Oklahoma city elder law lawyers assist you in protecting your loved ones. When you plan to protect those you care about, don’t limit your planning to your human family members — your pets also should be part of your estate plan.
Tragically, some 7.6 million companion animals are surrendered by owners to shelters every year and some 2.7 million of these surrendered animals are euthanized, according to the ASPCA. Many pets that end up homeless and in shelters once had loving owners, but their owners became sick or passed away and did not plan for their pets to be cared for. If you do not want your animals to suffer this fate.
Parman & Easterday has helped many clients create pet plans to protect their pets when they are gone. We advise you of your options and help you decide on a plan that is right for you. Call us today as you never know if and when something might happen to you that puts your pets in jeopardy.
How To Make A Plan To Protect Pets
There are many different ways to protect your pets, depending upon how comprehensive a plan you want and how concerned you are for your animal’s future.
There is one simple and important thing you can do to make sure your pets will be cared for in the immediate aftermath of an accident or illness that results in you becoming incapacitated or passing away. Carry a card in your wallet that says you have animals at home and who should be called to care for them. This way someone can be contacted immediately to attend to your pets when you cannot.
You should also name a guardian for your pets if you are unable to care for them over a longer term. Talk with the persons you select as guardian to make sure they are willing and able to take responsibility for your pet if something happens to you. You should also name a backup guardian in case circumstances change and your first guardian cannot provide care for your pets when necessary.
In addition to naming someone to care for your animals, you want to ensure your pets are provided for financially. Animals can be expensive, and planning for the support of your pets can ensure they have the highest possible quality of life and won’t be deprived of veterinary care or other costly care because you are not there to pay for it.
If you want maximum control over what happens to the money for your pets, consider creating a trust. You name a trustee who has a fiduciary duty to manage the assets appropriately and provide for the financial needs of your animal. Your trust gives specific instructions for how the money is to be spent on your pet, and the trustee is required to follow your instructions and use the trust assets as directed.
Getting Help from Oklahoma Elder Law Lawyers
Oklahoma City elder law lawyers at Parman & Easterday can assist you with the planning steps and processes needed to protect your animals.
To learn more about how our legal team can assist you with the pet plan that is right for your companion animals, join us for a free seminar. You can also call today at (405) 843-6100 or contact us online to get personalized help making your pet plan.
Since founding Parman & Easterday in 1985, Larry has led over 1,000 free, community-service education programs and helped more than 10,000 Oklahoma families go from putting off their estate plan to getting it done. His goal for every client is the same: to become the person their family calls "the one who took care of everything."
Larry is the author of three books: The Straight Shooter's Guide to Estate Planning; Estate Planning Basics; and Guiding Those Left Behind in Oklahoma. He served as Oklahoma's Secretary of State and Secretary of Commerce, and his firm is the only member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys in the state.
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