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“Onetime child star Britney Spears' five dogs live better than a lot of human families—and should anything happen to her, their golden meal ticket would get mighty precarious.”

Trust Advisor notes that pet trusts for the rich are becoming extremely popular. Pets are expanding their financial and emotional footprint without a corresponding increase in legal status or protection. The article, “Britney Spears Pet Fetish Feeds New Estate Planning Craze,” contends that Britney's loosely-controlled dog budget is in need of someone to structure the costs to keep them comfortable for life.

Any animal lover who wants to protect his or her pets must create a pet trust to gain any sense of peace of mind regarding their care.While most of us want to ensure that are pets have loving care, rumors of the expense of Britney's dogs gives us a view of some of the upper limits—or lack thereof—of how much modern pet pampering can cost. Britney spends about $30,000 a year on her dogs. This is enough to support over 100 typical American pets. One haircut for one of her dogs would feed an average animal for a year.

While the amount that Americans spend on our pets has skyrocketed 73% over the past 10 years, a real animal lover really must push hard to spend what Britney does on her young, healthy dogs. But if something were to happen to her, there would be no certainty that her furry kids would receive any of her millions. That money would likely go to her human children. Guardianship and custody arrangements aren't binding, when the “pet parent” passes away. Britney's will could bequeath the dogs to a friend or relative, but there's no assurance they'd care for them in the same way she did. That is why a pet trust can be vital.

Like a trust for human beneficiaries, the goal of a pet trust is to create a structure that can continue after the original pet parent or owner dies. Pet trusts typically are revocable. The money would transfer into the trustee's control, in the event of death or disability.

A pet trust should provide for the appointment of successor trustees and designated caretakers for the animals. This may not always be a concern because we will usually outlive even puppies and kittens. Nonetheless, it's always good to be thorough. Britney will probably survive all of her current dog pack. But to make sure nobody gets left out, she should define the beneficiaries for all of her pets when she dies. Dogs won't likely outlive the trust wherever it's set up, but horses, birds, and reptiles can live for several decades.

New Jersey, Michigan, Montana, and Alaska will terminate the trust after 21 years, even if the pets are still alive. Otherwise, Britney's pups would continue to enjoy their lavish lifestyle until the funds run dry. In Britney's case, if she dies a day after adopting a newborn puppy, with a 30-year lifespan, the luxury would cost about $1 million by the time the trust term ends.

Chances are good that even the most affluent Americans aren't spending $30,000 a year on their dogs and cats.  Therefore, the size of a normal pet trust will likely be pretty modest. Speak with a qualified estate planning attorney about how a pet trust would work for your furry babies in your state.

Sundvick Legacy Center has been helping families create strong estate plans for over 20 years! Call our office today at 702-384-3767 to schedule your free consultation.