanations, and additional exam prep resources are available at: https://open-exam-prep.com/
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