We previously blogged about how to leave your estate to your pets. I recently came across another article that dealt with the same topic that I thought might be of interest to our readers.
Lee Dvorak, in her estate plan, wanted her perfectly healthy cat, Boots, to be euthanized upon her death. This was surprising as Dvorak left all of her $1.3 million estate to animal charities. You are probably wondering why she would want her cat euthanized?
Dvorak was afraid if something happened to her, Boots, who was a rescue cat, would not be taken care of and would end up in another abusive home. The executor of her will, Fifth Third Bank, went to court and asked the judge to block the request.
The judge agreed and Fifth Third placed Boots in a loving home with a history of caring for cats.
One thing in particular in this article gave me "paws" (sorry, I couldn't resist): if Dvorak was such an animal lover, why didn't the attorney who prepared her estate plan discuss with her the options available to Boots instead of euthanasia, such as finding an appropriate animal rescue farm to place Boots? Often times a client will come to an attorney to discuss their estate plan and have an "idea" in mind, but it is the job of the attorney to discuss with the client the implications to their "idea" and the alternative options that are available. It's hard to believe that an animal lover, who gave $1.3 million to animal charities upon her death, would want her beloved cat to be euthanized after her death.
This article illustrates the importance of having an experienced Michigan estate planning and elder law attorney, one that will provide you the proper advice and guidance to accomplish your goals, such as the attorneys at Barsch & Joswick, PLLC, draft your estate plan for you. Call today for a complimentary consultation.
