Estate Planning
Thank you for your interest in including Tri-County Humane Society in your estate planning!
Charitable bequests are one of the best ways to assist us in our mission and ensure that we will be able to provide care for animals in need for years to come. We are happy to provide you with information about including Tri-County Humane Society in your estate planning.
STEPS:
Contact Marit Ortega, Executive Director, at (320) 320-371-0871, ed@tricountyhumanesociety.org, to receive more information. A conversation with you is helpful for us to best determine where your interests lie and how your gifts can best be put to work to help animals.
Seek advice from your legal or financial adviser.
Include our legal name (Tri-County Humane Society), physical address (735 8th St. NE, St. Cloud, MN 56304), and Federal Tax ID (23-7449686) in your plans.
Living Trusts
Charitable bequest opportunities such as living trust allocations, beneficiary designations of life insurance or retirement plan proceeds are a wonderful way to make a meaningful gift to help animals.
Contact your financial adviser for information on how to include Tri-County Humane Society in your philanthropic giving plan.
Have You Made Plans for Your Pet?
Plan for the unexpected to ensure the welfare of your well-loved pet if you should fall ill, have an accident, or worse.
Your pet brings you unconditional love and companionship, and is an integral member of your family. But what about when you are gone? What happens to our pets if something happens to us? Despite how we may feel about them, our legal system views pets as property, making it all the more important to plan ahead.
How to Protect Your Pets
- Carry a “pet alert card” in your wallet, identifying your pet, vital information and contacts in case you suffer an emergency that prevents your return home.
- Post “in case of emergency” stickers on your doors or windows to notify emergency workers of pets inside. The ASPCA provides free decals upon request.
- Discuss your wishes for your pets with relatives or friends. Designate a temporary caregiver in the event something unexpected happens to you and ensure she has instructions for how to care for your pets.
- Contact your attorney to discuss the estate planning options available to provide for the ongoing care of your pet in the future and formalize your wishes in a
- legal document.
Benefits of a Pet Trust
Including pet provisions in your will is helpful. A pet trust can be even more advantageous, allowing you to:
- Designate a caregiver and backup caregivers for your pet;
- Appoint a separate trustee to oversee the caregiver and ensure she is following your directives;
- Specify your pet’s needs and customary lifestyle, including health care, diet, exercise, special needs and end of life plans;
- Provide different options for covering your pet’s expenses to ensure the money is used as intended;
- Protect the money you set aside for your pet by shielding it from many creditors or estranged spouses;
- Provide immediate and uninterrupted care for your pet without the need for court intervention in the event you pass away or become ill;
- Allocate any remaining money to specific persons or charitable groups, such as Tri-County Humane Society.
Give yourself the peace of mind of knowing that all your family members will be provided for when you are gone. Consult your estate planning attorney to discuss your wishes and ensure you have a plan in place to carry out those wishes.
TCHS Guest Columnist Kendra K. Bader, Attorney, Moss & Barnett
(320) 654-4117 | Kendra.Bader@lawmoss.com
Download this informational flyer prepared by an animal lover and attorney.
