PARENTS & HOMEOWNERS: MY 7-STEP ESTATE PLANNING PROCESS WILL PROTECT YOUR HEIRS
From Creditors, Predators & Bad Choices, And Will Help You Become a (Bigger) Hero to Your Family!
Understanding Healthcare Power of Attorney
Discover what a Healthcare power of attorney is and why it matters for protecting your family’s future and making important medical decisions.
Understanding Power of Attorney
Just like any legal document, a Power of Attorney (POA) comes with immense responsibility and can significantly impact your life. It grants another person—the agent or attorney-in-fact—the authority to make decisions on your behalf, whether it’s regarding your finances, healthcare, or personal affairs. Understanding this powerful tool is imperative, as it can protect your interests…
Why Your California Rental Property Doesn’t Need an LLC
Why Your California Rental Property Doesn’t Need an LLC Walk into any real estate investing seminar, scroll through any landlord forum, or talk to any newly minted property investor, and you’ll hear the same gospel: put your rental properties in an LLC. It’s repeated so often and with such conviction that questioning it feels like…
Top Reasons to Update Your Estate Plan Regularly
1. Life Events That Impact Your Estate Plan Life is full of changes, and many of these changes can have a profound impact on your estate plan. Major life events often necessitate a review and update to ensure your plan reflects your current circumstances and wishes. For instance, marriage or divorce can significantly alter your…
Best Fit for Trust-Based Estate Planning Cases in California
Learn when trust-based estate planning may be a good fit, when it may not, and what the planning process involves under California law at Ridley Law Offices.
How to Avoid Common Estate Planning Mistakes
How to Avoid Common Estate Planning Mistakes Estate planning is a crucial aspect of financial management that ensures your assets are distributed according to your wishes after you pass away. However, it’s a process fraught with potential pitfalls that can leave your loved ones in a difficult situation. In this guide, we’ll explore how to…
The Role of Wills in Estate Planning
What is a Will and Why is it Important? A will is a legally binding document that outlines how you want your assets and responsibilities to be handled after your death. It serves as a roadmap for your loved ones, ensuring that your wishes are respected and carried out. At its core, a will is…
Credit Card Defense Secret Weapon
“I Was Just Served By the Credit Card Lawyers!” It’s terrifying to watch the process server walk away from your front door, and stare at the brand-new summons and complaint in your now-shaking hands. You don’t know what to do, the language is cryptic at best, and you’re pissed. If the Plaintiff who put those…
How to Use Trusts for Tax Planning and Asset Protection
How to Use Trusts for Tax Planning and Asset Protection When it comes to preserving wealth and ensuring that your assets are distributed according to your wishes, trusts can be an invaluable tool. Not only do they provide a way to safeguard your assets, but they also offer opportunities for tax planning and reduction. In…
Three Reasons Not to Do Your Will and Trust Online
I am an estate planning attorney, an executor of people’s estates, and a professional trustee, serving clients in Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, and Los Angeles County. Over the course of my career, I have seen hundreds of different estate-planning documents, including some from do-it-yourself online services, such as Nolo and LegalZoom. I appreciate that…
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Mr. Ridley is just fantastic. He is knowledgable, attentive, honest and was very patient with my many many questions about my legal situation. I am especially appreciative that he helped me to understand that my situation had a resolution in s(...)
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Eric did an excellent job creating our Living Trust. His work was very detailed and thorough, and at a very reasonable cost. I could reach him easily to discuss concerns or questions, and he offered great advice. His depth and e(...)
Favorite Lawyer of All Time
Eric Ridley has to be my favorite Lawyer of all time. He helped me out tremendously being the executor of a family trust. I would give him 10 out of 10 no doubt! He did such a good job for me that I recommended him t(...)
