Episode
[Series 65] 52, Qualified Retirement Plans 401k and Pension
- Podcast
- Open Exam Prep
- Published
- May 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 198
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/open-exam-prep-7140559/episodes/series-65-52-qualified-retirement-plans-401k-and-pension/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/open-exam-prep-7140559/series-65-52-qualified-retirement-plans-401k-and-pension.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
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 critical difference between defined benefit and defined contribution plans is who assumes the investment risk: the employer or the employee. - Employee contributions to a 401(k) are always 100% immediately vested, meaning they belong to the employee from day one. - Employer contributions, such as matching funds, are subject to vesting schedules, with ERISA setting maximums of either a three-year cliff or a six-year graded schedule. - A profit-sharing plan is a type of defined contribution plan that gives the employer discretion on whether to make contributions each year. - The Series 65 exam tests these concepts through scenario-based questions requiring you to apply vesting rules and differentiate between plan types based on risk. 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