Miracle Law PLLC

Who better to invite you to the Illuminate Hope Gala than Emily Croff? As a Grace’s Table graduate, Emily is now one of our teachers and an amazing photographer. But her involvement doesn’t stop there—she continues to invest in this community in so many ways and can’t wait to share why you’ll want to join her. Join us on October 2nd at the Downtown Market as we celebrate 10 years of hope, growth, and transformation! Get your tickets today at https://lnkd.in/gz_cApQR. A heartfelt thank you to our incredible sponsors! PLATINUM: Meijer GOLD: LIMA, Miracle Law PLLC, OVD Insurance, Roskam Foods SILVER: Jade BRONZE: Corewell Health, Gentex Corporation, IdealTraits Inc., Mercantile Bank, Redeemed Style, Varnum LLP, Ethan and Tara Lee

??????'?? ???????? ?????????? ?????????????????????? ???????????????????????? Multiple times a week, I explain to clients that ?????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ?????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ??????????????????. It doesn't matter what your Trust says if you don't change your beneficiary designations so that they pay to the Trust on your death. The Trust only controls the property it owns. Without fail, there is case law (court rulings) every single year on this issue, because people change their minds, amend their estate planning documents, and fail to update their beneficiary designations. They pass away and their family is shocked when they don't receive the money in the account. Is this unjust? This is pure and simple contract law. Think about it: there's no way for your bank, credit union, 401(k), IRA, the Register of Deeds to know about the existence of your estate planning documents unless you communicate with them! This is why holistic, flat-fee estate planning just makes sense. Sure, I could charge you for "some documents." Those documents are only good as your overall plan and ensuring all the parts move together. The value is assesing your estate plan from multiple angles, not just what your documents say. Side note: This is always why we ask clients to go through the painstaking process of listing every single one of their assets. Reviewing beneficiary designations is a huge part of our practice. We want to ensure the client's plan makes sense. Hopefully your financial advisor is also reviewing these at least annually with you! Happy Planning! #estateplanning #beneficiarydesignations #estateplanningattorney #estateplanninglawyer

The Lost Art of Dying I just finished reading "The Lost Art of Dying" by Dr. Dugdale, a hospice and palliative care physician and specialist in medical ethics. Because I talk every week with clients facing their own mortality, I’m ever curious and intrigued about how most people think about death. I even took a "Death in America" sociology class in undergrad. Apparently, my obsession with the philosophy of death predated my career in estate planning! I’ve observed the full range of emotions towards death: fear, denial, resistance, acceptance, and even confidence or eagerness. Most of these emotions are completely rational. When we’ll die and how we’ll die is the ultimate unknown variable in which we have absolutely no control.??However, the fact of death itself is most inevitable. Thinking about death doesn’t have to be morbid. In fact, the premise of the Lost Art of Dying is that if we acknowledge death as a part of life, we’ll improve the quality of our lives. I wholeheartedly agree.?Part of living well is developing a plan for death. Culturally, we have removed ourselves as far as possible from death. It used to be a regular part of life.?Even health care professionals have fallen into agreement with the rescue fantasy: the idea that we must do everything in our power to save someone from the distressing event of death. I found it fascinating that statistically, highly religious people tend to be those who insist on more invasive medical procedures toward the end of life. Often the fear of death is the reason people fail to plan. Yet if we have the wisdom and courage to acknowledge our own finitude, we can address the more important philosophical questions: What does life mean? What will happen when I die? If I can encourage my clients to approach death with a plan, their fears and anxieties are greatly reduced. Their family can have a clear idea of their wishes. When they face difficult medical decisions, they’ll have guiding principles and hopefully those decisions are much easier.?To me, this is one of the most loving things we can do. There’s a lot more to say on the subject, but my point is that while there is no quick fix for the anxiety of death, we’d do well to acknowledge it. What steps can you take in 2024 to consider how you may die in order that you may fully live? P.S. This is my second week posting on a Friday! Next week I’ll be sure to post on a more pleasant subject, but you can be assured that death is still on my mind :D #deathanddying #estateplanning #endoflifeplanning

People keep asking me “aren’t you worried that AI will take over your job?” Not at all. AI’s changes are imminent and I believe it will change the legal profession even well beyond what is predicted. I truly hope AI expands access and affordability to legal services. Sure, some of the service I provide clients is informational and educational and can be replicated with AI. But the primary way I add value is the human component: offering connection, compassion, and nuance. Further, clients don’t know what they don’t know. So if you don’t know which questions to ask, AI can’t help you make informed judgement. For example, clients will search “probate” when they really mean “estate planning.” So I started mulling over what I offer that AI can’t. AI can’t: -listen and look clients in the eyes as they voice concerns about caring for their family -hold space for clients grieving and reeling in the wake of death of a loved one -guide a client toward value-based decisions rather than emotionally charged ones -give hard-earned personalized advise -get to know people’s family dynamics -laugh with clients -help families negotiate owning property together -make mutual connections or build rapport with clients -foster a community-based business model P.S.?For 2024, I’m going to attempt to post once a week on Fridays. I share this to put it out there and put a stake in the ground – hold me accountable, friends! #estateplanning #ai #airforlawyers #trustsandestates #estateplanningattorney