Peggy R. Hoyt, J.D., M.B.A., B.C.S.*M
Background
Experience
Affliations
Author/Public Speaker
Education
Radio/Television
Background
Peggy is a Stetson University graduate receiving her B.B.A., cum laude, in 1981, her M.B.A. in 1982, and her J.D., cum laude, in 1993. Her work experience includes time as a college recruiter, financial consultant, account executive, and chief financial officer before entering law school. She is a founding partner of Hoyt & Bryan, LLC. Peggy is dual certified by the Florida Bar in Wills, Trusts, and Estates and in Elder Law.
Peggy describes herself as “an attorney, animal advocate, and pet mom.” Her love for animals was developed as a child when her father, John A. Hoyt, was the President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
She is the author of All My Children Wear Fur Coats – How to Leave a Legacy for Your Pet, a book for pet parents on the importance of including their pets as part of their estate plan. She also hosts a weekly “paw-cast” on Buzzsprout called All My Children Wear Fur Coats.
Peggy is the Founder and CEO of Animal Care Trust USA, a not for profit organization dedicated to helping pet parents keep loved pets in loving homes. The organization offers several Forever Loved Pet Trust solutions including Forever Home, Forever Family, and Forever Sanctuary. Animal Care Trust USA can act as a corporate Pet Trustee and is leading the animal estate planning world with the creation of the Forever Loved Pet Trust, a community Pet Trust.
*Board Certified Specialist
Experience
Peggy practices in the areas of family wealth and legacy counselling, including trust and estate planning and administration, elder law, small business creation, succession and exit planning, real estate transactions, and animal law. In addition to her law degree, she holds a Florida real estate license. Peggy formerly held a NASD Series 7 license and health, life, and variable annuities licenses. She serves as a certified FINRA Arbitrator and is a Florida Mediator concentrating in family business, estate administration, and animal law issues. Peggy also taught Animal Law as an adjunct professor with Barry University College of Law.
Affliations
• The Florida Bar; member; Past Chair for the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section and Past Chair of the Animal Law Section
• WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel; Member
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys; Member
• Central Florida Estate Planning Council; Member, Past President
• FINRA certified arbitrator
• 2018-2019 Winner of Women in the Pet Industry – Entrepreneur Woman of the Year
• 2019 Winner of Women of Achievement Professional category
• WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel; Member
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys; Member
• Central Florida Estate Planning Council; Member, Past President
• FINRA certified arbitrator
• 2018-2019 Winner of Women in the Pet Industry – Entrepreneur Woman of the Year
• 2019 Winner of Women of Achievement Professional category
Author/Public Speaker
Peggy is the author of All My Children Wear Fur Coats – How to Leave a Legacy to Your Pet, an informative and inspirational guide for pet owners who want to include their pets as part of their estate plans. She currently hosts a weekly “paw-cast” called All My Children Wear Fur Coats, where she and her guests explore all of the joys and sorrows of being a pet parent. Each week, a guest bring a unique pet perspective to the show.
She is a co-author of the following books with Candace M. Pollock: Special People, Special Planning – Creating a Safe Legal Haven for Families with Special Needs, designed to educate families about the planning options and protections for their special needs family members; Loving Without a License – An Estate Planning Survival Guide for Unmarried Couples and Same Sex Partners, created to address the unique planning needs of unmarried individuals in today’s society; A Matter of Trust – The Importance of Personal Instructions, stressing the importance of supplementing legal estate planning with personal instructions; and Women in Transition – Navigating the Legal and Financial Challenges in Your Life, created for all women as they learn, live, and grow throughout their lives.
Peggy is co-author with Scott Farnsworth of Like a Library Burning – Sharing and Saving a Lifetime of Stories, which addresses protecting and passing on a lifetime of stories.
Peggy is co-author with Deborah Roser of Thank Everybody for Everything! Grow your Life and Your Business with Gratitude, and the companion five-year gratitude journal, Gratitude Expressions; Straight Talk! About Estate Planning; and Straight Talk! What to Do When Someone Dies.
Her most recent books are What’s the Deal With…Estate Planning and What’s the Deal With…Estate Administration, published by People Tested Publications.
All of Peggy’s books are available through our office or on Amazon.com.
Peggy is available for national speaking engagements on estate planning and elder law topics including pet planning, special needs planning, and planning for unmarried couples. Peggy has been featured on CNN Financial News, the Wall Street Journal, and the Orlando Sentinel for her work in pet planning.
Education
Stetson University, B.B.A. (Marketing/Management 1981), cum laude
Stetson University, M.B.A. (Finance 1982)
Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (1993), cum laude, Phi Delta Phi
Radio/Television
“All My Children Wear Fur Coats”- A weekly “paw-cast” on Buzzsprout.
“From Here to Eternity” (Co-Host of weekly radio show on estate planning and elder law issues, WORL AM 660, Orlando, Florida, 2002-2003)