ACCA Paper FM (F9) Tips and Tricks

Financial Management (FM), previously known as F9 is one of the most technical papers in ACCA. Although the average passing rate of FM is satisfactory 50%, it’s still a nightmare for most of the students. The length of the course contents and the diversity that it covers make it unpleasant for most.

However, like every other ACCA Paper, FM has its own tips and tricks, and knowing those tips and tricks make it easier to gain scoring marks. Some techniques for paper FM are as follows:

1. Go through the Course Contents

The Syllabus of FM is lengthy and covers a whole lot. Instead of jumping to chapter #1 directly, I recommend you go through the course contents at least once. It will give you an idea of what you should expect in the gigantic book of Financial Management FM.

Additionally, you will be aware of the length of each chapter/topic and whether there are calculations involved. This will help you plan your daily study goals efficiently. This also applies before starting any chapter. Reading the course content strikes your curiosity and you’ll know what to look for in that particular chapter.

2. MASTER THE BASICS!!

This one goes for almost all of the ACCA papers but it’s really a big deal when preparing for Financial Management FM. In FM, there are concepts and terminologies which are repeated throughout the syllabus. Skipping even a minor concept could create problems in understanding the later half.

Pro-tip: Make a list of the terminologies and concepts and digest them first thing. It will make the rest much easier to grasp.

3. Easy Marks Easy Pass

In every ACCA paper, there are easy bonus marks available which some students take for granted. In FM ACCA, there are topics which are repeatedly tested in examination. Some topics are Net Present Value NPV Calculation, Hedging techniques and business valuation methods. If you learn and practice the technicalities of these 3 topics, you’ll be able to solve at least 40% paper smoothly. The rest could be covered by simple theoretical topics like sources of finance, dividend theories etc…

However, it doesn’t necessarily mean to waste a week or 2 learning hedging or NPV. There are other simple and easy topics that you should cover first. Once you’ve covered those, spend the rest of your time challenging yourself in these advanced topics.

4. Hit the Mocks

Financial Management FM has a lengthy course and it takes a lot of time to solve paper FM. Even if you get to learn all the course contents, it’d still not be possible for you to complete its paper timely. Therefore, you need to practice as much as you can solving text book’s and kit’s questions.

Also, there are mocks and sample papers for the FM exam available on the ACCA’s official website that you should attempt under exam conditions. Practicing under exam terms & conditions helps you develop more focus and speed which is a great deal for paper FM.

The mocks are designed like real exam papers and questions from past papers have been incorporated. They are free and there is no reason you shouldn’t try them!

5. Paper FM and Study Buddy

As mentioned before, it’s lengthy and hard to cover especially if you’re preparing for it by yourself. Studying any topic for the first time drags a lot of energy and having a study partner really helps in paper FM.

Divide the chapters and give yourselves the task of learning particular topics. Once you learn a topic, simplify it and teach it to your study partner(s). It’ll also help you in digesting it fully as the old saying goes: “if you want to learn it, teach it.” Expect the same from your study partner and the FM mountain will no longer be a mountain.

These tips have helped me gain a decent score in paper Financial Management FM. If you have a tip to share, please do so in the comment section and share these tips with your study buddies. I wish you all the very best for the upcoming attempt.