Top Estate Planning Attorneys in Camarillo, CA (2026)

Camarillo has about 70,000 residents, a median home value pushing $900,000, and one of the highest concentrations of adults over 65 in Ventura County. That combination means a lot of families here are sitting on real equity in homes that have been in the family for decades, often with estate plans that haven’t been updated since the Clinton administration.

If the plan was drafted before Proposition 19 took effect in February 2021, it almost certainly doesn’t account for the property-tax reassessment your children will face when they inherit the house. If it was drafted before the SECURE Act, it probably still assumes your IRA can stretch over a beneficiary’s lifetime. And if the people named in your documents have died, moved, or stopped speaking to each other, the plan doesn’t work regardless of what the law says.

Below are estate planning attorneys who actually serve Camarillo, with verifiable credentials. This is not a ranking. It is a starting point for doing your own homework.

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How to vet an estate planning attorney

The California State Bar certifies attorneys in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Only a small share of California attorneys hold this credential. It requires passing a written exam, demonstrating substantial experience, and submitting to peer review. You can verify any attorney’s certification status at calbar.ca.gov.

A certified attorney is not automatically the right fit. But the designation tells you the attorney has submitted to outside scrutiny in this specific area of law, which is more than most marketing claims can say.

Beyond certification, look for:

• A practice focused on estate planning, not a general practice that also “does” trusts.
• Direct access to the attorney, not a paralegal-driven mill that hands you a binder.
• Flat, disclosed fees. If an attorney won’t tell you the cost before you sign, that tells you something.
• Familiarity with Ventura County probate procedures. Camarillo probate matters are heard at the Juvenile and Probate Courthouse at 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard, not the main courthouse in Ventura.

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Estate planning attorneys serving Camarillo

Ridley Law

Eric D. Ridley has practiced estate planning, trust administration and probate in Ventura County since 2010. A complete trust-based plan is a flat $4,900, quoted in writing before any drafting, with the deeds for two California properties included. Google reviewers rate the firm 4.9 across 195 reviews. Ventura County probate and trust matters run through the courthouse on East Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard. The first call is free and runs 30 minutes.

Based in Port Hueneme. Meetings are by phone or video, with no office visits. 567 W. Channel Islands Boulevard, Suite 210, Port Hueneme, CA 93041. (805) 244-5291.

Staker | Rodriguez Law, LLP

Kevin Staker (State Bar #101400) holds an LLM in taxation from NYU and is one of a small number of California attorneys dual-certified by the State Bar in both Taxation Law and Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. He has practiced since 1980. Antonio Rodriguez joined as partner in January 2026. The firm handles estate planning, business formation, and family partnerships.

1200 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 280, Camarillo, CA 93010. (805) 482-2282.

Edsall Law, A Professional Law Corporation

Katherine Edsall Wells (Bar #252789) is State Bar certified in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Stanford Law (with distinction), USC undergrad summa cum laude. She joined the firm in 2012 after working complex litigation at O’Melveny & Myers. Her father David Edsall (Bar #86217) founded the firm in the 1980s and still practices. The firm handles estate planning, probate, trust administration, business, and real estate matters.

400 Camarillo Ranch Road, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93012. (805) 633-5140.

Law Offices of S. Sharon Yoon

Sharon Yoon (Bar #225288) is State Bar certified in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and has served Camarillo and Ventura County for approximately 20 years. She is bilingual in English and Korean, which matters in a county where Korean-speaking families may need estate documents and conversations in their own language.

5403 Calarosa Ranch Road, Camarillo, CA 93012. (805) 298-0405.

Gold Law, APC

Mahvesh “Marissa” Garcia (Bar #265815) is State Bar certified in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. She sits on both the LA Superior Court Appointed Counsel panel and the Ventura Superior Court Conservatee Private Counsel panel, meaning the courts themselves trust her judgment in guardianship and conservatorship matters. Southwestern Law School, admitted 2009. The firm also handles trust and probate litigation.

484 Mobil Avenue, Suite 26, Camarillo, CA 93010. (805) 388-8800.

Susan Borquez, Attorney at Law

Susan Borquez (Bar #118757) has practiced since 1985 with a practice limited to estate planning, trust administration, and probate. She does not handle litigation, family law, or other areas. Ventura College of Law. Over 35 years serving the Camarillo area.

340 Rosewood Avenue, Suite R, Camarillo, CA 93010. (805) 482-3738.

Annette Dawson-Davis, Attorney at Law

Annette Dawson-Davis (Bar #146696) has over 30 years of experience with a practice limited to estate planning, trust administration, and probate. She is a member of the California Bar Trust and Estates Section and the Ventura County Bar Probate Section.

400 Mobil Avenue, Suite D11, Camarillo, CA 93010. (805) 498-0909.

At a glance: the attorneys listed above, with the details this page gives for each.

Firm	Attorney	Office	Stated on this page
Ridley Law	Eric D. Ridley	Port Hueneme	Practicing estate planning in Ventura County since 2010. Flat-fee pricing disclosed before engagement.
Staker | Rodriguez Law, LLP	Kevin Staker	Camarillo	Practicing since 1980. LLM in taxation from NYU. Certified in both Taxation Law and Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. State Bar #101400.
Edsall Law, A Professional Law Corporation	Katherine Edsall Wells	Camarillo	State Bar certified in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Joined the firm in 2012. Bar #252789.
Law Offices of S. Sharon Yoon	Sharon Yoon	Camarillo	State Bar certified in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. About 20 years serving Camarillo and Ventura County. Bilingual in English and Korean. Bar #225288.
Gold Law, APC	Mahvesh “Marissa” Garcia	Camarillo	State Bar certified in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Admitted 2009. Bar #265815.
Susan Borquez, Attorney at Law	Susan Borquez	Camarillo	Practicing since 1985. Practice limited to estate planning, trust administration, and probate. Bar #118757.
Annette Dawson-Davis, Attorney at Law	Annette Dawson-Davis	Camarillo	Over 30 years of experience. Practice limited to estate planning, trust administration, and probate. Bar #146696.

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What Camarillo families actually deal with

The Leisure Village problem

Leisure Village is a 2,136-home age-restricted community in eastern Camarillo. Many of its residents bought in during the 1980s and 1990s and had trusts drafted around that time. Those trusts often name successor trustees who have since died, name banks as trustees that no longer exist under that name, and contain tax-planning provisions (A/B trusts) designed for a federal estate-tax exemption that was $600,000. The exemption is $15 million in 2026. The trust still works, but it may force surviving spouses through unnecessary complexity for a tax problem they don’t have. If your trust splits into an A and B subtrust at the first death and your estate is under $14 million, ask your attorney whether a restatement makes sense.

Military families near Naval Base Ventura County

Camarillo is one of the closest residential cities to NBVC Point Mugu and Port Hueneme. Military families face planning gaps that civilian families don’t: Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) pays to a named beneficiary regardless of what your trust says. If your SGLI beneficiary designation still names an ex-spouse, that ex-spouse gets the money. A trust doesn’t override it. A will doesn’t override it. Only updating the designation overrides it.

Deployments make durable powers of attorney urgent, not optional. A servicemember’s spouse may need to sell a car, refinance a mortgage, or make medical decisions while the servicemember is unreachable. Without a POA, the spouse may need a court order. PCS moves can also leave families with property in multiple states, which means ancillary probate in every state where real property is titled in the decedent’s name alone, unless each property is held in trust or another probate-avoidance form.

Prop 19 and Camarillo’s housing stock

Most Camarillo neighborhoods were built between the 1960s and 1990s. Families who bought during that period have property-tax assessments based on purchase prices of $100,000 to $300,000. The current market value of those same homes is $800,000 to over $1 million.

Before Proposition 19 (effective February 2021), children who inherited a parent’s home also inherited the parent’s low property-tax basis with no cap. That is no longer the case. Under Prop 19, a child who inherits a primary residence, moves into it within one year, and files for the homeowners’ or disabled veterans’ exemption within a year gets a partial exclusion: for transfers from February 16, 2025 through February 15, 2027, the first $1,044,586 of value above the existing base is excluded. Everything above that is reassessed to current market value.

A child who does not move in gets no exclusion at all. The property is fully reassessed to market value. On a Camarillo home assessed at $150,000 with a current market value of $900,000, that can mean a property-tax increase from roughly $2,000 per year to $10,000 per year.

If the plan is for your children to keep the house, your estate plan needs to account for whether they can actually afford to.

The probate math on a Camarillo home

Probate fees in California are set by statute (Probate Code sections 10810 and 10800), calculated on the gross value of the probate estate, not the net equity. On a Camarillo home worth $900,000 with a $200,000 mortgage, the fee is calculated on $900,000.

The statutory fee on a $900,000 estate: $21,000 for the attorney and $21,000 for the executor. That is $42,000 in statutory fees alone, before court costs, filing fees, appraisals, or any petition for extraordinary compensation.

A funded living trust avoids probate entirely. The cost of a trust is a fraction of those fees. The difference is that you pay for the trust while you’re alive and in control, or your family pays for probate after you’re gone and has no say in the cost.

Where Camarillo probate is heard

If an estate does go through probate, Camarillo matters are filed at the Ventura County Superior Court, Juvenile and Probate Division, located at 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036. This is a different building from the main courthouse at 800 S. Victoria Avenue in Ventura. Your attorney should know this without being told.

Frequently asked questions

Is Camarillo probate heard at the main Ventura courthouse?

No. Camarillo matters go to the Ventura County Superior Court, Juvenile and Probate Division, 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard, a different building from the main courthouse at 800 S. Victoria Avenue in Ventura. Camarillo doesn’t have its own probate court, and your attorney should know the distinction without being told.

Is probate expensive on a Camarillo home?

Yes. Probate fees are set by Probate Code §§ 10810 and 10800 and calculated on the gross value of the estate, not net equity. On a Camarillo home worth $900,000, even with a $200,000 mortgage still owed, the fee is based on the full $900,000: $21,000 for the attorney and $21,000 for the executor, about $42,000 combined.

Do I need to update an old A/B trust from Leisure Village?

Probably, if it’s never been reviewed. Many Leisure Village residents bought in during the 1980s and 1990s and had A/B trusts drafted around a federal estate tax exemption that was $600,000 at the time. That exemption is $15 million in 2026. The trust still works, but it may force a surviving spouse through unnecessary complexity for a tax problem they no longer have.

Does a military SGLI beneficiary designation override my trust?

Yes, and there’s no way around it. Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance pays to whoever is named as beneficiary on file, regardless of what your trust says. Camarillo sits close to Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, and if the SGLI form still names an ex-spouse, that ex-spouse gets the money. Updating the beneficiary designation is the only fix; a trust doesn’t touch it.

Will my children face a big property tax jump if they inherit my Camarillo home?

Not if they move in within a year, but yes otherwise. Camarillo homes bought between the 1960s and 1990s often carry assessments of $100,000 to $300,000 against a current market value of $800,000 to over $1 million. On a home assessed at $150,000 with a market value of $900,000, a full reassessment can push the tax bill from about $2,000 a year to $10,000.

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Credentials listed are drawn from the firms’ own public information, the State Bar of California, and public court records. This page is not a ranking and is not an endorsement. Ridley Law is listed first because we publish this page, not because of any ranking; we are included because we serve Camarillo. We wrote this page, and we think you should know that. Verify any attorney’s license status and certification at calbar.ca.gov.