When planning your estate, it is easy to figure out who you want to be in charge of decision making. It is often easy to figure out who gets what. It is easy to find a qualified attorney to put it all together for you. But it is also easy to forget about your faithful companions – your pets!
You spend time caring for and nurturing your pet. If you are like me, they become part of your family (our Christmas card each year must include our dogs!). You take them on vacations, you make sure they get proper medical care, you may even get them a special meal at their birthday.
But what happens if you were unable to care for your pet? Do you have someone who would help you, and take care of your animals? Would that person provide the level of care that your pet has grown accustomed to?
A few years ago, we had a dog named Mason. He was a good dog, but he was sick. He needed weekly fluid treatment, plus daily medication. It was not cheap, but he was our “kid,” so we did whatever we had to do. We were able to extend his life by five very happy and fruitful years.
That experience showed us how important it is to have a pet provision in our estate plan. If we could not care for our pets, we want to know that the person who will take care of them has the financial resources available to give our pets the life that they have and deserve.
The law views your pets as property. I view them as little dependents. Make sure that your plan incorporates your wishes on the care and upkeep of your animals.
Please call our offices to set up time to have your estate plan reviewed or created, and lets discuss how we can ensure your pets will be cared for even if you are not the one doing the caring.
Contributed by MH Estate Planning Attorney James P. Plitz
About Morris Hall:
At Morris Hall, we have focused our legal practice on estate planning for over 40 years. Along with estate planning, our attorneys help clients and their families with matters of probate, trust administration, wills, power of attorneys, business planning, succession planning, legacy planning, charitable gifting and other important legal aspects. We also have divisions in financial, real estate and accounting to help you incorporate all of your planning together, ensuring that everything works perfectly for your needs and situation. Our Arizona offices are located in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Tucson, Prescott, Flagstaff and Arrowhead. Contact us today at 888.222.1328 to schedule an appointment!
This blog should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney in your community who can assess the specifics of your situation.
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