• 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    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?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 / Protecting the Family Pet in Your Estate Plan

Protecting the Family Pet in Your Estate Plan

July 15, 2014

Estate Planning Tagged With: Missouri estate planning attorney, Missouri pet in estate plan

Protecting the Family Pet in Your Estate Plan

If you include a cat, dog, or other critter among your family members, there is a good chance that you have worried, at some time, about the fate of your family pet should something happen to you. This concern is certainly understandable. The good news is that protecting the family pet in your estate plan is relatively easy to accomplish with just a little pre-planning.

There are several ways to provide and plan for your family pet in the event of your incapacity or death. Unfortunately, many people count on simply making verbal arrangements with a family member of friend to take over the care and custody of a family pet should the need arise. There are several problems with this strategy. First, the intended caregiver could be unavailable or even unwilling to step up when the time comes. Second, the caregiver may not be financially able to care for your pet. Finally, the law may not support your decision since no legal transfer of ownership has been planned.

You can also gift your pet to someone in your Last Will and Testament. Though you may not think of your pet as your property, the law does. This solved the legal transfer of ownership issue; however, your intended beneficiary could still be unavailable, unwilling, or financially unable to care for your pet. Leaving funds in your Will to the intended caregiver could work; however, once those funds are transferred there is no guarantee they will actually be used to care for your pet. Moreover, gifting your pet in a Will does not address a situation wherein you become incapacitated.

A pet trust is the most complete and secure way to plan for the care of a family pet should something happen to you. A trust allows you to develop trust terms that will dictate how your pet is cared for in your absence. Everything from what vet the animal uses to what kind of food he or she is fed can be included in a trust. More importantly, a trustee of your choice will watch over the trust funds and make sure they are used according to your wishes. Unlike gifting a pet in your Will, a trust can be used in the event of your incapacity as well if you structure the trust to do so.

Consult with your Missouri estate planning attorney about how best to include your beloved family pet in your estate plan.

  • 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)
  • The Magic of Grantor Trusts - November 1, 2023
  • IRS Confirms Grantor Trust Status Alone Does Not Cause a Step-Up in Basis - October 26, 2023
  • Understanding the Importance of the Simultaneous Death Act - October 19, 2023

Filed Under: Estate Planning Tagged With: Missouri estate planning attorney, Missouri pet in estate plan

Other Articles You May Find Useful

The Magic of Grantor Trusts
Understanding the Importance of the Simultaneous Death Act
The SECURE Act – the Gift That Keeps On Giving
Gen X – This One’s for You (Really Every Generation Should Read This)
What We Can All Learn from Diller v. Richardson – Part II
What We Can All Learn from Diller v. Richardson

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.

"*" indicates required fields

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