The Series 7 study guide · 2026–2027 Edition
Series 7 Mastery
The complete study guide to the FINRA General Securities Representative Exam.
Every topic on the Series 7 exam, explained in plain language, then worked one step at a time. 19 chapters, 84 worked examples, 107 practice questions and a full 125-question practice exam with every answer explained. Updated for 2026 rules.
Built the way the Series 7 exam is built
FINRA scores the Series 7 on 125 questions across four job functions. The book follows the same four functions — and gives Function 3, nearly three out of four questions, the most pages. See the full table of contents.
Seeks business for the broker-dealer
Communications with the public, telemarketing, the registration process for new issues, private placements and Rule 144.
- 2Prospecting, communications and new issues
Opens accounts
Customer identification, Reg BI and Form CRS, account types, senior-investor protections, AML, IRAs, 401(k)s and 529 plans.
- 3Opening and managing customer accounts
- 4Retirement and education accounts
Provides information and makes recommendations
Every product on the exam, with the math the exam expects: yields, TEY, breakpoints, options, margin and taxes.
- 5Equity securities
- 6Debt: prices, yields and risks
- 7Corporate debt and money market
- 8Government, agency and mortgage-backed securities
- 9Municipal securities
- 10Mutual funds, ETFs and UITs
- 11Variable annuities and insurance products
- 12DPPs, REITs and alternatives
- 13Options I: fundamentals
- 14Options II: spreads, index options, rules
- 15Economics, analysis and portfolios
- 16Taxation of investments
- 17Margin accounts
Processes and confirms transactions
Order types, markups, Reg SHO, T+1 settlement, ACATS, trade reporting, complaints and records.
- 18Orders, trading and settlement
- 19Regulation, complaints and records
Every section teaches in three steps
The same rhythm in all 19 chapters, so you always know what comes next.
Learn the concept
A clear explanation of one exam topic, with tables that organize the rules, numbers and deadlines you have to remember.
Work an example
An exam-style problem solved line by line — breakevens, tax-equivalent yields, margin calls — so you see exactly how the answer is reached.
Test yourself
A question in exam format to answer on your own, with the answer and a full explanation in the key at the back of the book.
Try five Series 7 questions from the book
Pick an answer to see the step-by-step explanation, just as the book lays it out. Want more? Try 25 free practice questions.
Free Series 7 study resources
Use these alongside the book — or on their own, to see how the book teaches.
Free Series 7 practice questions
25 exam-style questions with full explanations, across every function.
Series 7 exam guide 2026
Format, cost, passing score, requirements and retake rules in one place.
How to pass the Series 7
A six-week study plan, exam-day pacing and the traps that cost points.
Series 7 formula sheet
Every formula on the exam, printable on one page.
Options cheat sheet
Breakevens, max gain and max loss for every strategy the exam tests.
SIE vs Series 7
How the two exams differ and which order to take them in.
Current for 2026
Rules change, and question banks lag. Where a rule changed recently, the book teaches the current rule and the older one you may still see in practice materials.
- T+1 settlementRegular-way trades settle in one business day, so the ex-dividend date now equals the record date.
- Pattern day trader rule replacedFINRA's intraday margin standards took effect June 4, 2026, with firm phase-in allowed through October 20, 2027.
- 2026 retirement limitsIRA $7,500 plus $1,100 catch-up; 401(k) $24,500 plus $8,000, or $11,250 at ages 60 to 63.
- Gift limits raised to $300FINRA Rule 3220 from March 30, 2026, and MSRB Rule G-20 for FINRA-member dealers from June 1, 2026.
- Gift and estate tax$19,000 annual exclusion and a $15 million lifetime exemption for 2026; 529 K–12 limit now $20,000 a year.
- Shorter retake waits comingFrom January 19, 2027, the wait after a failed attempt drops to 15 days (60 days after a third failure).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best book for the Series 7 exam?
The best Series 7 book is one that is current for this year's rules, follows FINRA's four job functions in proportion to the exam, shows the math step by step, and includes a full-length practice exam with explained answers. Series 7 Mastery was written to meet each of those tests; see how to choose a Series 7 study guide.
Is this book enough to pass the Series 7?
The book covers every topic in FINRA's Series 7 content outline and includes 232 practice questions. Many candidates also add a timed question bank in the final two weeks. Aim to score 80% or more on the book's 125-question practice exam before you sit for the real one.
Is the book updated for 2026 rules?
Yes. The 2026–2027 Edition teaches T+1 settlement, the 2026 IRA and 401(k) limits, the $300 gift limit, FINRA's new intraday margin standards and other recent changes. Later changes are listed on the rule updates page.
Does the book include a practice exam?
Yes: a full 125-question practice exam weighted like the real exam (9, 11, 91 and 14 questions across the four functions), with every answer explained. You can try 25 of the questions free.
Is Series 7 Mastery available on Kindle?
Yes. It is published for Kindle and in print on Amazon. The Kindle edition reads on any Kindle device or the free Kindle app for phones, tablets and computers.
Get Series 7 Mastery
2026–2027 Edition. 315 pages, 6 × 9 inches in print. Includes the formula sheet, a glossary and a 125-question practice exam with every answer explained.
Free with the book: the printable formula sheet and rule updates for this edition.
Kindle eBook
Read on any Kindle device or the free Kindle app.
Paperback
6 × 9 inches, 315 pages, with room for notes.