Episodes

  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 05, Partnership Formation — §721 Nonrecognition

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 05, Partnership Formation — §721 Nonrecognition
    May 2 2026
    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 under §721, neither the partner nor the partnership generally recognizes a gain or loss on the contribution of property for a partnership interest. - How a partner's initial basis is determined by the adjusted basis of the property they contribute, not its fair market value. - How liabilities assumed by the partnership reduce a partner's outside basis by the net amount of debt relief. - The critical exception where a partner must recognize capital gain if the net liability relief exceeds their contributed property's basis. - That contributing services for a partnership interest is a taxable event resulting in ordinary income, as §721 only applies to property. 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
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    4 mins
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 04, Hobby vs Business — Activity for Profit Test

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 04, Hobby vs Business — Activity for Profit Test
    May 1 2026
    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 IRS uses a nine-factor test under §183 to determine if an activity is a business or a hobby. - An activity is presumed to be for-profit if it shows a profit in at least 3 of the last 5 consecutive years. - The profit motive presumption for horse-related activities is 2 profitable years out of the last 7 years. - Hobby income is reported on Schedule 1, but related expenses are non-deductible for individuals through 2025 due to TCJA. - Meeting the profit presumption shifts the burden of proof to the IRS but does not guarantee business classification. 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
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    3 mins
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 03, Schedule C — Common Deductible Expenses

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 03, Schedule C — Common Deductible Expenses
    Apr 30 2026
    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 two-part "ordinary and necessary" test required for all Schedule C deductions. - How to distinguish between deductible employee wages and non-deductible draws for a sole proprietor. - The crucial difference between deducting contract labor versus wages and the associated tax forms. - Why self-employed health insurance premiums are not deducted on Schedule C, a common exam trap. - The importance of documentation and the rule against deducting the personal-use portion of expenses. 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
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    4 mins
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 02, Self-Employment Tax and Schedule SE

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 02, Self-Employment Tax and Schedule SE
    Apr 29 2026
    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 properly calculate the base for self-employment tax by first applying the 92.35% multiplier to net earnings. - The breakdown of the 15.3% SE tax rate into its 12.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare components. - How the Social Security wage base limit affects the tax calculation, especially when a taxpayer has both W-2 wages and self-employment income. - The income thresholds and rules for the Additional 0.9% Medicare Tax. - The correct placement of the deduction for one-half of self-employment tax as an above-the-line adjustment to income. 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
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    4 mins
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 01, Sole Proprietorship Basics and Schedule C

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 2] 01, Sole Proprietorship Basics and Schedule C
    Apr 28 2026
    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: - What defines a business as a sole proprietorship for federal tax purposes. - The primary function of Schedule C in reporting business profit or loss. - How a sole proprietorship's income and expenses flow through to the owner's Form 1040. - Key differences between deductible business expenses and non-deductible personal costs or owner's draws. - The critical distinction between a for-profit business and a hobby, and the tax implications of this classification. 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
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    2 mins
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 100, Exam Day Strategies and Final Review

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 100, Exam Day Strategies and Final Review
    Apr 25 2026
    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: • Master time management by aiming for an average of 2.1 minutes per question, banking time on easier questions for more complex ones. • Utilize the "Answer, Flag, and Drag" method to ensure you answer every question, flagging difficult ones to review at the end of the section. • Fully take your mandatory 15-minute break after the first 50 questions to reset mentally, remembering you cannot return to the first section. • Focus your final review on high-weight Part 1 topics like gross income, adjustments to AGI, and standard versus itemized deductions. • Beware of common exam traps like absolute words ("always," "never") and confusing similar concepts such as adjustments and itemized deductions. 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
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    4 mins
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 99, Form 1040 Review and Common Errors

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 99, Form 1040 Review and Common Errors
    Apr 24 2026
    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 determine the most advantageous filing status between Qualifying Widow(er) and Head of Household. • The rule for correctly applying multiple additional standard deduction amounts for age and blindness. • Why an unsigned tax return is considered invalid and how this impacts the official filing date. • How the exam tests credit eligibility rules, like the investment income limit for the EITC, over complex math. • When common forms like Schedule B are required based on specific income thresholds. 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
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    3 mins
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 98, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 98, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
    Apr 23 2026
    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 apply for an ITIN using Form W-7 and when it must be attached to a federal tax return. • The strict documentation requirements, including the difference between original, certified, and notarized copies. • The specific role of a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) in verifying documents. • The "three-consecutive-year" non-use rule that causes an ITIN to expire. • The critical distinction that an ITIN is for tax purposes only and does not authorize work or provide Social Security benefits. 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
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    3 mins