A client in Phoenix once asked me to write a will that left everything to his pet iguana.

I had to explain that Arizona law doesn't recognize reptiles as legal heirs, so we set up a trust for its care instead. Has anyone else had to get creative with unusual inheritance requests?

3 comments

3 Comments

vera_adams1mo ago

Setting up a trust for an iguana just feels like overkill. It's a lizard, not a kid. I get wanting to provide for a pet, but that's a lot of legal work for an animal that might not even outlive you. Couldn't you just leave some cash to a friend with clear instructions? Seems like making a simple thing way too serious.

rivera.christopher1mo ago

Trusts for pets are actually pretty common, vera_adams. That legal work makes sure the money gets spent on the animal and doesn't just go to the friend. It's the right move if you really care about what happens after you're gone.

the_sean20d ago

Wait, you're telling me someone actually went to a lawyer to make a trust fund for an iguana? That's next level commitment, I can't even get my friend to water my plants when I'm on vacation.