Series 7 study plan
Series 7 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Provides Customers with Information about Investments, Makes Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Appropriate Records
Map the F3 outline into a one-page product taxonomy covering equity, debt, options, packaged products, insurance/annuities, municipal, and government securities
Differentiate common versus preferred stockholder rights, and compute dividend rate, current yield, and after-tax yield for sample securities
Compare corporate, municipal, and government debt features (coupon, maturity, call/refunding, credit risk) and rank them by risk and return
Sit a 40-question diagnostic on equity and debt to establish a baseline score and build an error log
Your checkpoint
Baseline diagnostic score recorded plus a completed one-page product taxonomy sheet
Provides Customers with Information about Investments, Makes Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Appropriate Records
Compute breakeven, maximum gain, and maximum loss for long and short calls and puts
Construct payoff diagrams and solve 30 spread and combination problems (bull/bear, debit/credit, straddle)
Match each options strategy to a stated market outlook and customer objective to justify a recommendation
Explain exercise and assignment mechanics, margin requirements, and position/aggregate exercise limits
Your checkpoint
75-question options problem set completed at 80% accuracy or better
Provides Customers with Information about Investments, Makes Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Appropriate Records
Compare open-end funds, closed-end funds, ETFs, and UITs on pricing method, fee structure, and trading mechanics
Compute tax-equivalent yield on municipal bonds and compare the result with taxable alternatives
Distinguish fixed, variable, and indexed annuities, including surrender charges, free-withdrawal provisions, and 1035 exchanges
Identify suitability and disclosure obligations for variable products and the distinct roles of the insurer, distributor, and FINRA member firm
Your checkpoint
Score of 80% or better on a 50-question packaged-products, municipal, and annuity quiz
Provides Customers with Information about Investments, Makes Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Appropriate Records
Apply cost-basis rules (FIFO, specific identification, wash sale) to compute realized capital gains and losses
Compare traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP, SIMPLE, 401(k), and 529 plans on contribution limits, tax treatment, and distribution rules
Calculate margin equity, SMA, and maintenance call amounts for long and short accounts
Complete a cumulative 50-question review spanning the week 1 through week 3 material
Your checkpoint
Midpoint mock of 75 F3 questions at 75% or better with every missed item logged and re-explained in writing
Provides Customers with Information about Investments, Makes Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Appropriate Records & Seeks Business for the Broker-Dealer from Customers and Potential Customers
Evaluate sample recommendations against the reasonable-basis, customer-specific, and quantitative suitability obligations
Summarize rules for research reports, retail communications, and recordkeeping retention periods
Describe F1 prospecting rules including do-not-call requirements, advertising approval, and gift and entertainment limits
Translate a sample customer profile into a risk-tolerance and time-horizon rating, then select a matching product
Your checkpoint
One-page suitability decision matrix plus a 25-question combined F3-recommendations and F1 quiz at 80% accuracy
Opens Accounts after Obtaining and Evaluating Customers' Financial Profile and Investment Objectives
Complete a new-account application from a sample customer profile, capturing financial status, investment objectives, and risk tolerance
Differentiate individual, joint, custodial, trust, corporate, margin, and discretionary accounts by documentation requirement and authority
Apply know-your-customer and suitability rules across 40 scenario questions on account opening and profile changes
Explain Regulation S-P privacy obligations, CIP identity verification, and suspicious-activity reporting duties
Your checkpoint
Completed sample new-account packet plus a 40-question F2 quiz at 80% or better
Obtains and Verifies Customers' Purchase and Sales Instructions and Agreements; Processes, Completes, and Confirms Transactions
Identify order types and handling instructions and list every item that must appear on a customer confirmation
Compute settlement dates under T+1 and trace the clearing process for equities, options, and municipal securities
Process corporate actions including splits, stock dividends, calls, and tenders, and adjust customer positions accordingly
Explain how to handle customer complaints, discretionary orders, and prohibited transaction practices
Your checkpoint
One-page settlement and corporate-action timeline plus a 30-question F4 quiz at 80% or better
Provides Customers with Information about Investments, Makes Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Appropriate Records & Obtains and Verifies Customers' Purchase and Sales Instructions and Agreements; Processes, Completes, and Confirms Transactions & Opens Accounts after Obtaining and Evaluating Customers' Financial Profile and Investment Objectives & Seeks Business for the Broker-Dealer from Customers and Potential Customers
Sit two full-length timed practice exams and score each by domain to confirm F3 dominance is under control
Re-drill every item in the error log until each is answered correctly twice without notes
Reproduce the 25 highest-yield formulas from memory: bond yields, tax-equivalent yield, option breakevens, margin equity, and capital gains
Target remaining weak spots with 20-question focused sets in each of F1, F2, and F4
Your checkpoint
Two full-length mocks at 75% overall or better with no single domain below 70%
Milestones
Week 2: Options problem set at 80% accuracy or better; can compute breakeven and max gain/loss for any single-leg or two-leg position in under 60 seconds
Week 4: Cumulative F3 midpoint mock at 75% or better; error log current and reviewed; margin and retirement-plan questions no longer missed twice
Week 6: F2 and options checkpoints complete: F2 quiz at 80% or better and sample account packet filled out without referencing notes
Week 8: Two full-length mocks at 75% or better with no domain below 70%; formula sheet recalled from memory and error log cleared