The Journal
Plain-English Estate Law
Plain-English guidance on wills, trusts, probate, and protecting your family in California.
How to Make a Will in California: Steps, Costs and Mistakes (2026)
By Eric Ridley, attorney, Ridley Law. Updated October 2026. Quick answer: To draft a valid will in California, list your assets and who gets them, name an executor…
Read →Estate Plan: Top Update Reasons in 2026
Update your estate plan in 2026 after life changes like marriage, divorce, or a new child. Ensure your plan reflects your wishes & finances. Learn more.
Read →How Do I Avoid Probate Court in California?
Short answer: You avoid probate court in California by moving assets out of your individual name before you die, through a funded revocable living trust, joint tenancy or…
Read →The Impact of Passing Away Without a Trust
This article provides an overview of the benefits of having a living trust, avoiding the probate process, understanding intestate succession laws, and the importance of estate planning with…
Read →The Real Cost of a Sibling Standoff: How Inherited-Property Disputes Destroy California Families’ Wealth
Linda’s mother died in March, leaving the family home in the Ventura hills to Linda and her two brothers, equally, through her living trust. The house was worth…
Read →Building a Contest-Proof Estate Plan: The Capacity Documentation Playbook for California Families
Many trust and will contests in California do not succeed because the document was actually invalid. They succeed because, by the time anyone tried to prove it was…
Read →Estate Planning for Creators: Monetized Channels, Brand Deals, and California’s New Posthumous Publicity Rights
Picture a monetized YouTube channel earning $15,000 a month. It does not automatically pass to your spouse, your kids, or your business partner when you die. Neither does…
Read →AI-Drafted Wills and the Privilege Trap: What California Families Risk When They Use ChatGPT for Estate Planning
Eighty percent of legal professionals now say AI will have a high or transformational impact on their work within five years, according to Thomson Reuters’ 2025 Future of…
Read →Want a straight read on where you stand?
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