Oregon-based Pinnacle Tax & Financial Services chooses Avantax for its tax expertise and growth resources
Cetera welcomes longtime Commonwealth financial advisor Shawna Vanaken, CFP®, CPA, EA, who has joined Cetera’s community of tax-focused financial professionals – Avantax. Vanaken and her team at Pinnacle Tax & Financial Services, LLC, in Beaverton, Oregon, oversee approximately $49 million in assets under administration*.
Vanaken has more than 20 years of tax and financial planning experience, spending the last 19 years with Commonwealth. She has consistently grown her practice by engaging tax clients in financial planning and wealth management. Her son, Justin Vanaken, EA, is part of her team and plans to become securities licensed while also pursuing his CPA and CFP® designations.
Pinnacle Tax & Financial Services, with founder David Purkey, has built a reputation for integrating tax planning and wealth management to provide clients with a comprehensive view of their financial lives. The team at Pinnacle includes Paula Jansen, EA, who holds a master’s in taxation and leads the firm’s bookkeeping and payroll services.
“Our clients look to us for guidance that goes beyond preparing tax returns. We see tremendous opportunity to grow by helping tax clients transition into comprehensive wealth management relationships,” Vanaken said. “We specialize in connecting the dots between tax strategies, investment decisions, and retirement planning, areas that are deeply interconnected. Partnering with Cetera and Avantax allows us to strengthen that approach and collaborate within a community of professionals who share our values.”
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Vanaken said she began exploring new affiliation options after LPL’s acquisition of Commonwealth.
“When I learned about the direction LPL was headed, it didn’t align with our goals because they seem focused on getting as big as possible, but that’s not what drives me,” Vanaken said. “I want to keep our firm personal, client-focused and grounded in the kind of relationships that matter most. The more I looked at Avantax, the more it became clear that this was the ideal fit for how we envision moving forward.”
Vanaken said the Avantax Community offered a natural fit for her tax-based planning model and long-term vision. She added that Cetera’s growth resources – such as Cetera’s award-winning GrowthLine program – will help her enhance the digital presence of her business, including a new website that’s already underway.
“The support, technology, and tax expertise offered by Avantax complement the way we serve our clients,” Vanaken said. “As a small family firm, preserving our independence and delivering highly personalized service is essential to who we are. At the same time, we’re committed to growth, and having access to the right resources to expand thoughtfully is key. With Avantax and Cetera, we’ve found partners who share that vision and empower us to grow while staying true to our values.”
Cetera Wealth Management President Todd Mackay welcomed Vanaken and her team, saying: “Shawna is a hard-working financial advisor who is committed to holistic, tax-focused financial planning on behalf of her clients. We are eager to support her with the technology, tools, and resources of Cetera and Avantax, and especially look forward to her team engaging with other like-minded financial professionals at our upcoming Avantax National Conference and our Rise to Elite peer-to-peer coaching program.”
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