People love their pets. But Madonna has taken her love to a whole new level. A little over twenty years ago she gave her home to a corporation named after her dog, Gunther. According to this story, Gunther and his descendants lived in the house ever since. The home is now up for sale, and Gunther will probably return to Italy to live with mom (Madonna).
Florida law currently allows pet owners to create trusts for their pets. However, unfortunately for Madonna and Gunther, Florida’s pet trust law didn’t come into effect until 2003, about 4 years after Modonna created Gunther Corp. The good news is that the generation-skipping transfer tax does not apply to dogs. That is tax nerd humor, my wife hates it, but as a tax nerd I think it is funny.
We at Finley Stetson have created quite a few Pet Trusts over the years. Here in Florida, your pet can own your home after you pass, as long as the home is in a properly drafted pet trust. If you want to learn more about the ins and outs of pet trust, please give us a call.