New Jersey law recognizes that every member of the family deserves to be taken care of in your estate plan.  This includes your pets.  Under N.J.S. 3B:11-38, a trust for the benefit of domesticated animals may be created subject to certain limitations.  If you’d like someone special to care for your dog, cat or other pet in your absence, be sure to make arrangements in advance and commit those plans to paper.  The person you nominate to care for your pets, the trustee, will have the authority and responsibility to use money or other assets transferred to the trust for the benefit of the animal or animals designated in the trust.  The trustee may not use the trust’s property for his or her own benefit, or for any purpose other than for the benefit of your pets.  The trust ends when no living animal is covered by the trust, or after 21 years, whichever occurs first.  Any funds or property remaining in the trust when it ends is then distributed according to the terms of the trust.  This news article may be of interest if you are considering a trust for the benefit of your pet.

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