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I'm Megan John.I was a career changer who passed the CFP® exam on my first try in September, 2020, while working full time as a freelance administrator, running my own small art business, and working through the changes of a global pandemic.
Now, I'm ready to help others pass. Whether you need help in specific areas like passive activity losses, or just need someone to keep you accountable to your study plan, I am here to help. I'm a little different from other CFP® coaches and tutors. My first career was teaching art to children, and I believe in learning with your whole mind. I have a variety of research-tested learning techniques which I used on myself to earn a passing score - and I'm very excited to share them with you. |
Use your whole brain. Get a little weird. Find a little joy.
Your brain has five senses and full-spectrum color vision, so why limit yourself to a blue pen and a white notebook? Color code your notes. Assign a color to each type of retirement plan to help you tell them apart. For me, SEPs will always be purple, SIMPLEs will always be banana yellow, and DB Pension plans will forever be blue. Our brains evolved to pay attention to bright, ripe fruit colors - a box of colored markers, crayons or even stickers can be a worthwhile study investment!
Having trouble learning options? Let's act some out. Write out some pretend contracts on the back of a notecard and sell me one. What happens to my put contract if the stock price goes up? Goes down? Goes to zero? What happens to a naked call you sold me if the stock price goes to the moon? What is the difference between the value of the contract and the value of the stock? Can the intrinsic value of a contract ever go below zero? (Here's a hint - if all else fails, you can still use the paper it's printed on as kleenex to dry your tears.)
Having trouble remembering something specific? Make up an "anchor image". Our brains are really good at remembering images, especially weird or funny ones. My favorite one was getting stuck in line behind old folks at Target - because Target benefit plans benefit the elderly. In my mind, I even pictured a group of vacationing Rabbis getting shooed off the beach - because Rabbi trusts don't allow offshore accounts. If something makes you laugh, you're going to remember it - even if you have to picture someone in a speedo. Find an excuse to laugh while studying - it makes you more effective!
Don't underestimate the value of sheer practice when it comes to the calculator. Break each type of calculator problem down into individual steps, write down the steps with an example, and practice the ONE example once or twice a day until the steps are second nature. You will come to recognize the correct result at each stage of the single example, so you will know immediately when, and exactly where, you have flubbed a step when you mess up. Once you've done the single "training wheels" problem about 50 times over 2 weeks, you will have the steps down pat and can do varied practice problems without getting frustrated.
Learn to recognize the "tells". Apparently in poker, a "tell" is a surefire way you can know someone's bluffing, like if they're touching their nose. Practice questions (and test questions) are full of their own tells about the answer. While you're practicing your q-bank, train yourself not to memorize questions but to learn to match the telltale keywords with the answer they point you towards.
I have so many more of these techniques and I'm so excited to share them with you as you work through your education requirement and on through your review course. Ready to supercharge your learning experience? Let's set up a free initial zoom meeting!
Having trouble learning options? Let's act some out. Write out some pretend contracts on the back of a notecard and sell me one. What happens to my put contract if the stock price goes up? Goes down? Goes to zero? What happens to a naked call you sold me if the stock price goes to the moon? What is the difference between the value of the contract and the value of the stock? Can the intrinsic value of a contract ever go below zero? (Here's a hint - if all else fails, you can still use the paper it's printed on as kleenex to dry your tears.)
Having trouble remembering something specific? Make up an "anchor image". Our brains are really good at remembering images, especially weird or funny ones. My favorite one was getting stuck in line behind old folks at Target - because Target benefit plans benefit the elderly. In my mind, I even pictured a group of vacationing Rabbis getting shooed off the beach - because Rabbi trusts don't allow offshore accounts. If something makes you laugh, you're going to remember it - even if you have to picture someone in a speedo. Find an excuse to laugh while studying - it makes you more effective!
Don't underestimate the value of sheer practice when it comes to the calculator. Break each type of calculator problem down into individual steps, write down the steps with an example, and practice the ONE example once or twice a day until the steps are second nature. You will come to recognize the correct result at each stage of the single example, so you will know immediately when, and exactly where, you have flubbed a step when you mess up. Once you've done the single "training wheels" problem about 50 times over 2 weeks, you will have the steps down pat and can do varied practice problems without getting frustrated.
Learn to recognize the "tells". Apparently in poker, a "tell" is a surefire way you can know someone's bluffing, like if they're touching their nose. Practice questions (and test questions) are full of their own tells about the answer. While you're practicing your q-bank, train yourself not to memorize questions but to learn to match the telltale keywords with the answer they point you towards.
I have so many more of these techniques and I'm so excited to share them with you as you work through your education requirement and on through your review course. Ready to supercharge your learning experience? Let's set up a free initial zoom meeting!
A Little About Me
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In 2009, I graduated with a degree in Ceramics from a top art school into the biggest economic downturn since the great depression.
Taking a friend's advice of "do something that scares you," I went back to school for accounting and later began working as a private administrator for some of New York City's high net worth families. I also do bookkeeping work for a nonprofit, and volunteer as a tax preparer in my community through the VITA program. I have an active art business, and enjoy teaching others how to make money with their art. I have also taught art classes to underprivileged children, developmentally disabled children, and adults. I am also a cat lover and enjoy fundraising for TNRs and rescues. I'm continuing my journey by becoming a Certified Financial Planner, and passed the exam in September, 2020. |
Cleveland Institute of Art '09 - B.F.A, Ceramics
Cleveland State University - Additional Coursework, Accounting 2011-2012
NYU School of Professional Studies - Certificate, Financial Planning 2019-2020
Cleveland State University - Additional Coursework, Accounting 2011-2012
NYU School of Professional Studies - Certificate, Financial Planning 2019-2020
