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u/AlxCds

▲ 6 r/series65exam

I run CertFuel, a Series 65 exam prep app (free for all of 2026). Putting this together because I couldn't find a single post that mapped free videos to every unit on the Series 65 outline. All free, no referral links.

Quick Exam Facts

  • 130 scored questions + 10 unscored | 3 hours | Pass with 92/130
  • 4 Sections: Economic Factors (15%) → Investment Vehicles (25%) → Client Recommendations & Strategies (30%) → Laws & Regulations (30%)
  • No firm sponsorship required | Cost: $187
  • Exam fee: $187 via FINRA | Schedule at Prometric

Best Free YouTube Channels for Series 65

🎓 Capital Advantage Tutoring — Ken Finnen — Former NYSE floor trader. Deep library of Series 65-specific videos covering investment vehicles, IA registration, ethics, and analytical methods. Free live Q&A every Tuesday & Thursday at 8:30 PM EST.

🎓 Basic Wisdom — Brandon Rith — Former Fidelity licensing facilitator. Short, concept-focused videos (most under 5 minutes) that are great for drilling specific topics.

🎓 PassMasters — Suzy Rhoades — 20+ years of securities exam prep. Strong Series 65-specific practice Q&A videos covering analytics, state law, investment recommendations, and exam strategy.

📊 SECTION I: Economic Factors and Business Information (15% — 20 questions)

Basic Economic Concepts

(Business cycles, monetary/fiscal policy, interest rates, yield curves, GDP, inflation, global factors)

Financial Reporting

(Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, SEC filings, ratio analysis)

Analytical Methods

(Time value of money, NPV, IRR, statistics, CAPM, MPT, EMH, financial ratios, P/E, P/B)

Types of Risk

(Systematic, unsystematic, opportunity cost, capital structure, liquidation priority)

📦 SECTION II: Investment Vehicle Characteristics (25% — 32 questions)

Cash & Cash Equivalents

(Insured deposits, CDs, commercial paper, T-bills, money market instruments)

Fixed Income Securities

(Treasuries, TIPS, agency/MBS, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, foreign bonds)

Equity Securities

(Common stock, preferred stock, ADRs, shareholder rights, dividends, restricted stock)

Pooled Investments

(Mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, UITs, hedge funds, private equity, venture capital)

Derivatives

(Options, warrants, futures — definitions, costs, benefits, risks)

Alternative Investments

(Limited partnerships/DPPs, ETNs, leveraged funds, inverse funds, structured products)

Insurance-Based Products

(Variable, fixed & indexed annuities; whole, term, universal & variable life insurance)

Other Assets

(Commodities, precious metals, digital assets)

---: Client Recommendations & Strategies (30% — 39 questions)

Client Profile & Type

(Financial goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, cash flow, tax situation, behavioral finance)

Capital Market Theory

(CAPM, Modern Portfolio Theory, Efficient Market Hypothesis, correlation)

Portfolio Management Strategies

(Asset allocation, diversification, sector rotation, dollar-cost averaging, active vs. passive)

Tax Considerations

(Capital gains, qualified dividends, tax basis, AMT, RMDs, estate & gift tax)

Retirement Plans

(Traditional & Roth IRA, 401k, 403b, defined benefit/contribution, SIMPLE, SEP, QDRO)

Trading Securities

(Order types, margin, short sales, principal vs. agency, market makers, best execution)

Portfolio Performance Measures

(Total return, time-weighted, dollar-weighted, after-tax, risk-adjusted, current yield, benchmarks)

Communications with Clients

(Suitability, disclosures, investment policy statements, client reports)

⚖️ SECTION IV: Laws, Regulations & Guidelines (30% — 39 questions)

Registration of Investment Advisers

(Federal vs. state registration, AUM thresholds, notice filing, Form ADV, books & records)

Registration of Investment Adviser Representatives

(Definition, registration, activities, supervision, what requires registration)

Regulation Under the Uniform Securities Act

(State administrator jurisdiction, securities registration, exempt securities & transactions, Blue Sky)

Ethical Practices & Fiduciary Obligations

(NASAA model rules, prohibited practices, disclosures, conflicts of interest, fiduciary duty)

🎯 Exam Day

📝 Free Practice Tests

  • 🏛️ NASAA Official Series 65 Study Guide — Free PDF from the exam's creator. Read this before anything else.
  • 🔥 CertFuel (shameless plug — this is my app) — Unlimited exam-weighted practice questions in a Prometric-style interface, adaptive study quizzes, and flashcards. Free for all of 2026, paid in 2027.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing

  1. Sections III and IV are 60% of the exam — laws, regulations, and client strategy is where most people struggle
  2. "Whose your daddy — SEC or State, never both" — one of the most testable concepts on registration
  3. The bond price/yield inverse relationship is just as important here as on the SIE
  4. CAPM, MPT, and EMH are tested in ways that require actual understanding, not just definitions — watch the analytical methods videos more than once
  5. Score 80%+ on practice tests before scheduling — the Series 65 has a ~65% first-attempt pass rate
  6. The June 2023 exam update changed some question content — make sure your study materials are current

If there's a video that helped you on a specific topic that's not here, drop it in the comments and I'll add it.

— Alex @ CertFuel.com

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u/AlxCds — 2 months ago