Frequently Asked Questions

About Totten Prep

Who is behind Totten Prep?

Totten Prep was founded by Landon Lackner, a recent CFA Level 1 candidate and finance professional. The materials are written from a candidate’s perspective — specifically for working professionals who have 250 study hours, not 400.

Is Totten Prep affiliated with CFA Institute?

No. Totten Prep LLC is an independent exam preparation provider. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CFA Institute.

How is Totten Prep different from Schweser, Meldrum, AnalystPrep, or UWorld?

We built Totten Prep specifically for working professionals in finance, banking, and consulting who are studying for CFA Level 1 while working 50–70 hour weeks. Our materials focus on the highest-impact concepts and are designed for the 250-hour study budget, not the 400-hour ideal. We write like a colleague explaining concepts over a beer, not a textbook.

Products

What is the Ethics Chapter?

Our Ethics Chapter ($19) covers the full Ethics and Professional Standards section of CFA Level 1 — the highest-weighted topic on the exam. It includes plain-English explanations, “what trips candidates up” callouts, exam-day patterns, and check-yourself practice questions.

What are Founder’s Notes?

Founder’s Notes ($79) is our complete set of study notes covering all 10 CFA Level 1 topics. Each topic includes distilled explanations, sample questions with detailed feedback, exam-day cheat sheets, and 6 months of access to our “Ask Landon AI” study assistant.

What is the Working Pro System?

The Working Pro System ($349) is our comprehensive preparation package. It includes everything in Founder’s Notes, plus video walk-throughs of every topic, a 1,500-question practice bank, mock exams, a 12-week study plan, weekly live office hours, and 12 months of AI study assistant access.

What format are the products in?

Study notes are delivered as PDF and web-accessible formats. Video content is hosted online for streaming. Practice questions are accessible through our web platform. Everything works on desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers.

Can I share my account or materials with a friend?

No. All purchases are for individual use only. Sharing, redistributing, or reselling any Totten Prep content is a violation of our Terms of Service and may result in revocation of access and legal action.

Studying and Exam Prep

Will Totten Prep guarantee I pass the CFA exam?

No. We do not and cannot guarantee exam results. CFA Institute prohibits prep providers from making pass-rate guarantees, and exam outcomes depend on many factors beyond our materials. What we can tell you is that our materials are designed to maximize your study efficiency with limited time.

Is 250 hours really enough to pass Level 1?

CFA Institute recommends an average of 300+ hours. Many working professionals realistically have 200–280 hours available. Our approach is built around making those hours count — prioritizing the highest-weighted topics, cutting low-yield material, and focusing on exam-day patterns rather than exhaustive coverage.

What is “Ask Landon AI”?

Ask Landon AI is our AI-powered study assistant, built on Claude by Anthropic. It’s loaded with our study notes and can answer your specific questions about CFA Level 1 concepts, explain tricky problems, and help you work through practice questions. It’s a supplement to your studying, not a replacement.

Payments and Refunds

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept all major credit and debit cards through Gumroad/Stripe. We also support Apple Pay and Google Pay where available.

Can I get a refund?

The Ethics Chapter ($19) and Founder’s Notes ($79) are non-refundable digital products. The Working Pro System ($349) comes with a 14-day satisfaction guarantee — if you’re not satisfied, email hello@tottenprep.com within 14 days for a full refund. See our full Refund Policy for details.

Does my employer reimburse CFA prep materials?

Many finance, banking, and consulting firms reimburse CFA exam fees and study materials. Check with your firm’s professional development or education reimbursement program. We can provide an itemized receipt for reimbursement purposes upon request.

Technical

What do I need to access the products?

A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge) and an internet connection. Our products are web-responsive and work on desktop, tablet, and mobile. No special software or apps required.

I’m having trouble accessing my purchase. What do I do?

Email hello@tottenprep.com with your order confirmation number and a description of the issue. We typically respond within 24 hours on business days.

Contact

How do I reach you?

Email us anytime at hello@tottenprep.com. For community discussion, join our private Discord (available to Founder’s Notes and Working Pro customers).