Our Founder, Jeff Unalp

I became a CPA in 1990. During the first six years of my career, I worked closely with business attorneys who understood the law but often did not understand how businesses actually operated. Recommendations sometimes made sense legally, but not practically. Settlements were negotiated that were extremely difficult, or even impossible, to carry out. When I asked questions, it became clear that many real-world issues had never been considered.

Years later, after I got married for the second time and had a daughter from a prior marriage, I decided to create a trust. We worked with an attorney who drafted the documents but never explained what would actually happen if something happened to me or my wife. We did not know what questions to ask, and no one walked us through the consequences. We were given a binder labeled “Estate Planning” that we never opened. The home was retitled into the trust, but no one advised us to retitle bank or investment accounts. In reality, the plan would have failed. I later learned this was not unusual. It was common.

After becoming an attorney, while still functioning primarily as a CPA, I received a call from the mother of one of my daughter’s friends. Her husband had just passed away. He owned a small hydro-consulting company generating roughly one million dollars per year. There was no succession plan, no trust, and no durable power of attorney. The business could not sign checks or documents. A former partner stepped in and attempted to take control. She did not want that outcome. We worked alongside a probate attorney, helped stabilize the business, and ultimately assisted in selling it so she could secure her retirement.

That experience reinforced why this work matters.

Our goal is to ensure that estate plans are not only created, but completed. The firm follows up with clients at six weeks and again at twelve weeks to confirm assets are properly transferred into the trust. We aim for trusts to be fully funded within twelve weeks. Clients are also contacted annually at no cost to check for life changes that may require updates.

Many attorneys operate transactionally, billing by the hour. That model can discourage questions and limit meaningful guidance. This estate planning practice was built differently. Planning services are provided on a flat-fee basis, agreed to in advance, so clients understand costs clearly and can speak openly about concerns and decisions.

Clients are supported by a team, including a paralegal and a director of operations. When questions arise, clients are able to reach someone promptly. If an answer is not immediately available, a call is scheduled to address the issue directly.

Planning is viewed as the beginning of a relationship, not the end of a transaction. At no additional charge, plans are reviewed every three years. Clients may also choose between two ongoing membership options. The Gold plan includes annual plan reviews and unlimited updates. The Gold Plus plan adds an annual meeting with the attorney, CPA, and financial advisor, along with ongoing guidance throughout the year.

The firm also focuses on more than financial assets. The planning process is designed to help families pass on intellectual, spiritual, and human assets, including values, guidance, and wisdom that are often lost when someone passes.

I became an estate planning attorney to help clients reach better outcomes than the ones I witnessed early in my career. Every client’s situation is different. Drawing on decades of tax, legal, and business experience, the firm makes practical recommendations and coordinates with trusted advisors when needed.

On a personal note, I am a father and a grandfather. That perspective reinforces one truth. Estate planning is not for you. It is for the people you love and the ones who will carry the responsibility when you are gone.‍

Experience

• Licensed California attorney with more than 20 years of legal experience
• Certified Public Accountant since 1990
• Began career at Ernst & Young in audit, with experience in tax and consulting
• Held senior financial leadership roles at Fortune 500 and large organizations, including Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Hexcel, ConAgra, and Hanson Building Materials
• Served as Controller and International Controller for complex, multi-entity organizations
• Represents clients before the IRS, California Franchise Tax Board, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and California Employment Development Department
• Advises families and business owners on estate planning, business formation, succession planning, and nonprofit compliance
• Certified Nonprofit Specialist through the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Accounting, University of Southern California
• Juris Doctor, University of San Francisco