Estate Planning for Pets | Making Arrangements for Your Pets | Including your pet in your will | lved
How to Include Your Pet in Your Will: A Comprehensive Guide
By Ryan Andersen on October 7th, 2024 • 7 min read
How to Include Your Pet in Your Will: A Comprehensive Guide
For many pet owners, pets are part of the family. While we love and care for them during our lives, it's equally important to plan for their future if something happens to us. One effective way to ensure that your pet is taken care of is by including them in your will. However, simply naming your pet in a will isn't enough to guarantee their care—you need a structured plan that covers all aspects of your pet's well-being.

In this guide, we'll explain how to properly include your pet in your will and show how LVED.com can guide you through each step of the process, helping you ensure your pet's care after your death. With LVED.com, not only is the entire process simplified, but it also ensures that all legal documents are generated, up-to-date, and accessible to those who need it when the time comes.

Why You Should Include Your Pet in Your Will
Many pet owners mistakenly believe that their family or friends will automatically take care of their pets if they pass away. Unfortunately, without clear legal instructions, your pet may end up in a shelter or even euthanized. By officially including your pet in your will, you can assign a caregiver, provide funds for your pet's care, and outline the details of their future needs. This offers peace of mind that your pet will be loved and looked after.

How to Include Your Pet in Your Will: Step-by-Step

1. Choose a Caregiver
The first step is to designate a trusted caregiver (also called a pet guardian) who will be responsible for your pet when you're no longer able to care for them. This person should:
  • Have experience with animals and be familiar with your pet's needs.
  • Be financially capable and emotionally prepared to take on long-term pet care responsibilities.
  • Be fully aware of your wishes and agree to care for your pet.
It's important to discuss your plan with the caregiver ahead of time to make sure they are willing to take on the responsibility. With LVED.com, you can also designate secondary and third alternate caregivers, in case the primary person is unable to fulfill their duties.

LVED.com provides an easy-to-follow platform that guides you through selecting a primary, secondary and third caregiver. You can input all relevant contact information and your preferences directly into the system. With all the information provided, LVED.com will automatically generate your legal documents, securely store them on the platform, and ensure they are accessible to the right people at the appropriate time.

2. Allocate Funds for Your Pet's Care
Caring for a pet can involve significant expenses, especially if they require medical treatments or special diets. In your will, you can allocate a specific amount of money to cover your pet's future expenses, such as:
  • Food, grooming, and toys.
  • Veterinary care, medications, or surgeries.
  • Any other specific needs for their daily comfort.
By setting aside funds, you ensure that your chosen caregiver will not face financial strain while providing for your pet.

LVED.com, in upcoming releases, will walk you through estimating costs for your pet's care based on their age, health, and specific needs. Today, you can enter the amount you wish to allocate, and the platform automatically adds this financial provision to your legal documents.

3. Consider Creating a Testamentary Pet Trust
A testamentary pet trust is a special type of trust that becomes active upon your death. Unlike a standard will, a pet trust provides more control and oversight, as it allows you to appoint a trustee to manage the funds allocated for your pet. The trustee ensures that these funds are used for your pet's care according to your instructions, which makes it a legally enforceable way to protect your pet's well-being.

LVED.com supports the creation of testamentary pet trusts as part of your estate planning. The platform simplifies this complex process by guiding you through setting up the trust and appointing a guardian and trustee. Once the trust is established, it is automatically included in your legal documents, ensuring your pet's care is legally protected.

4. Include Detailed Care Instructions
Every pet is unique, and the more detailed you can be about their care, the better. This includes:

  • Dietary preferences and allergies.
  • Medical conditions, medications, and veterinarian contacts.
  • Exercise routines and favorite activities.
  • Behavioral quirks and any special requirements.
Including these instructions helps ensure that your pet's transition to a new caregiver is as smooth as possible, minimizing any disruption to their routine. LVED.com has a comprehensive pet profile system where you can input all the details about your pet's routine, preferences, and medical needs. This profile is linked to your estate planning documents and ensures the caregiver and trustee have all the information they need in the right time.

5. Add Your Pet to Your Will or Trust
Once you've chosen a caregiver and made financial provisions, it's time to legally include your pet in your will or pet trust. LVED.com's step-by-step onboarding ensures you don't miss any critical details when adding your pet to your will or trust. The system automatically generates your legal documents based on the information you provide, and they're prepared to be legally binding.

6. Plan for Immediate Care
In the event of your death or incapacity, there may be a delay before the long-term caregiver can take over. It's important to have a plan in place for the short-term care of your pet. This could include asking a neighbor or friend to step in temporarily.

7. Automated Document Delivery When the Time Comes
Creating a plan is only one part of ensuring your pet is cared for—you also need to make sure that the right people receive your instructions when the time comes. When you pass away, your executor, caregiver, and trustee will be notified by your account agent and receive the necessary documents.

One of the unique features of LVED.com is that all your estate planning documents are automatically made available to the appropriate parties upon your passing. This ensures that the designated caregiver, trustee, and other relevant individuals have immediate access to your will, pet trust, and care instructions, so your pet's care begins right away.

Why LVED.com is the Best Solution for Estate Planning for Pet Owners
LVED.com offers an all-in-one platform that simplifies the entire estate planning process, particularly for pet owners. From selecting caregivers to creating pet trusts and ensuring the accessibility of legal documents, LVED.com covers every step. Here's how:

  • Step-by-Step Onboarding: LVED.com guides you through each part of the estate planning process, ensuring that you provide all the necessary information and don't miss any critical details.
  • Comprehensive Document Generation: Based on the information you provide, LVED.com automatically generates legally binding documents, including wills, pet trusts, and more.
  • Testamentary Pet Trusts: Our platform supports testamentary pet trusts, giving you peace of mind that your pet's financial care is protected and legally enforceable.
  • Digital Document Storage and Delivery: LVED.com securely stores your documents and automatically makes them available to the relevant parties when the time comes, ensuring no delay in your pet's care.
  • Easy Updates: You can easily update your estate plan if you get a new pet or change your preferences. LVED.com makes it easy to adjust your plans and generate updated legal documents.
Including your pet in your estate planning is essential for ensuring their long-term care. By following the steps of choosing a caregiver, allocating funds, and providing detailed care instructions, you can rest assured knowing your pet will be taken care of after your passing.

LVED.com makes the process simple and stress-free by providing a step-by-step onboarding platform that guides you through each part of the process. Our platform automatically generates and stores all necessary legal documents, supports the creation of testamentary pet trusts, and ensures your pet's care is handled exactly as you wish. When the time comes, LVED.com ensures that your documents are automatically accessible to the right people so your pet's care continues seamlessly.

Start planning today with LVED.com and give yourself the peace of mind that your pet will always be loved and protected.