• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Seminars
  • Areas We Serve
    • Ballwin
    • Chesterfield
    • Clayton
    • Creve Couer
    • Des Peres
    • Edwardsville
    • Fenton
    • Glen Carbon
    • Glendale
    • Kirkwood
    • Maryland Heights
    • Oakland
    • Sappington
    • St. Louis
    • Sunset Hills
    • Valley Park
    • Webster Groves
  • Resources
    • Asset Protection Worksheet
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Chesterfield Elder Law
      • Fenton Elder Law
      • Kirkwood Elder Law
      • Sunset Hills Elder Law
      • St. Louis Elder Law
      • St. Peters Elder Law
      • Webster Groves Elder Law
    • FREE Estate Planning Seminars
    • FREE Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning
      • Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Medicaid Resources
    • Multimedia
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Probate Checklist
    • Probate Resources
    • Retirement Planning Checklist
    • Special Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning For Niches
      • Trust Administration
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.

St. Louis Estate Planning & Elder Law Attorneys

Logo
CONNECT WITH US TODAY (314) 966-8077
ATTEND A FREE WEBINAR
Home / Estate Planning / Estate Planning For Pet Owners

Estate Planning For Pet Owners

November 26, 2010

Estate Planning Tagged With: Estate Planning, incapacity planning, Pet Planning, Pet Trusts

We live lives wrought with uncertainty, but there is one thing that you can usually count on: if you leave someone an inheritance, they will gratefully accept it. Your estate is comprised of the things that you have accumulated throughout your life that are of value to you, and when you bequeath these valuables to those that you care about they generally consider it to be an honor.

However, there are a very limited number of things that you own that may not be universally embraced upon your passing, and your pets would be among them.

If you are fortunate enough to have some loving animal companions around the house, you need to ask yourself how they will be provided for in the event of your passing. One of your options is to name a caregiver in your will and leave this person enough money to take care of the pet for the rest of its life. Of course it is best to identify someone who is already familiar with the pet who would enjoy the company. It is also a good idea to name a backup caretaker in case something was to happen to your primary choice.

Another route that can be taken in some states is to set up a pet trust as a way to provide for the ongoing care of the animal. You fund the trust sufficiently and name the person who will act as the caretaker. You also appoint a trustee to manage the funds and monitor the caretaker to make sure that the pet is being tended to properly.

If you are in a position where you don’t know anyone who would be an appropriate and willing caretaker, you may have recourse. You can sometimes contact an animal shelter or placement facility and arrange for one of them to take possession of the pets upon your passing and find homes for them. In return, you make the commitment to provide this charity with a bequest from your estate.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Paul Gantner
Paul Gantner
I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations.My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”
Paul Gantner
Latest posts by Paul Gantner (see all)
  • What Happens When You Don’t Trust Your Trustee – Part I - March 28, 2023
  • Show Your Love by Creating an Estate Plan - March 21, 2023
  • What You Need to Know About SECURE Act 2.0 - March 14, 2023

Filed Under: Estate Planning Tagged With: Estate Planning, incapacity planning, Pet Planning, Pet Trusts

Other Articles You May Find Useful

What Happens When You Don’t Trust Your Trustee – Part I
The Lessons from Lisa Marie
Common Mistakes in Estate Planning – Part II
Common Mistakes in Estate Planning – Part I
Now That Mid-Terms Are Over, Let’s Talk Taxes
Refresh and Reset: Syncing up in San Diego

About Paul Gantner

I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations. My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”

Primary Sidebar

Download our free Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube

Blog Subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Where We Are

Amen, Gantner & Capriano
10733 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 425
St. Louis, MO 63127

See Larger MapGet directions

Office Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Map

map for Amen, Gantner & Capriano Your Estate Matters office
  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Footer

Connect to us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube
footer-logo

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

Amen, Gantner & Capriano,
Your Estate Matters, LLC

Attorney Advertisement