Why Your Estate Plan Needs to Include Your Pets

When designing an estate plan, many individuals forget to include provisions for the care of their beloved pets.  Approximately 63% of all households own at least one pet, yet less than 20% of pet owners included their pets in their estate plan. Quite often, we meet with prospective clients that have never been asked by other attorneys about including pets in their plan.  For many people, their pets are considered important members of the family.  Having the pet end up at a shelter or with an uncertain future is a pet owner’s worst nightmare. Planning for the care of your pets in the event of disability is equally important as planning for their care when you pass away.  Family members are often primarily concerned about the care of the disabled individual, and the pets needs can be overlooked.  There are several different planning tools that can help ensure your pets receive...