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  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 18, Social Security Benefits Taxation

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 18, Social Security Benefits Taxation
    2026/02/02
    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 provisional income formula is Modified AGI plus one-half of Social Security benefits. • The first-tier base amounts you must memorize are $25,000 for single filers and $32,000 for joint filers. • A zero-dollar base amount applies to Married Filing Separately taxpayers who lived together, a common exam trap. • Taxability is determined by a two-tier system, making 0%, up to 50%, or up to 85% of benefits taxable. • The taxable amount is always the result of a "lesser of" comparison, a crucial step in the calculation. 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 分
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 17, Roth IRA Rules and Qualified Distributions

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 17, Roth IRA Rules and Qualified Distributions
    2026/02/01
    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 2025 Roth IRA contribution limits and the critical Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) phase-out ranges that determine eligibility. • The two-part test for a qualified distribution, combining a qualifying event (like age 59½) with the five-year holding period. • How the five-year holding period clock for initial contributions starts on January 1st of the first contribution's tax year. • The ordering rules for non-qualified distributions, remembered by the phrase "Can Everyone Get Paid?" which stands for Contributions, Conversions, and Earnings. • The distinction between the five-year clock for contributions and the separate five-year clock for each conversion, a common exam trap. 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 分
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 16, IRA Distributions and Taxation

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 16, IRA Distributions and Taxation
    2026/01/31
    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 baseline age 59½ rule for penalty-free traditional IRA distributions and the standard 10% early withdrawal penalty. • Key penalty exceptions, including the $10,000 lifetime limit for first-time homebuyers and unlimited withdrawals for qualified education expenses. • The timing rules for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), which must begin by April 1st of the year after the taxpayer turns 73. • How a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) allows taxpayers over age 70½ to make tax-free donations that also satisfy their RMD. • The function of Substantially Equal Periodic Payments (SEPPs) as a method to receive penalty-free income before age 59½. 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 分
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 15, Retirement Income - Pensions and Annuities

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 15, Retirement Income - Pensions and Annuities
    2026/01/30
    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 differentiate between fully and partially taxable pension distributions based on contributions. • The step-by-step calculation for the taxable portion of an annuity using the Simplified Method. • How to interpret key distribution codes on Form 1099-R, such as Code 1 for early distributions. • The most common, testable exceptions to the 10% early withdrawal penalty, including disability and medical expenses. • Why a checked Box 2b on Form 1099-R is a critical signal that you must calculate the taxable amount. 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 分
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 14, Passive Activity Loss Rules

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 14, Passive Activity Loss Rules
    2026/01/29
    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 passive activity losses (PALs) are generally only deductible against passive income, not active or portfolio income. • The mechanics of the special $25,000 loss allowance for individuals who actively participate in rental real estate. • The critical Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) phase-out range of $100,000 to $150,000 for the rental loss allowance. • The rules for carrying forward suspended passive losses and how they are fully released upon a taxable disposition of the activity. • How to meet the material participation standard, focusing on the 500-hour test, to reclassify an activity as non-passive. 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 分
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 13, Depreciation of Rental Property

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 13, Depreciation of Rental Property
    2026/01/28
    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 distinguish between the 27.5-year residential and 39-year commercial depreciation periods. • Why you must always exclude the value of land from the depreciable basis of a property. • The correct way to calculate first-year depreciation using the mandatory mid-month convention. • How to identify the correct "placed-in-service" date, a common exam distraction. • The strict limitation preventing the use of Section 179 expensing on rental buildings. 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 分
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 12, Rental Real Estate Income and Expenses

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 12, Rental Real Estate Income and Expenses
    2026/01/27
    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 correctly identify rental income, especially tricky items like security deposits and advance rent. • The default classification of all rental activities as passive, regardless of participation. • The specific requirements to qualify for the active participation exception. • How to apply the $25,000 maximum loss allowance against non-passive income. • The critical Modified AGI phase-out rule that reduces the $25,000 allowance for higher-income taxpayers. 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 分
  • Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 11, Sale of Principal Residence

    Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 1] 11, Sale of Principal Residence
    2026/01/26
    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 the '2-out-of-5-year' ownership and use tests to various exam scenarios. • The specific requirements married couples must meet to claim the full $500,000 exclusion. • The '2-2-1 for 500k' mnemonic to remember the key rules for joint filers. • How to calculate a partial exclusion when a taxpayer sells their home for unforeseen circumstances. • How periods of non-qualified use, such as renting out the home, can reduce the excludable gain. 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 分