Épisodes

  • [Series 6] 15, Variable Annuity Fees and Charges

    [Series 6] 15, Variable Annuity Fees and Charges
    Feb 21 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 exam. In this episode you will learn: - What the mortality and expense (M&E) risk charge covers and why it is unique to insurance products. - How administrative fees are assessed for the operational costs of an annuity contract. - The structure of surrender charges, including how they decline over a set period. - Key differences between the fee structures of variable annuities and mutual funds. - A mnemonic device, "SAM," to easily recall the primary fees associated with variable annuities for the exam. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 min
  • [Series 6] 14, Variable Annuity Payout Options

    [Series 6] 14, Variable Annuity Payout Options
    Feb 20 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 key features of a Straight Life annuity payout and who it's best for. - How a Life with Period Certain option protects against an annuitant's early death. - The purpose and function of a Joint and Last Survivor annuity for couples. - The direct relationship between guarantees, beneficiaries, and the monthly payout amount. - A simple mnemonic to remember which payout option provides the highest and lowest income. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    3 min
  • [Series 6] 13, Variable Annuity Separate Accounts

    [Series 6] 13, Variable Annuity Separate Accounts
    Feb 19 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 fundamental difference between an insurer's general account and a separate account. - Why a variable annuity's separate account is legally insulated from the insurance company's creditors. - The specific reason variable annuities are classified and regulated as securities. - How to identify and answer common Series 6 exam questions on this topic. - A simple mnemonic to distinguish the roles of the general and separate accounts. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 min
  • [Series 6] 12, Variable Annuities Overview

    [Series 6] 12, Variable Annuities Overview
    Feb 18 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 dual nature of variable annuities as both insurance and securities products. - Key features of the accumulation phase, including tax-deferred growth and the death benefit. - How accumulation units are purchased and how their value fluctuates. - The process of annuitization and the conversion to a fixed number of annuity units. - Understanding the Assumed Interest Rate (AIR) and its impact on payout amounts. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 min
  • [Series 6] 11, Mutual Fund Prospectus and SAI

    [Series 6] 11, Mutual Fund Prospectus and SAI
    Feb 17 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 exam. In this episode you will learn: - The legal requirement to deliver a mutual fund prospectus at or before the point of solicitation. - The critical information contained within a prospectus, such as objectives, risks, and fees. - How different share classes and their associated expenses are disclosed to investors. - The purpose of the Statement of Additional Information (SAI) and how it differs from the prospectus. - Common exam traps related to prospectus delivery timing and distinguishing between the prospectus and the SAI. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 min
  • [Series 6] 10, Mutual Fund Distributions

    [Series 6] 10, Mutual Fund Distributions
    Feb 16 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 a mutual fund's dividend distributions and capital gains distributions. - Why both dividend and capital gains distributions are taxable in the year they are received, even when they are reinvested. - The critical rule that capital gains distributions from a fund are always taxed as long-term gains to the shareholder. - How a mutual fund's ex-dividend date works and why the Net Asset Value (NAV) drops by the distribution amount. - The definition of "selling a dividend," why it's a prohibited practice, and how it creates a tax liability without any economic benefit. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    3 min
  • [Series 6] 9, Index Funds and ETFs

    [Series 6] 9, Index Funds and ETFs
    Feb 15 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 core differences between passively managed index funds and actively managed funds. - How Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are created, structured, and traded on the open market. - The "in-kind" redemption process and why it makes ETFs more tax-efficient than mutual funds. - Key pricing distinctions for the exam: an ETF's intraday market price versus a mutual fund's end-of-day Net Asset Value (NAV). - How fund expenses, turnover, and trading costs are tested on the Series 6 exam. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 min
  • [Series 6] 8, Types of Mutual Funds by Objective

    [Series 6] 8, Types of Mutual Funds by Objective
    Feb 14 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 exam — extract the exam name from the title tag, e.g. [SIE] = SIE Exam, [EA] = Enrolled Agent Exam. In this episode you will learn: - The primary objective of a growth fund and the ideal investor profile. - How income funds generate returns and who they are most suitable for. - The role of a balanced fund in a portfolio and its key characteristics. - The purpose of a money market fund and its associated risks. - A simple mnemonic to remember how to match each fund type to an investor's goal. For more resources visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ and connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/chenran818
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    4 min