• Home
  • About Us
    ▼
    • Gratia Schoemakers
      ▼
      • Community Outreach Program
    • Testimonials
  • Virtual Services
  • Estate Planning
    ▼
    • Estate Planning Basics
    • Last Will and Testament
    • Revocable Living Trusts
    • Durable Power of Attorney
    • Medical Power of Attorney
    • Living Will
    • Family Estate Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning & Asset Protection
    • Kids Safety Plan™
    • Business Succession Planning
    • Guardianship
      ▼
      • Guardianship Planning
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Legacy Preservation Planning
    • Asset Protection
    • Trusts
    • Pet Trusts
    • Gun Trusts
  • Probate
    ▼
    • Texas Probate Guide
    • Probate of a Will
    • Texas Affidavit of Heirship
    • Texas Small Estate Affidavit
    • Texas Heirship Determination
    • Texas Muniment of Title
    • Trust Administration
  • Family Law
    ▼
    • Divorce
    • Collaborative Divorce
    • Mediation
    • Custody / Visitation
  • Blog
  • FAQs
    ▼
    • FAQs – Videos
    • FAQs – Estate Planning
    • FAQs – Beyond Money in Estate Planning
    • FAQs – Divorce and Estate Planning FAQs and Myths
    • FAQs – Estate Planning for Newlyweds Myths and FAQs
    • FAQs – Estate Planning for Young Adults
    • FAQs – The Estate Planning Cast of Characters
    • FAQs – Expecting an Inheritance
    • FAQs – Myths and FAQs – Planning for Conflict Prone Families
    • FAQs – New and Expanding Families
    • FAQs – Pet Trusts
    • FAQs – Probate
    • FAQs – Standalone Retirement Trust Myths and FAQs
    • FAQs – Trust Modifications
    • FAQs – Unwinding Obsolete Planning
    • FAQs – Why You Want to Avoid Probate
    • FAQs – Year-End Planning Myths and FAQs
  • Contact
    ▼
    • Virtual Estate Planning Login
    • Client Portal
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

PROTECTING YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FUTURE | SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT | CALL US TODAY! (832) 408-0505

GP Schoemakers, PLLC

Protecting You, Your Family, Your Future

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Gratia Schoemakers
      • Community Outreach Program
    • Testimonials
  • Virtual Services
  • Estate Planning
    • Estate Planning Basics
    • Last Will and Testament
    • Revocable Living Trusts
    • Durable Power of Attorney
    • Medical Power of Attorney
    • Living Will
    • Family Estate Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning & Asset Protection
    • Kids Safety Plan™
    • Business Succession Planning
    • Guardianship
      • Guardianship Planning
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Legacy Preservation Planning
    • Asset Protection
    • Trusts
    • Pet Trusts
    • Gun Trusts
  • Probate
    • Texas Probate Guide
    • Probate of a Will
    • Texas Affidavit of Heirship
    • Texas Small Estate Affidavit
    • Texas Heirship Determination
    • Texas Muniment of Title
    • Trust Administration
  • Family Law
    • Divorce
    • Collaborative Divorce
    • Mediation
    • Custody / Visitation
  • Blog
  • FAQs
    • FAQs – Videos
    • FAQs – Estate Planning
    • FAQs – Beyond Money in Estate Planning
    • FAQs – Divorce and Estate Planning FAQs and Myths
    • FAQs – Estate Planning for Newlyweds Myths and FAQs
    • FAQs – Estate Planning for Young Adults
    • FAQs – The Estate Planning Cast of Characters
    • FAQs – Expecting an Inheritance
    • FAQs – Myths and FAQs – Planning for Conflict Prone Families
    • FAQs – New and Expanding Families
    • FAQs – Pet Trusts
    • FAQs – Probate
    • FAQs – Standalone Retirement Trust Myths and FAQs
    • FAQs – Trust Modifications
    • FAQs – Unwinding Obsolete Planning
    • FAQs – Why You Want to Avoid Probate
    • FAQs – Year-End Planning Myths and FAQs
  • Contact
    • Virtual Estate Planning Login
    • Client Portal

FAQs – Pet Trusts

FAQs – PET TRUSTS

“Estate planning is an important and everlasting gift you can give your family.
And setting up a smooth inheritance isn’t as hard as you might think.”
– Suze Orman

pet parrot

Q: I have an estate plan but didn’t think to include my pet in it.  Can I add a pet trust to my current plan, or do I need to set up a separate plan?

A: We can easily amend your current estate plan to include a pet trust; in fact, most pet trusts exist as part of a larger revocable living trust-based plan.  If you want or need a separate pet trust, we can certainly structure it that way, but most of our clients prefer us to include the pet component within their existing plan.

Q: My dog requires a very specific routine in order to feel safe and keep from getting anxious or sick.  How can I be sure a caretaker will be able to keep my dog on her routine?

A: Your pet trust includes instructions for care, and these instructions can be specific.  If your dog needs to be fed a certain type of food at precise times of day, prefers a special toy, has a specific bedtime or needs to be walked three times a day in a specific park near your home, you can include all this information in the instructions.  You should also talk with the person you plan to appoint as a caretaker and explain the situation, so he or she knows what to expect.  You can even have your appointed caretaker tag along for a couple of days to get familiar with your dog’s routine.

Q: I’m not sure how much money I need to appropriate for my pet trust. I want to make sure there’s enough money without overdoing it.  Can you help?

A: We can certainly help!  The specifics about how much money to leave for your pet will vary greatly depending on your specific circumstances, but we can help you create an itemized list to ensure there’s enough to cover everything.  Factors to consider will include how long your pet is expected to live, the current costs for caring for your pet, costs for the caretaker/trustee, etc.  As for any surplus, you can easily designate where any extra money goes after your pet passes on (for example, the extra could be donated to your favorite animal charity), so you can rest assured that any extra will go where you think best.  Depending on the amount being set aside and your other assets, we can also work with your financial advisor to ensure that your pet trust is completely coordinated with your other financial objectives.

Call or contact the Law Offices of GP Schoemakers today to arrange a consultation with a reputable estate planning lawyer.  Attorney Schoemakers will meet with you to discuss your situation.

Trust attorney Schoemakers to help you determine the best way to manage your estate.  Call now to schedule an appointment with an estate planning lawyer in Clear Lake, Texas.

Get In Touch >

Footer

Clear Lake Location
1100 NASA Parkway, Ste 420J
Houston, TX 77058

Serving These Areas

Harris County and Galveston County
Houston
Galveston
Clear Lake
Friendswood
Dickinson
LaMarque
League City
Kemah
Pearland

Contact Us
Get Directions
(832) 408-0505

Privacy Policy
The information contained in this Website is subject to our Disclaimer and Terms and Conditions.