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Finance ProBY NEXT DEALER ACADEMY

F&I MANAGER TRAINING PLATFORM

The program that prepares you to become an F&I Manager

Lender desk simulator · Credit analysis · Deal forms · Compliance · Leasing · Printable certification

Start Training Free See Plans & Pricing
  • First F&I deal free
  • No credit card needed
  • Cancel anytime
  • 12Training modules
  • 121Written lessons
  • 11Live deal scenarios
  • 50Question certification exam

THE PLATFORM

Everything a finance manager needs in one platform

Learn it, practice it on a live deal, then prove it on the certification exam

Lender Desk

Submit applications and work approvals, conditions and stips

Credit Analysis

Read tri merge reports, tradelines, PTI and DTI

Deal Structure

Rate, term, LTV, reserve and advance limits

Forms and Disclosures

RISC, TILA box, Buyers Guide and privacy notice

Compliance

TILA, ECOA, FCRA, GLBA and the Used Car Rule

Menu Presentation

Present every product to every customer the same way

Leasing

Cap cost, residual, money factor and lease payments

Certification

Pass every module quiz, then the 50 question final exam

LENDER DESK

Work the deal the way a dealer credit portal does

Submit the application to every lender on the deal and get a decision back from each one: approved, conditioned or declined, with buy rate, max sell, max term, max advance and stips.

  • Compare payment and reserve across lenders
  • Select a lender and set the contract rate
  • See exactly why a structure will not fund

CREDIT ANALYSIS

Read the credit file before you pick the lender

Every deal comes with a tri merge report built for training: three bureau scores, the middle score, tradelines with 12 months of payment history, utilization, inquiries and derogatory items.

  • Payment to income and debt to income on the live structure
  • Identity and address alerts to verify
  • A full module on reading credit

FORMS AND DISCLOSURES

The paperwork is generated from your structure

Change the deal and the retail installment contract rebuilds with it. Learn to tie out the Truth in Lending box and review every form the customer signs.

  • RISC with TILA box and itemization
  • Buyers Guide, privacy notice and credit score notice
  • Arbitration agreement explained accurately

CERTIFICATION

Earn a certificate you can print and verify

Pass every module quiz, then a timed 50 question final exam. Score 80 percent or higher to earn your Finance Pro Certified F&I Manager certificate with a unique verification code.

  • Module quizzes with explanations
  • 60 minute timed final exam
  • Public verification page for employers

LIVE DEAL SCENARIOS

11 finance office scenarios

A customer, a deal from sales and a set of lenders and products. Structure it, present it and get scored

Foundation

Basic Finance Transaction

Verify the intake, compare amount financed and payment, and document fictional lender stipulations.

Foundation

First F&I Product Presentation

Present optional protection, compare itemized packages, and document consent without payment packing.

Intermediate

Payment Objection

Respect a $465 payment budget while explaining the effect of optional products.

Intermediate

GAP Suitability

Identify overlapping GAP coverage on a negative-equity transaction and avoid duplicate protection.

Foundation

Service Contract Objection

Explain defined component coverage, deductibles, exclusions and cancellation to a skeptical buyer.

Intermediate

Lender Selection

Compare buy rate, contract APR, present-value participation and flat compensation without claiming approval.

Intermediate

LTV Restriction

Remove optional products or choose an eligible program when a protection package exceeds lender LTV.

Advanced

Sophisticated Buyer

Disclose APR and total interest, itemize costs, and compare equivalent structures for a knowledgeable buyer.

Intermediate

Compliance Challenge

Detect missing documents and misleading representations; record optionality, consent and cancellation.

Advanced

Advanced F&I Management

Manage an older, high-mileage negative-equity deal with product exclusions and lender restrictions.

Foundation

Cash Buyer: Optional Protection

Respect a cash buyer’s decision and compare optional products without converting the transaction to financing.

THE CURRICULUM

12 modules from first deal to finance director

Each module builds on the last and links to a live exercise

01F&I Department Fundamentals10 lessons
  1. The F&I Manager’s Role and Day
  2. The Deal Hand Off from Sales
  3. Reading the Sales Snapshot and Deal Jacket
  4. Vehicle Gross, Loan Proceeds and Product Revenue
  5. The Customer Interview Before the Menu
  6. Credit Application and Bureau Basics
  7. Documentation and the Deal Jacket Checklist
  8. Cash Buyers and Outside Financing
  9. PVR and Penetration as Your Scoreboard
  10. Building Customer Trust in F&I
02Automotive Financing10 lessons
  1. Building the Amount Financed
  2. The Payment Formula with a Worked Example
  3. APR, Buy Rate and Reserve
  4. Term and Payment Trade Offs
  5. Total Interest Disclosure
  6. Loan to Value and How Products Affect It
  7. Credit Tiers and Lender Programs
  8. Rate Participation Caps and Consistent Markup Policy
  9. Stips and Funding
  10. Spot Delivery Risks and Why Approval Is Never Promised
03Lender Guidelines10 lessons
  1. Reading a Lender Program Sheet
  2. Terms by Model Year and Mileage
  3. Max Advance, LTV and Amount Limits
  4. Buy Rate, Contract Rate and Reserve Caps
  5. Backend Advance Limits for Products
  6. Callbacks and Conditions
  7. Stips, Proof and Funding
  8. First Time Buyer and Thin File Programs
  9. Subprime Programs and Higher Cash Down
  10. Matching the Deal to the Right Lender
04F&I Product Knowledge10 lessons
  1. Vehicle Service Contract Coverage Levels
  2. Service Contract Exclusions and Deductible
  3. GAP: What It Covers and When It Fits
  4. GAP Limits, Negative Equity and Long Terms
  5. Prepaid Maintenance Plans
  6. Tire and Wheel, Dent and Windshield
  7. Appearance, Interior and Key Replacement
  8. Product Cost, Retail Price and Dealer Fee
  9. Cancellation and Refund Rules
  10. Checking Existing Coverage to Avoid Duplicates
05Menu Presentations10 lessons
  1. Why a Menu Is the Fair Way to Present
  2. Building the Base, Focused and Expanded Columns
  3. The Interview That Drives the Menu
  4. Price First or Payment First, Shown Honestly
  5. Walking the Menu in Under Ten Minutes
  6. Handling Just the Car, Thanks
  7. Real Answers to Vehicle Service Contract Objections
  8. Honest Answers About GAP and Maintenance Plans
  9. Presenting to Cash Buyers
  10. Documenting Declines and Following Up
06Backend Profitability10 lessons
  1. Product Gross: Retail Minus Cost Minus Fees
  2. Reserve Income: How It Is Calculated and Capped
  3. PVR and Why Cash Deals Count
  4. Product Penetration Percentages
  5. Chargebacks From Early Payoff and Cancellation
  6. Reporting and the Daily F&I Log
  7. Setting Monthly Targets From History
  8. Balancing Profit, Satisfaction and Compliance
  9. How F&I Gross Supports the Dealership P&L
  10. Career Path From F&I to Sales Desk to GM
07Compliance Fundamentals10 lessons
  1. Accurate Disclosures: APR and Totals
  2. Product Optionality and Documented Consent
  3. No Payment Packing, No Payment Pad
  4. Fair Lending and Consistent Markup
  5. Identity Verification and Red Flags
  6. Privacy and Safeguarding Customer Data
  7. OFAC Screening and Adverse Action Notices
  8. Spot Delivery and Rehash Risks
  9. Cancellation and Refund Handling
  10. Documentation That Holds Up in an Audit
08Advanced F&I Management10 lessons
  1. Running the F&I Department
  2. Coaching a New F&I Manager
  3. Contracts in Transit and Funding Speed
  4. Managing Lender Relationships and Volume
  5. Analyzing Penetration by Product and Manager
  6. Reducing Chargebacks
  7. Handling Difficult Escalations
  8. Working With the Sales Desk Before the T.O.
  9. Preparing to Move From F&I to the Sales Desk
  10. Preparing for a Finance Director Role
09Reading Credit11 lessons
  1. The Credit Application and Permissible Purpose
  2. The Three Bureaus and the Tri Merge Report
  3. FICO Auto Score Versus Base Score and Tiers
  4. Reading Tradelines Line by Line
  5. Utilization and Why It Matters
  6. Inquiries and Rate Shopping Windows
  7. Derogatories: Collections, Charge Offs, Repos, Bankruptcy
  8. Thin Files and First Time Buyers
  9. Payment to Income and Debt to Income From the Report
  10. Red Flags: Fraud Alerts, Freezes, Address Mismatches
  11. How the Credit Picture Drives Lender Selection
10Deal Forms and Documents10 lessons
  1. The Credit Application and Authorization
  2. The RISC and the Truth in Lending Box
  3. Worked Example and Itemization
  4. The Buyers Guide on Used Vehicles
  5. Arbitration Agreements Explained Neutrally
  6. The GLBA Privacy Notice
  7. Risk Based Pricing and Credit Score Notices
  8. Adverse Action and Counteroffer Notices
  9. Odometer Disclosure and Title Paperwork
  10. Product Contracts, We Owe and the HDC Notice
11Federal Finance Laws10 lessons
  1. Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z
  2. Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Regulation B
  3. Fair Credit Reporting Act Basics
  4. Gramm Leach Bliley Privacy Rule
  5. FTC Safeguards Rule
  6. Red Flags Rule and Identity Theft
  7. OFAC Sanctions Screening
  8. FTC Used Car Rule and Buyers Guide
  9. Holder Rule and the Right to Sue
  10. FTC Act Section 5, MLA and SCRA
12Leasing10 lessons
  1. Lease vs Purchase: The Core Difference
  2. Lease Terms Every Desk Must Know
  3. Fees, Mileage and Excess Mileage Charges
  4. The Lease Payment Formula Step by Step
  5. Worked Example: Building the Payment
  6. Drive Offs, Rebates and Lease Cash
  7. How the Desk Structures a Lease
  8. Consumer Leasing Act and Regulation M
  9. Lease End Options, Wear and Tear, and Equity
  10. When Leasing Fits and Leasing F&I Products

PLANS AND PRICING

Choose your path to the finance office

Start with a free F&I deal and upgrade when you are ready

FINANCE BASIC

F&I Foundations

$19.95/month

For salespeople moving into the F&I office for the first time.

  • F&I simulator with fictional lenders and products
  • Foundation F&I exercises
  • Deal jacket, financing and menu fundamentals
  • Product knowledge and honest objection handling
  • Saved training progress
Get Finance Basic
MOST POPULAR

FINANCE PRO

Professional F&I Training

$49/month

For new and developing F&I managers.

  • Everything in Finance Basic
  • Intermediate and Advanced F&I exercises
  • Lender selection, LTV and payment objection scenarios
  • Compliance challenge scenarios
  • Detailed F&I performance tracking
  • Monthly practice challenges
Get Finance Pro

FINANCE MASTERY

Prove Your F&I Skills

$99/month

For F&I managers preparing for finance director and desk roles.

  • Everything in Finance Pro
  • F&I management readiness assessment
  • Detailed competency reports
  • Personalized development recommendations
  • Shareable skills assessment results
Get Finance Mastery

Monthly memberships · Cancel anytime · 3 day money back guarantee

COMPLETE MANAGEMENT TRACK

Sales Desk Pro and Finance Pro together

Both programs, one login, one monthly bill

COMPLETE BASIC

Sales and F&I Foundations

$29.95/month

Save $9.95 a month versus buying both

  • Everything in Sales Desk Pro Basic
  • Everything in Finance Basic
  • Sales to F&I deal hand off: desk a deal, then finance that same deal
  • One login, one monthly bill
Get Complete Basic
BEST VALUE

COMPLETE PRO

Sales Desk and F&I Together

$79/month

Save $19 a month versus buying both

  • Everything in Sales Desk Pro
  • Everything in Finance Pro
  • Full deal lifecycle on every scenario, from first pencil to funded contract
  • Front end and back end performance tracking side by side
  • One login, one monthly bill
Get Complete Pro

COMPLETE MASTERY

Complete Management Mastery

$149/month

Save $49 a month versus buying both

  • Everything in Sales Desk Pro Mastery
  • Everything in Finance Mastery
  • Desk Manager Gauntlet across Sales and F&I
  • Combined Sales and F&I management readiness report
  • One login, one monthly bill
Get Complete Mastery

WHO BUILT IT

Built by a former Finance Director and General Manager

Finance Pro comes from more than 25 years of dealership leadership, from the F&I office and the sales desk to General Manager, and from coaching dealership leaders across the country as a National Performance Coach. Too many new finance managers learn on live customers. Finance Pro gives them the reps first

Sam Griswold · Founder, Next Dealer Academy

FAQ

Common questions

Is this for someone who has never worked in F&I?

Yes. Finance Basic starts with the deal hand off, the deal jacket, credit basics and your first menu. Pro and Mastery add lender selection, LTV limits, compliance challenges and advanced management.

Are the lenders and products real?

No. Every lender, product, customer and rate is fictional so you can practice freely. The math, the structure and the decisions work the way they do in a real finance office.

How does the certification work?

Pass the quiz for each of the 12 modules, then take the 50 question final exam in 60 minutes. Score 80 percent or higher and your certificate is issued instantly with a verification code anyone can check. The final exam is included in Finance Pro, Finance Mastery and the Complete Pro and Mastery plans.

How is this different from Sales Desk Pro?

Sales Desk Pro trains the sales desk: invoices, trades, first pencils and bank callbacks. Finance Pro trains the finance office: lenders, credit, products, forms and compliance. The Complete plans include both.

Can I cancel?

Yes, anytime from your account. You keep access through the end of the month you paid for, and every new membership has a 3 day money back guarantee.

Ready to get started?

Work your first F&I deal free and see how you would perform in the finance office

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