CMA COACH - STUDY PLAN

It’s finally here! The CMA Exam study plan you’ve

been waiting for.

This plan is broken down week by week so you know

exactly what to focus on. Focus is so important in or-

der to properly prepare for this rigorous exam.

Are you ready to propel your career & income to new heights? I’ll help you get there!

WRITTEN BY: NATHAN LIAO, CMA

CMA Exam Study Plan

About The Author

About the Author

After 12 years in accounting, I chose to sit for the CMA exam to advance my career and knowledge. I knew it was a challenge, so I

took a serious, methodical approach to preparing. I also was busy—I

couldn’t spend every spare minute studying like a crazy person, wor-

ried I wouldn’t cover enough information.

After passing both Part 1 and Part 2 the first time, I wanted to share

my special techniques with others, so they could also save time, and

avoid the cost and aggravation of staring over or giving up. I’ve

now coached over 3000 candidates to successfully prepare for the

CMA exam, and I’m ready to add you to the list of happy CMAs

who used my methods!

Being a CMA has opened so many doors as a Corporate Controller

and entrepreneur. I haven’t only acquired advanced skills in account-

ing and finance, but also in business and strategy.

I’m here to guide you through your exam preparations, and my wish

for you is to pass both exams on your first try just like I did.

I truly hope that this study plan will serve as your compass and pro-

vide you with clear direction and valuable information. You can kick

it to overdrive with 1-on-1 coaching but if you choose to self-study,

keep this close by and handy.

Here’s to your successful exam preparation!

Thank you,

Author of CMA Coach Creator of the #1 Online CMA Prep Course CMA Exam Academy

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PrefacePreparing for your CMA exam is like preparing for a race. You

will need commitment, discipline, a coach, and a training sched-

ule.

If you are reading this, you are committed not only to taking but

to passing the exam and I applaud you for it.

Let this guide serve as your training guide, and me as your coach.

All that is left is discipline. I know that you have it in you.

Let’s start training together. Before you know it, you will have

won the race and achieved your CMA credential.

CMA PART-ONELet’s review what CMA Part-One has in store for you. We’ll review each section and how long you should devote to each one.

This breakdown will make it easier to assimi-late the content and provide a solid study frame-work. It’ll only work if you put in the work.

Please note that this is based on a three-month study plan. If you need more time, don’t hesi-tate to take it.If you feel that this pace is too slow for you, don’t hesitate to move faster.

CHAPTER 1

Sections Covered and TestedA) External Financial Reporting Decisions 15% Level C 1 Week

B) Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting 30% Level C 2 Weeks

C) Performance Management 20% Level C 2 Weeks

D) Cost Management 20% Level C 3 Weeks

E) Internal Controls 15% Level C 1 Week

4-Hour Exam. 100 Multiple-Choice Questions and 2 Essay Questions.

The percentages represent the weight each section carries on the exam.

Level C means that the sections will be tested at the highest level of comprehension and application.

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Week 1

Section A: External Financial Reporting Deci-

sions

- Topic 1: Financial Statements

- Topic 2: Recognition, Measurement, Valuation & Disclosure

Week 2

Section B: Planning, Budgeting, & Forecast-

ing

- Topic 1: Strategic Planning

- Topic 2: Budgeting Concepts

- Topic 3: Forecasting Techniques

Week 3

Section B: Planning, Budgeting, & Forecast-

ing (Continued)

- Topic 4: Budgeting Methodologies

- Topic 5: Annual Profit Plan & Supporting Schedules

- Topic 6: Top Level Planning & Analysis

Week 4

Section C: Performance Management

- Topic 1: Cost & Variance Measures

- Topic 2: Responsibility Centers & Reporting Segments

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Week 5

Section C: Performance Management (Contin-

ued)

- Topic 3: Performance Measures

Week 6

Section D: Cost Management

- Topic 1: Measurement Concepts

Week 7

Section D: Cost Management (Continued)

- Topic 2: Costing Systems

- Topic 3: Overhead Costs

Week 8

Section D: Cost Management (Continued)

- Topic 4: Supply-Chain Management

- Topic 5: Business Process Improvement

Week 9

Section E: Internal Controls

- Topic 1: Governance, Risk & Compliance

- Internal Auditing

- Systems Controls & Security Measures

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CMA Part-TwoLet’s review what CMA Part-Two has in store for you. We’ll review each section and how long you should devote to each one.

This breakdown will make it easier to assimilate the content and provide a solid study framework. It’ll only work if you put in the work.

Please note that this is based on a three-month study plan. If you need more time, don’t hesitate to take it.If you feel that this pace is too slow for you, don’t hesitate to move faster.

CHAPTER 2

CMA Part-Two

Sections Covered and TestedA) Financial Statement Analysis 25% Level C 2 Weeks

B) Corporate Finance 20% Level C 4 Weeks

C) Decision Analysis 20% Level C 1.5 Weeks

D) Risk Management 10% Level C 0.5 Week

E) Investment Decisions 15% Level C 2 Weeks

F) Professional Ethics 10% Level C 1 Week

4-Hour Exam. 100 Multiple-Choice Questions and 2 Essay Questions.

The percentages represent the weight each section carries on the exam.

Level C means that the sections will be tested at the highest level of comprehension and application.

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Week 1

Section A: Financial Statement Analysis

- Topic 1: Basic Financial Statement Analysis

- Topic 2: Financial Performance Metrics - Financial Ratios

Week 2

Section A: Financial Statement Analysis

(Continued)

- Topic 3: Profitability Analysis

- Topic 4: Special Issues

Week 3

Section B: Corporate Finance

- Topic 1: Risk & Return

- Topic 2: Long-term Financial Management

Week 4

Section B: Corporate Finance (Continued)

- Topic 3: Raising Capital

Week 5

Section B: Corporate Finance (Continued)

- Topic 4: Working Capital Management

Week 6

Section B: Corporate Finance (Continued)

- Topic 5: Corporate Restructuring

- Topic 6: International Finance

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Week 7

Section C: Decision Analysis

- Topic 1: Cost/Volume/Profit Analysis

- Topic 2: Marginal Analysis

Week 8

Section C: Decision Analysis (Continued)

- Topic 3: Pricing

Section D: Risk Management

- Topic 1:Enterprise Assessment

Week 9

Section E: Investment Decisions

- Topic 1: Capital Budgeting Process

- Topic 2: Discounted Cashflow Analysis

Week 10

Section E: Investment Decisions (Continued)

- Topic 3: Payback & Discounted Payback

- Topic 4: Risk Analysis In Capital Investments

Week 11

Section F: Professional Ethics

- Topic 1: Ethical Considerations For Professionals

- Topic 2: Ethical Considerations For The Organization

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There you have it! A solid study plan for CMA Part-One and also

for Part-Two.

What do you think? Don’t be fooled by its simplicity. That’s the

power of this plan; simple yet effective.

At the end of the day, the results are up to you based on the effort

that you will put into this process.

You have the tool, now make it work for you!

If you are interested in working with me 1-on-1, I invite you to visit

CMA Exam Academy. It’s my #1 online prep course for the CMA

exam where candidates are becoming CMAs by passing the exam

on their first attempt with my help.

If you’d like to reach out to me directly, email me at

nathan@cmacoach.com I reply to all emails I get :)

Best of luck and I wish you exam success!

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Thank-You!