Our STORY
Decades of Family Service, Built on Trust and Lasting Relationships
Since 1991, our firm has been anchored by Charlotte Merrill's original vision to serve local families with honesty and clarity. United California Estate Services is a multi-generational practice dedicated to providing the stability families need during life's most challenging transitions. By prioritizing truth and attentive listening, we have spent over thirty-five years ensuring that every client receives a personalized, workable plan. Today, we continue this noble tradition, blending decades of experience with a modern commitment to protecting your assets for the next generation.
What sets UCES apart is our deep multi-generation experience, a client-first approach to education that empowers your decisions, and our specialized ability to provide integrated retirement and legacy planning that seamlessly connects your present and future.
Three Generations of Stewardship
Charlotte Merrill
Tonia Kersey
Jake Richards
Founder
1st Generation
Managing Partner
2nd Generation
Managing Partner
3rd Generation
For more than 35 years, Charlotte Merrill has helped California families protect what matters most. She founded United California Estate Services—today known as Merilium—on the belief that every family deserves a clear, thoughtful, and workable plan for their future.
Throughout her career, Charlotte has been a trusted guide to thousands of families, helping them navigate estate planning with clarity and confidence. Her approach has always been centered on simplifying complex decisions and ensuring each plan reflects the unique goals and values of the people she serves.
Charlotte’s legacy continues to shape UCES today, where her commitment to integrity, education, and long-term relationships remains at the heart of everything the firm does.
Tonia brings more than 30 years of corporate leadership experience to UCES, including her role as SVP at Alliance Consumer Group, where she helped scale the business into a half-billion-dollar organization. During her tenure, she led cross-functional teams, oversaw budgeting and forecasting, and built collaborative processes that supported sustainable growth.
She now oversees operations at UCES, applying that same disciplined, strategic approach to help guide thoughtful financial planning and ensure every client experience reflects care, integrity, and trust.
Jake works closely with clients to design thoughtful, legacy-focused estate plans, coordinating directly with estate planning attorneys to ensure each detail is properly structured. He collaborates with a network of trusted advisors to develop comprehensive retirement strategies through UCES's DEFY Traditional Retirement framework.
Known for his ability to understand each client’s goals, Jake translates their vision into clear, actionable plans that provide lasting peace of mind. His approach combines thoughtful planning with a genuine commitment to helping families move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Matt Kersey
Wealth Advisor
Matt Kersey is a Wealth Advisor at UCES and a Series 65–licensed financial planner. He focuses on retirement planning and investment strategies, helping families turn their savings into clear, confident income plans for the years ahead.
Sabrina Anderson
client support/Office manager
Sabrina is the Client Support and Office Manager at UCES, overseeing client experience and office operations with care and efficiency. She ensures every detail is handled smoothly while providing responsive, high-level support to the families we serve.
Merrill Kersey
Intern, Financial Planning
Merrill is a financial planning intern at UCES and a finance student at Brigham Young University. Licensed in insurance, he supports the advisory team with research, plan preparation, and client service. License#4521188
Roxanna Westover
Director Marketing
Shantel leads brand strategy and marketing at UCES, overseeing outreach, seminar promotion, digital presence, and community engagement while helping connect families to the resources and guidance they need.
Shantel Richards
Client Relations Manger
Roxanna coordinates client appointments and manages follow-up communications to keep clients informed and engaged. Ensures a smooth scheduling process and provides friendly, responsive support throughout the client experience.
D.E.F.Y. CHART (Your Core Framework)
D.E.F.Y.
Traditional Retirement
We focus on the decumulation stage—protecting what you’ve built, aiming for modest growth, and creating secure lifetime income so you can lock in your lifestyle.
Family • Freedom • Legacy
D — Define Your Goals
“What do you want retirement to look like?”
- Lifestyle vision
- Income needs
- Timeline
- Legacy priorities
E — Execute Your Plan
“How do we make this real?”
- Income strategy
- Tax strategy
- Protection plan
- Step-by-step roadmap
F — Fund Your Dreams
“Where does the money come from?”
- Income sources (guaranteed + growth)
- Asset allocation
- Liquidity planning
Y — Know Your Why
“Why does this matter?”
- Family
- Freedom
- Legacy
- Purpose
“Most people don’t fail because they lack money… they fail because they lack a plan. That’s why we use the D.E.F.Y. framework—to bring clarity, confidence, and control.”
Call us today 951-243-9594