Crazy Inheritances: People Leave Millions to Their Dogs in Pet Trusts

Do you want to ensure that your pet will be taken care of when you die? Can you leave your dog or hamster money in a Florida trust? In Florida, what happens to the money left to my pet when that pet dies? How can I gift my Florida estate to my beloved fur baby? A 2015 article in the Telegraph discusses pet parents who left their fur children over a million dollars.

Florida Pet Trusts

• In Florida, you can set up a pet trust.
• Pet Trusts help guarantee that your pets would continue to live a great life if you were to die before them.
• Sadly, when people die without planning for their pet, there is a good chance that their beloved dog or cat will end up at a local shelter.
• However, probate litigators West Palm beach know that you do not have to let this happen.
• Ask your estate planning lawyer Palm Beach Gardens to help you.
• Your Florida probate attorney will probably refer to Section 736.0408 of the Florida Statutes when discussing a pet trust with you.
• Section 736.0408, “Trust for the Care of an Animal”, provides:

1. A trust may be created to provide for the care of an animal alive during the settlor’s lifetime. The trust terminates on the death of the animal or, if the trust was created to provide for the care of more than one animal alive during the settlor’s lifetime, on the death of the last surviving animal.
2. A trust authorized by this section may be enforced by a person appointed in the terms of the trust or, if no person is appointed, by a person appointed by the court. A person having an interest in the welfare of the animal may request the court to appoint a person to enforce the trust or to remove a person appointed.
3. Property of a trust authorized by this section may be applied only to the intended use of the property, except to the extent the court determines that the value of the trust property exceeds the amount required for the intended use. Except as otherwise provided in the terms of the trust, property not required for the intended use must be distributed to the settlor, if then living, otherwise as part of the settlor’s estate.

Dogs Inherit Millions

• A 2015 article in the Telegraph discusses how a Maltese named Bella Mia was left amillion dollars in a trust so that she could continue to get weekly grooming, pawdicures, and be taken on expensive shopping sprees.
• This pet owner wanted to ensure that her beloved fur child would “continue to live a life of luxury once she’s gone.”
• In addition, the article discusses a German Shepherd that was left $145 million!
• “Agents on behalf of the German Shepherd bought Madonna’s eight bedroom villa in Miami.”
• Will you take the necessary steps to allow your pet to inherit from your Palm Beach estate?

Want to know more about Florida probate litigation? Consider these free resources:

• Read the Florida Courts webpage on the probate process:http://www.flcourts.org/resources-and-services/family-courts/family-law-self-help-information/probate.stml
• Read the Florida Probate Code:http://www.floridabar.org/tfb/TFBLegalRes.nsf/
• Read the Florida Probate Rules:https://www.floridabar.org/tfb/TFBLegalRes.nsf/
• Here are the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar if you are interested in hiring a Florida probate litigation lawyer and want to know more about our ethical rules and our rules of conduct:http://www.floridabar.org/divexe/rrtfb.nsf/WContents?OpenView
• Here are the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure:http://www.floridabar.org/tfb/TFBLegalRes.nsf/
• Watch free Florida Trust, Probate & Guardianship videos, which include important topics of Florida estate, guardianship, attorneys fees, & trust law.
• There is no cost, no sign up, no one will ask you for your email address to see these dozens of free Florida probate videos:http://www.pankauskilawfirm.