Prefer listening over reading? These AI-generated podcast episodes cover the same material as the
written chapters, perfect for commutes, workouts, or whenever you want to study without staring at a
screen.
Each episode is designed to be standalone - no need to listen in order. Pick the topic you're
studying and hit play.
Exam Reviews
Wrong-answer deep dives from practice exams. Learn why common sense fails and the
exam-specific logic that replaces it.
Exam Review
Why Common Sense Fails the Series 7
19 questions42 min
The questions that tripped you up on the road to 70%. Covers why intuitive answers
are often wrong — from municipal advertising rules and short margin interest to
mutual fund pricing traps, put exercise tax math, and the gift vs. entertainment
distinction.
A deep dive into 36 of the trickiest Series 7 exam questions — the ones designed
to punish surface-level understanding. Breaks down why the "obvious" answer is
wrong and how to recognize the exam's favorite misdirection patterns.
Exam TrapsMisdirectionWrong-Answer Patterns
Exam Review
19 Psychological Traps on the Series 7
19 questions21 min
Nineteen wrong answers dissected — from confusing the 1933 and 1934 Acts to
mixing up IRA transfers and rollovers. Covers underwriting spread components,
basis point math, open interest mechanics, interval funds, VRDOs, and why
the answer that feels right is often the one the exam wants you to pick.
Topic-by-topic podcast episodes covering each chapter's core material.
Chapter 1
Equity Stock Defined: From Buttonwood to ADRs
31 minEquities & Stock Fundamentals
A comprehensive overview of equity securities - from the 1792 Buttonwood Agreement to modern
ADRs. Covers common stock, preferred stock, dividends, shareholder rights, stock splits,
warrants, and American Depositary Receipts. The foundation for everything else on your
Series 7 exam.
How investment companies work - from mutual fund pricing and share classes to ETFs, REITs,
and UITs. Covers NAV calculations, front-end vs. back-end loads, breakpoints, prohibited
practices, and the key differences between open-end and closed-end funds.
A deep dive into how securities markets are structured - from the first market (exchanges)
through the fourth market (dark pools). Covers the critical distinction between brokers and
dealers, and why understanding market structure matters for the Series 7 exam.
From order ticket to settlement - how trades actually get processed behind the scenes.
Covers prohibited trading practices, clearing corporations, T+1 settlement, and good
delivery requirements.
Everything that happens when you open a brokerage account - from customer identification and
anti-money laundering to suitability requirements and senior investor protections. Covers
CIP, KYC, Regulation S-P, Reg BI, Form CRS, and the rules that protect vulnerable investors.
An extended deep dive into the Customer Identification Program (CIP), Know Your Customer
(KYC) requirements, and suitability obligations. Covers anti-money laundering thresholds,
SAR/CTR/MIL requirements, the three components of suitability, Reg BI's four obligations,
and senior investor protections in greater detail.
How margin accounts work and why they exist - from the 1929 crash to modern Reg T
requirements. Covers initial margin, maintenance requirements, short selling, and the
paperwork needed to open a margin account.
An extended deep dive into margin mechanics, fiduciary obligations, custodial and trust
accounts, joint and business accounts, and options account requirements. Covers leverage
calculations, maintenance calls, and the regulatory framework for specialized account types.
Monetizing Uncertainty With Straddles and Strangles
16 minStraddles, Strangles & Combinations
How to recognize and understand multi-leg options strategies that bet on volatility
instead of direction. Covers long and short straddles, strangles (combinations), the
difference between the two, suitability signals, and how to spot them on the exam.
The tax mechanics behind premium and discount bonds - accretion, amortization, and the
phantom income that catches investors off guard. Covers cost basis adjustments, the
mandatory rules for municipal bonds, OID treatment, and why the IRS taxes your bond's
journey to par every single year.