A pet guardian is the person you trust to care for your pets after you pass away. Naming one is optional, but it makes sure your pets are looked after the way you'd want.
Your Willful will covers every pet you own at the time of your passing, even ones you haven't named, so a new pet is protected even if you don't update your will.
Step 1: Go to your pet guardians
Open your pet guardians page, or follow these steps:
Log in to your Willful account.
Click Your documents in the left-hand menu (top right corner on mobile).
Find Last Will and Testament and click Review and edit.
Scroll to Roles & responsibilities, find Pet care, and click Edit next to Pet guardian.
Note: If you've completed your will, you can also click Review and edit on your Last Will and Testament tile on your home page.
Don't see Pet guardian? Click Add next to Pet care to add your pet(s).
Step 2: Choose your pet guardian(s)
Primary: Your first choice for the role. To name co-guardians, like a couple, you can select two people.
Secondary (recommended): Your backups, in case your first choice can't serve. You can select up to two people here too.
Want more backups? Click Add more backups to add another tier.
To choose someone, pick from your existing contacts in the dropdown, or click Add a contact to add someone new without leaving the page.
Your pet guardian(s) will care for all the pets in your plan. Willful doesn't currently support naming different guardians for individual pets.
Not sure who to choose? Click Help with this question near the top of the page for guidance.
Step 3: Save your changes
Click Save. Your pet guardian will now show under Roles & responsibilities on your will summary.
Step 4: Set up a pet trust (optional)
A pet trust is money set aside from your estate for your pet guardian to cover care expenses like food and vet bills.
Open your pet trust page, or follow these steps:
Go back to your will summary.
Under Pet care, click Edit next to Pet trust.
Choose the amount you'd like to leave, or choose No pet trust if you'd rather not set money aside.
Click Save.
Your pet guardian and pet trust will now show under Roles & responsibilities on your will summary.
Reminder: Any change means you'll need to download, print, sign, and witness your updated will for the changes to be legally valid.