Karen Spilly-Shahinian, CPFA

Vice President

Senior Financial Advisor

Portfolio Advisor

T 949-859-2931  F 949-202-5224

karen.spilly-shahinian@ml.com

https://fa.ml.com/california/irvine-/thomas-shahinian-group/

 

Karen Spilly-Shahinian is a co-founder of Shahinian & Associates at Merrill, a wealth management team headquartered in Irvine, California. Karen works closely with individuals and families, helping them streamline and organize multiple aspects of their wealth so they can pursue the future they envision for themselves and their loved ones. Deeply customized in her approach, she spends significant time understanding the priorities of each client and family. Karen believes that wealth management ultimately centers on people: their dreams, concerns, and long-term aspirations. Combining hands-on experience and strategy with an intuitive feel for people and their priorities, she looks to support clients in advancing steady progress toward meaningful goals.

 

Karen has extensive experience catering to the needs of people who anticipate—or are already enjoying—retirement, as well as business owners, and multi-generational families. She is adept in uncovering possible efficiencies across multiple areas of wealth, from investments, cash-flow, and lending, to legacy planning, higher-education savings, annuities, and life insurance. Dedicated to each client’s comfort, she is extremely responsive in her service ethic, priding herself on delivering a warm, reliable, and engaged client experience. Karen is also a qualified Portfolio Advisor who, in addition to providing traditional advice and guidance, can help clients pursue their investment objectives by recommending individual, or any combination of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management or approved third-party investment mangers' strategies, funds or portfolios.

 

Karen has worked in financial services since 1996 and has particular depth in wealth management, investments, and insurance. She has served as a Financial Advisor at Merrill since 2012, enabling her to connect clients to a wide range of capabilities and resources, enterprise wide. Prior to joining the firm, she worked as an independent financial advisor, focusing on life insurance, annuities, and retirement planning. Committed to ongoing professional development, Karen holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor, CPFA^TM designation, as well as her insurance accreditation. She earned her Liberal Arts degree from Rancho Santiago College.

 

Active in her community, Karen has been a Rotarian with the Newport-Irvine Rotary Club since 2002. She also regularly volunteers with the Shea Therapeutic Riding Center and St. Junipero Serrra Catholic School.  A member of the Oasis Sailing Club in Corona Del Mar, she is training to become a first mate.  

 

Karen and her husband Henry have two children. They enjoy spending time together and hiking with their three rescued German Shepherds. Karen’s free-time interests also include boating, fishing, and Pilates.

*Banking and Lending Services are through Bank of America, N.A. *Merrill Life Agency's California License Number 0522776