We’re pleased to share that Varos Babakhanians, CPA, Founder and Chairman of Brilliant Advisory Group LLC and Founding Partner of Brilliant Tax & Accounting Services, has earned the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS™) credential from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
What Is the PFS Credential?
The PFS is a credential the AICPA awards exclusively to certified public accountants who have demonstrated specialized expertise in personal financial planning, which is the work of coordinating someone’s taxes, retirement and estate decisions into a single plan.
To earn it, a CPA must hold an active license, be an AICPA member in good standing and meet additional requirements in personal financial planning, including specific experience, education and a comprehensive examination. Held by a select group of CPAs nationwide, it recognizes those who bring proven expertise in personal financial planning on top of their accounting and tax background.
What Does the PFS Credential Mean for Clients?
It means your tax planning, your entity structure and your long-term plans get considered together, by the same person, in the same conversation.
Most financial guidance comes from someone who doesn’t prepare your tax return. The PFS credential formally recognizes what Varos already brings to every engagement: the ability to see a client’s tax, business and personal financial picture as one connected plan rather than separate pieces.
For the individuals, families and business owners we serve, it means tax planning, business entity structuring and long-term financial decisions such as estate planning are considered together, with the same clarity and no-jargon approach our clients have come to expect.
The Same Team, Deeper Expertise
A USC graduate (cum laude) who passed all four sections of the CPA exam on his first attempt, Varos has spent his career helping clients see the bigger picture. Outside the office, he is a devoted husband and father of two daughters, and he brings that same long-term, family-first perspective to the people and businesses he serves.
Varos is a member of the AICPA and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA). You can read more about Varos and the rest of the partners on our meet the team page.
This credential reflects our ongoing commitment to well-rounded, forward-looking guidance. Varos and the Brilliant Tax & Accounting team continue to focus on delivering practical, high-quality tax, accounting and advisory services across Glendale, Beverly Hills and the greater Los Angeles area.