The Tax Season Switch That Changed Everything

Profile

For 46 years, Financial Solution Advisors has thrived as a boutique firm in Jacksonville, Florida, built on deep expertise and strong client relationships. With six tax partners, each specializing in a different area, the firm offers tailored service to clients across the U.S. and internationally.

But as CEO Shelly Lingor saw it, operational complexity was holding them back. The team was juggling five disconnected systems, wasting hours on administrative work, and struggling to collaborate across offices. Shelly knew the firm was ready for a change.

In October 2024, they began implementing Canopy. By January 2025, they were live.

Right in time for tax season.

From Scattered to Siloed

Before the switch to Canopy, Financial Solution Advisors was juggling 5+ softwares that didn’t talk to each other, and created inefficiencies across all teams.

“We were using several different softwares and that was kind of the problem because none of them really talked to each other.” – Shelly Lingor, CEO

By centralizing everything in Canopy, they were able to eliminate the chaos of juggling logins, looking for data, and patching together processes that were never designed to work perfectly in tandem.

In addition to saving money with fewer subscriptions, Financial Solution Advisors now have a fully integrated system where billing, document management, payment processing, reporting, and client communication all flow through one place.

For a firm with 30+ employees, having one system that connects the dots is essential.

A Portal Clients (and Staff) Love

Despite using a tech stack containing five different softwares, Financial Solution Advisors lacked a true client portal. The tech stack offered a patchwork of tools to manage document delivery and eSignatures.

With Canopy, they consolidated all those functions and gained a client portal where clients can view documents, sign forms, make payments, and generally stay updated all in one place.

Internally, the Financial Solution Advisors team made a big push to encourage client adoption, and it paid off. While some old-school clients prefer the old ways, the majority of clients have adopted it. The portal has significantly improved client communication and document turnaround time.

“It’s amazing! You just click into the client portal, and everything you need is right there. Honestly, it’s hard to pick just one feature because there’s so much we love. The way our teams can collaborate within Canopy has been huge for us, especially with multiple departments working together. Everything about it has just made our lives easier. I really do love Canopy.” – Shelly Lingor, CEO

Insights That Keep the Firm Moving Forward

Since January 2025, the Financial Solution Advisors leadership team has relied on Canopy Insights to track realization, workload, and productivity in real time, all from one place.

The Financial Solution Advisors team wanted custom reports to reflect how the firm actually operates, and when the default setup didn’t meet their needs, the Canopy team created a tailored solution.

“You’ve got to have the insights. That’s where you can see what’s being done, who’s doing it. That’s where the money’s at.” -Shelly Lingor, CEO

With data finally centralized and accessible, it’s easier than ever to make smarter, faster decisions that drive success.

Simple Payments with Canopy

Before switching to Canopy, Financial Solution Advisors relied on several disconnected systems for billing, payments, and client communication. Credit card payments were processed separately, and reconciling invoices often meant jumping between multiple tools.

When the firm consolidated into Canopy, everything moved under one roof, including payments. Lingor and her team immediately noticed the impact.

By enabling online payments directly through Canopy’s client portal, clients can now settle invoices in just a few clicks. The process was intuitive and secure, which was ideal for both their tech-savvy and traditional clients.

The results:

Payments are processed instantly through Canopy instead of manual follow-ups
Credit card fees are passed through to clients, eliminating a major cost center
ACH options are available for clients who prefer a no-fee method

“It absolutely sped up payments and saved us money. Our savings this year are going to be very, very large—and that alone will pay for Canopy itself.” – Shelly Lingor, CEO

They Went Live in January. The Canopy Team Had Their Back.

When Financial Solution Advisors decided to move their entire firm onto Canopy, timing couldn’t have been trickier. They began implementation in October and went live on January 15, right as tax season kicked off.

Most firms would have delayed the rollout. Shelly Lingor, however, saw it differently.

Even with tax season looming, the transition went smoothly thanks to Canopy’s implementation and support teams. The firm got:

Hands-on onboarding from Canopy’s specialists
Custom workflow setup based on their existing operations
Live chat and human support with ‘Penny’, Canopy’s in-app assistant, which is becoming a team favorite
Proactive follow-up and transparency on any open support tickets

“I did one-on-one trainings, group trainings, and encouraged everyone to use Penny, the chat bot. If they didn’t get an answer right away, Canopy connected them to a real person who stayed on it until it was solved.” – Shelly Lingor, CEO

Despite the intensity of tax season, the firm’s team quickly adapted. Internal champions were established in each department, and post-season review meetings were already scheduled to optimize workflows further.

New System. Busy Season. No Problem.

Rolling out a brand-new system during peak tax season sounds risky. But for Shelly Lingor and her team, going live with Canopy in January wasn’t a gamble, it was a turning point.

Since switching to Canopy, Financial Solution Advisors has consolidated five platforms into one, cut down on administrative drag, improved client responsiveness, and gained real-time visibility across teams. Payments are faster. Collaboration is smoother. And the firm is now better equipped to scale without adding stress.

For Shelly, it all comes down to choosing the right tools and the right time to make the leap.