Pet Peeve

Don't forget to plan for your pets you leave behind.

Unfortunately, your loved and cherished pets could end up being nothing more than a "Pet Peeve" to your survivors in charge of your estate. We lost a 99 year old trust portfolio client a year ago who took the steps over the years to make sure her current pets were taken care of upon her death. For over 20 years, the "Cat Lady" as she was known, took in less than perfect cat pets to nurse them back to health and then enjoy wonderful cat treats, toys, proper access doors into her home and much more.  Above all, they were loved. She died with one cat left behind and he was given the royal treatment transferring across the street to his new home under the watchful eye of his new pet guardian pre-appointed in our client's trust portfolio.

Gift money was given to the new pet guardian, including extra money for installation of a pet door and for miscellaneous costs associated with taking care of a pet. Yet most potential clients we talk to tell us they never heard of pet trusts, or pet provisions in a living trust.  Most, just never thought about the high cost of maintaining a pet with food, medical attention, shots needed as well as money set aside to let them continue in the same manner (usually quite luxurious) with beds, pet houses, and of course those pet toys!

So, if you are looking to do a new trust portfolio or want to update your current trust portfolio, keep in mind that we care about your pets, understand the bond between you and your pets and fulfill complete pet estate planning with a stand alone Pet Guardianship Legal Document, assist you in leaving gift money for your appointed pet caregiver(s) and even help draft special conditions regarding your pets to be carried out when you die. In fact, just this week, I updated a client trust portfolio and was so impressed with the single senior gentleman's typed letter regarding his loved pet dog - I laminated the two pages and tucked it into his portfolio pockets so his surviving children will see it. I won't disclose what he said, but will say the love he has for that pet poodle was remarkable and noteworthy.

Don't leave your pets behind without a good pet estate plan set up for them too. It only takes a few extra minutes to plan for your pets with us. And we don't charge a dime more for your pet legal documents and provisions to assure they don't get left behind to folks who will complain what a terrible thing you did to leave your pet(s) to their care when you die. You can stop your survivors from making a Pet Peeve out of your pet being left to them.  A little hint to avoid the post death Pet Peeve Problem - leave some $ to who you name as your pet guardian.

M.D. Anderson