A practical Series 87 study plan with a clear reading order, weekly milestones, review rhythm, and a final review strategy.
Use this study plan if you want a clear reading order instead of bouncing randomly between Series 87 topics. Series 87 gets easier when you build the chapter sequence in order and then use the quick-reference pages for reinforcement. A good plan should help you learn the framework first, leave room for repetition, and protect the final stretch from avoidable confusion.
The chapter sequence under /finra/series87/ is the main reading path. Use the Cheat Sheet for fast recall, the FAQ for exam-logistics cleanup, and the Resources page for official references and current source material.
Series 87 is the regulatory and dissemination half of the research analyst path. It is not the analytical half, and it is not a general compliance-officer exam. If you study it as either one, you will miss what is actually tested.
Confirm these points before you build the schedule:
Series 86 + Series 87 + SIE.Report Preparation, because it is the larger block and the core disclosure/conflict section.The current FINRA outline weights Series 87 like this:
| Function | Exam items | Why it matters to your plan |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation of Research Reports | 36 | This is the dominant block and the core of the Series 87 half. |
| Dissemination of Information | 14 | Smaller, but still too large to ignore because it tests conduct and marketing boundaries. |
Use the site chapters in this order:
That order works because the report-preparation framework makes dissemination rules easier to interpret.
| Days | Primary focus | What you should finish |
|---|---|---|
| 1-19 | Report Preparation | Build the conflict, disclosure, report-content, and approval framework first. |
| 20-25 | Dissemination and Marketing | Tighten dissemination, public appearances, and communication-boundary rules. |
| 26-30 | Mixed review | Use the Cheat Sheet, FAQ, and Resources page to clean up weak spots and verify live FINRA details. |
| Weeks | Primary focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Report Preparation | Build the main regulatory block carefully and tag repeated disclosure/conflict misses. |
| 6 | Dissemination and Marketing | Finish the smaller communication-distribution block. |
| 7-8 | Final review | Mix both functions and fix repeated misses. |
Use the longest plan if your regulatory and disclosure instinct is weaker than your analytical finance background.
| Month | Primary focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | First half of Report Preparation | Build the report-content and conflict framework. |
| 2 | Finish Report Preparation | Strengthen the main regulatory block. |
| 3 | Dissemination and Marketing + final review | Convert weak communication-boundary judgments into routine decisions. |
Core reading
Read the assigned chapter roots and section lessons in sequence.Short recall notes
Write down the rule, product, or process distinctions you would be most likely to confuse under pressure.End-of-session retrieval
Restate three to five key points from memory before looking back at the page.Quick reference pass
Revisit the Cheat Sheet so older material stays active while new material accumulates.Most Series 87 misses come from one of these buckets:
wrong disclosure judgment because you recognized the conflict issue but not the required disclosure or treatmentwrong report-preparation rule because you missed what had to be included, approved, or restrictedwrong dissemination boundary because you treated a marketing or appearance issue like a report-content issuewrong lane assumption because you mixed Series 87 regulatory duties with Series 86 analytical workWrite the miss note in one sentence: what kind of research-regulatory problem it was, what clue should have redirected you, and what the better answer was actually doing.
Day 7-5: Rework your weakest Report Preparation notes.Day 4: Review Dissemination and Marketing as a single communications-control block.Day 3: Run a full Cheat Sheet pass and rewrite the most-missed disclosure and conflict triggers from memory.Day 2: Use the Resources page to confirm the combined Series 86/87 structure and current FINRA details.Day 1: Keep it light and focus on report-preparation logic, disclosure treatment, and communication boundaries.In the final week, Series 87 should feel like research-report governance pattern recognition, not generic rule memorization.