FINRA Updated SIE Exam Questions and Answers by mikael

The correct answer is D, $102,875.00. Municipal bonds are quoted as a percentage of par value, and par value is typically $1,000 per bond.

Step-by-step calculation:

Convert the quote 102-7/8 into a decimal:

7/8 = 0.875

So, 102-7/8 = 102.875% of par

Apply this percentage to one bond:

$1,000 × 102.875% = $1,028.75 per bond

Multiply by the number of bonds (100 bonds):

$1,028.75 × 100 = $102,875

Choice A and B are incorrect because they represent the price for 10 bonds, not 100. Choice C is close but incorrectly calculates the fractional portion.

Understanding how to convert bond quotes (including fractions like 7/8) into dollar amounts is essential for pricing municipal securities on the SIE exam.

Thus, the investor would pay $102,875.00, making Answer D correct.

Open-end mutual funds do not trade on secondary markets. Instead, shares are continuously issued or redeemed by the fund at the net asset value (NAV), calculated at the market close.

D is correct because investors purchase and redeem shares directly through the fund or authorized brokers.

A is incorrect because mutual funds do not have a predetermined dissolution date.

B is incorrect because mutual fund shares are priced at the NAV calculated once daily after the market closes.

C is incorrect because secondary market trading applies to closed-end funds and ETFs, not open-end mutual funds.

A trust account can be structured so that assets pass according to the terms of the trust and avoid probate. Probate is the court-supervised process for distributing assets after death. A properly established trust can hold investment assets for the benefit of named beneficiaries and provide continuity of control, privacy, and estate-transfer efficiency. Choice A is correct. A power of attorney authorizes another person to act on behalf of the customer during the customer’s lifetime, but the authority generally terminates at death and does not itself bypass probate. A separately managed account is an investment management arrangement, not an estate-transfer structure. An individual retirement account has beneficiary designations and tax features, but the question asks for an investment account structure designed to allow assets to bypass probate; a trust account is the most direct and appropriate answer. The SIE outline includes customer account registrations, including trust accounts, individual accounts, retirement accounts, and other account types. This question tests the functional difference between account registration forms and estate-planning authority. Reference: Understanding Trading, Customer Accounts and Prohibited Activities; Customer Account Registrations; Trust Accounts.

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) require that all funds be distributed by the time the beneficiary reaches 30 years old. If the funds are not used for qualified educational expenses, they may be subject to taxes and penalties.

B is correct because funds must be distributed by age 30 unless transferred to another eligible family member.

A is incorrect as age 21 is not relevant for Coverdell ESAs.

C is incorrect because age 59 ½ applies to retirement accounts like IRAs.

D is incorrect because there is a distribution deadline for Coverdell accounts.