Category: Study Question

Congratulations to Megan K., this month’s Study Question of the Month winner!

Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.

Question

Relevant to the Series 6, Series 7, Series 66, and Series 65.

The cost basis for inherited securities is:

A. The same as the deceased person’s cost basis

B. The same as the price of the securities on the date that the original owner dies

C. The same as the price of the securities on the date that the new owner takes possession

D. The lower of the deceased person’s cost basis and the price of the securities when the new owner takes possession

Answer: B.

In the event that the holder of securities dies and passes those securities to one of his heirs, the new owner gets to claim the price of those securities on the deceased person’s date of death as the securities’ new tax basis.

Congratulations to Veronika J., this month’s Study Question of the Month winner!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

Question (Relevant to the Series 6, Series 7, Series 65, Series 66)

In her junior year in college, Kim’s grandmother dies and leaves Kim several thousand dollars. Kim wants to put some of the money she received from her grandmother into a retirement account. Given Kim’s young age and status as a full-time college student, what would be her best option?

A. Traditional IRA
B. Roth IRA
C. SIMPLE IRA
D. None of the choices listed

Answer: D. You can only contribute earned income to an IRA or tax-deferred retirement plan and so unless Kim has earned income, she cannot contribute to a tax-deferred retirement plan. A SIMPLE IRA, which stands for Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees, is an employer-sponsored retirement plan and not available to individuals.

Congratulations to Diane K., this month’s Study Question of the Month winner! 

See the answer below!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

Question (Relevant to the Series 7, Series 52, Series 65, Series 66, Series 79)

When the yield curve inverts, that is, when short-term interest rates are higher than long-term interest rates, all of the following are true EXCEPT: 

A. It indicates low or no inflation expectations.

B. It indicates higher demand for long-term bonds and lower demand for short-term bonds.

C. It indicates an economic recession.

D. It indicates an economic expansion.

Answer: D. A yield curve plots the yields of similar bonds based on the term of the bond (maturity) and the yield of the bonds, with term on the x-axis and yield on the y-axis.  A normal yield curve is upward sloping, indicating that the longer the term of the bond, the higher yield (interest rate).  This is because in normal economic conditions, the longer the term of the investment, the greater the risk that interest rates or the economy will change. Thus investors require greater compensation for uncertainties and risks associated with committing their money for longer time periods. This is called the risk premium.  When the yield curve is inverted, however, it slopes downward instead of upward. This means that there is higher demand for long-term bonds compared to short-term bonds because investors believe that interest rates will fall in the future.  Also, it means that investors are not concerned about inflation. These conditions are associated with a future economic recession.