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Montcalm County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Montcalm County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Montcalm County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Montcalm County Court Complex, 625 North State Street, Stanton, MI 48888 |
| Mailing address | No separate probate mailing address is published. Use 625 North State Street, Stanton, MI 48888. |
| Phone | (989) 831-7316 |
| Fax | (989) 831-7314. The court publishes this as a contact number, not as a filing channel. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The court asks filers to allow 15 to 20 minutes for processing at the counter. |
| Filing fee | For August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.871). A petition for assignment costs $25.00 as of August 2026, plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.880, 600.871). |
| Local forms | Yes, but not for opening a decedent estate. Montcalm publishes a file and copy request form and a change of address form; estate opening papers are the statewide SCAO PC forms. |
| E-filing | Montcalm County Probate Court is on MiFILE. Attorneys must use MiFILE. A filer without a lawyer may use MiFILE, the counter or mail. |
| Case search | No online lookup for Montcalm probate estate files. MiCOURT covers Montcalm circuit and district cases, not Montcalm probate estate files. |
| Remote appearance | No local probate videoconference instructions are published. Uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to the court's direction under MCR 2.407. |
| Website | Montcalm County Probate Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Stanton, build a clear list of what the person owned, what was owed, whether there is a will, whether any property passes outside probate, and whether real estate must be sold or retitled through the estate. That asset picture determines whether you are using an informal application, a formal petition, assignment of property, transfer by affidavit, or a full administration.
Sunset can help with that first inventory by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organizing account clues, and turning them into an estate settlement plan before you choose the Montcalm filing path.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Montcalm County Probate Court is the probate court for the entire county. It sits at the Montcalm County Court Complex, 625 North State Street, Stanton, and there is no branch probate counter.
The county includes the cities of Carson City, Greenville and Stanton; the villages of Edmore, Howard City, Lakeview, McBride, Pierson and Sheridan; and the townships of Belvidere, Bloomer, Bushnell, Cato, Crystal, Day, Douglass, Eureka, Evergreen, Fairplains, Ferris, Home, Maple Valley, Montcalm, Pierson, Pine, Reynolds, Richland, Sidney and Winfield. A Michigan resident's estate is filed where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue can be in a county where the decedent left property (MCL 700.3201).
Montcalm County is not part of a two-county probate district. A Montcalm estate is opened in Stanton.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts, will, family information and any Montcalm real estate before choosing a path. If the estate may qualify for assignment of property or transfer by affidavit, remember that the dollar limit is indexed by year of death. For a 2026 death, the figure is $53,000 (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983).
- Choose the correct statewide SCAO form. Informal probate uses PC 558, formal probate uses PC 559, assignment of property uses PC 556, and transfer by affidavit uses PC 598. Transfer by affidavit is presented to the institution holding the asset, not filed with the court.
- For a Montcalm court filing, include the original will and codicils if any, plus a copy of the death certificate for an informal or formal opening. For a petition and order for assignment, the court asks for a certified copy of the death certificate, the paid or unpaid funeral bill, and proof of asset value. Account numbers belong on MC 97, not on the public-facing form.
- File at the probate register's counter at 625 North State Street in Stanton, or file by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope for returned documents. The court recommends bringing papers to the office when possible and warns that incomplete mailed papers can delay filing.
- Pay the required court cost. As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), and the estate also owes the inventory fee (MCL 600.871). A petition for assignment costs $25.00 as of August 2026, plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.880, 600.871).
- Give the required notice. For informal probate, written information of the probate must be given after the informal probate is granted. For formal proceedings in Montcalm, the court says service for hearings must be completed at least 14 days before the hearing by mail or at least 7 days before the hearing by personal service, with proof of service filed at least the day before the hearing.
- If the matter is formal, get a hearing date from the court when the petition is filed. Montcalm publishes that formal hearing dates are typically set at least 2 to 3 weeks after filing.
- Ask the court how any hearing will be held. Montcalm publishes no standing local remote-hearing instructions, but uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to MCR 2.407.
- After appointment, obtain certified copies of the letters of authority if institutions need them. As of August 2026, certified copies cost a $10.00 certification fee plus $1.00 per page (MCL 600.2546).
- Administer the estate, file the inventory information on time, pay the inventory fee, handle creditors and distributions, keep your address current with the court, and close the estate with the proper statewide closing form or court order.
Executor duties
Montcalm's local addition to the personal representative's statewide duties is practical, not substantive. The court publishes a Montcalm probate change of address form. If the personal representative's address changes, use that local form to keep the probate court current while following the statewide address-change rule (MCR 5.307).
Because Montcalm probate files are not searchable online, keep copies of filings, receipts, notices and letters of authority. If you need to inspect the file or order copies, use the court's Montcalm probate file and copy request form.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Montcalm County
Montcalm County uses Michigan's statewide SCAO-approved probate forms for decedent estates. The court's own informal probate, formal probate and assignment pages point filers to the SCAO PC forms rather than to a Montcalm estate-opening packet.
| Form or resource | Use in Montcalm County |
|---|---|
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Main statewide form index for opening and administering a decedent estate in Montcalm County. |
| PC 558 | Application for informal probate and appointment of a personal representative. |
| PC 559 | Petition for formal probate or appointment, used when a judge must act. |
| PC 556 | Petition and order for assignment, filed with the Montcalm probate court when that small-estate route fits. |
| PC 598 | Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent. It is not filed with the court. |
| PC 572 | Letters of Authority for Personal Representative, the authority document institutions ask to see. |
| MC 97 | Protected personal identifying information form. Use it for account numbers and other protected details instead of putting them on the main filing. |
| Montcalm file and copy request form | Local form for asking to review a Montcalm probate file or obtain copies, especially useful because there is no online probate case lookup. |
| Montcalm change of address form | Local probate form for updating a party's address with the court. |
Montcalm publishes no local cover sheet, checklist or decedent-estate opening form. In informal, unsupervised matters, Michigan court rules also limit what extra documents a probate court may require beyond statute and court rule (MCR 5.307).
Fees
Michigan filing fees are statutory, but Montcalm publishes local payment details. As of August 2026, the probate court accepts cash, check, money order, Visa, Mastercard and Discover. Card payments through the court's PayGov link carry a 3.0 percent convenience fee, with a $2.00 minimum convenience fee for transactions under $67.00. A returned check costs $40.00 as of August 2026.
Those are payment costs, not separate probate filing fees. The estate-opening fee and inventory fee remain the statewide amounts shown in the at-a-glance table.
Timeline
- Before filing, call (989) 831-7316 if you are unsure which papers Montcalm wants for your situation. The counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the court asks filers to allow 15 to 20 minutes for processing.
- On the informal track, file the application and required attachments with the probate register. Montcalm publishes no local filing-to-appointment window for informal probate.
- On the formal track, ask for a hearing date when the petition is filed. Montcalm publishes that a formal hearing date is typically set at least 2 to 3 weeks after the filing date.
- Complete service for a formal hearing at least 14 days before the hearing if service is by mail, or at least 7 days before the hearing if service is personal.
- File proof of service with the court at least the day before the formal hearing.
- After appointment, track the statewide inventory and closing deadlines. If a hearing is scheduled, ask the court how that hearing will be held.
Local nuance
Montcalm County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Three courts sit on the same road | Use the probate court at 625 North State Street for a decedent estate. The circuit and district courts are separate counters at nearby addresses. |
| The complex is north of Stanton on M66 | The probate court tells visitors the complex shares a parking lot with the sheriff's department and jail. Expect building security, a metal detector and bag screening. |
| The counter closes at 4:00 p.m. | The court asks filers to allow 15 to 20 minutes for processing. Do not plan to arrive just before closing with new estate papers. |
| Mailed filings are accepted | The court says filings may be completed by mail, but incomplete or incorrect documents may delay filing. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for returned documents. |
| Montcalm is on MiFILE | Attorneys must use MiFILE. A filer without a lawyer may use MiFILE but is not required to and may still use the counter or mail. |
| No online probate estate lookup | Use the court's file and copy request form or call (989) 831-7316 to check a Montcalm estate file. |
| Wills can be held for safekeeping | As of August 2026, Montcalm accepts wills for safekeeping from Montcalm residents for $25.00. After death, a survivor must present a death certificate before the court will confirm whether a deposited will exists. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Montcalm publishes useful local instructions for Michigan small-estate filings. For assignment of property, the court says only an heir or the person who paid the funeral bill may file the petition. It asks for a certified copy of the death certificate, the paid or unpaid funeral bill, and proof of the value of the assets.
For a 2026 death, the statewide dollar figure for assignment of property and transfer by affidavit is $53,000 (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). The figure is indexed by the decedent's year of death. Montcalm's own transfer by affidavit page also states the key filing point: PC 598 is signed before a notary and taken to the bank or institution holding the property, not filed with the court.
If the only asset is a motor vehicle, Montcalm points families to the Secretary of State as a possible direct-transfer route. Ask the Secretary of State and the probate court before opening an estate solely for a vehicle.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Montcalm path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking title and beneficiary designations. If the home passes outside probate and the remaining assets fit a Michigan small-estate route, the spouse may avoid a full administration. If a will was deposited with Montcalm for safekeeping, bring a death certificate to the Stanton counter to ask about it. | Sunset identifies accounts, flags jointly held and beneficiary-designated assets, and helps decide whether a court filing is needed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Montcalm accepts mailed filings if you include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Transfer by affidavit is not filed with the court. If assignment of property is needed, mail or deliver PC 556 with the court's requested attachments. | Sunset organizes the asset list, prepares the probate packet, and helps you avoid an unnecessary trip to Stanton when mail or MiFILE is available. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If title must pass through the estate or the property must be sold by a personal representative, expect a Montcalm probate filing rather than a simple affidavit. A formal matter may get a hearing date at least 2 to 3 weeks after filing. | Sunset helps gather institution information, prepare the opening materials, and connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney when real estate or a court hearing is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Montcalm County Probate Court | The filing counter for Montcalm decedent estates. Court staff can explain filing procedures but cannot give legal advice or fill out forms. | 625 North State Street, Stanton, MI 48888. (989) 831-7316. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Montcalm probate fee schedule | Local payment information, including card convenience fees and returned check charges. | Online resource |
| Montcalm probate forms | Local file and copy request form and change of address form. | Online resource |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide forms used to open and administer a Montcalm decedent estate. | Online resource |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed by an estate. | Online resource |
| MiFILE | Michigan e-filing system. Attorneys must use it in Montcalm probate cases; filers without lawyers may use it but are not required to. | Online resource |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State judiciary directory entry for Montcalm County Probate Court. | Online resource |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information and guided tools. | Online resource |
| Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Grand Rapids office | Free civil legal help for eligible Montcalm County residents. Ask at intake whether your estate question fits its services. | 25 Division Ave S, Suite 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. (616) 774-0672 or 1-800-442-2777. |
When to hire an attorney
Legal counsel makes sense in Montcalm County when real property, farmland, a lake property or a cottage must be sold or retitled through the estate, when the estate is too large for assignment of property or transfer by affidavit, when heirs disagree, when a will contest or creditor issue appears, when the personal representative lives far from Stanton, or when the matter needs the formal track before the probate judge instead of the informal track through the probate register. The court itself recommends legal counsel for contested or complex proceedings, and attorneys practicing here must file through MiFILE. Sunset connects families with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions, helps identify property that may pass outside probate, and gives the family a clearer starting point for estate settlement in Montcalm County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into an organized packet using the statewide Michigan probate forms and the Montcalm filing details, including the Stanton address, mail option and local attachment notes.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Montcalm estate involves real estate, creditor disputes, a contested will or a formal hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, prepare next steps, and decide whether a court filing or attorney help is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for a Montcalm County estate?
File with Montcalm County Probate Court at the Montcalm County Court Complex, 625 North State Street, Stanton, MI 48888. A Montcalm estate is opened in Stanton, not at the county offices on Main Street and not in a neighboring county.
Can I mail a Montcalm probate filing?
Yes. Montcalm says filings may be completed by mail, but incomplete or incorrect papers can delay filing. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope so documents can be returned to you.
Does Montcalm County Probate Court use MiFILE?
Yes. Montcalm County Probate Court is on MiFILE. Attorneys must use MiFILE here. A filer without a lawyer may use MiFILE, but may also file at the counter or by mail.
Can I look up a Montcalm estate online?
No. Montcalm probate estate files are not available through MiCOURT. The county's MiCOURT links cover its circuit and district courts, not probate estate files. Call the probate court at (989) 831-7316 or use the court's file and copy request form.
How long does a formal probate hearing take to get in Montcalm County?
Montcalm publishes that a formal hearing date is typically set at least 2 to 3 weeks after filing. Service must be completed at least 14 days before the hearing by mail or at least 7 days before the hearing by personal service, and proof of service must be filed at least the day before the hearing.
Does informal probate in Montcalm require a hearing?
The court's informal probate page describes the probate register acting on the application and issuing letters of authority after the required acceptance and any required bond are filed. It does not publish a hearing step for the informal track.
Are there Montcalm local forms for opening an estate?
No local estate-opening form is published. Montcalm uses the statewide SCAO PC forms to open a decedent estate. The court does publish local general forms, including a file and copy request form and a change of address form.
What does it cost to open a Montcalm decedent estate?
As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.871). A petition for assignment costs $25.00 as of August 2026, plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.880, 600.871). Card payments through PayGov carry Montcalm's published convenience fee.
Do I have to travel to Stanton if I live out of state?
Not always. Montcalm accepts mailed filings with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a filer without a lawyer may also use MiFILE. If a hearing is scheduled, ask the probate court how it will be held because Montcalm publishes no standing local remote-hearing instructions.
What if the decedent deposited a will with Montcalm County Probate Court?
Montcalm holds wills for safekeeping for county residents. After the testator dies, the court says a death certificate must be presented before it will confirm whether a deposited will exists. The original will remains with the court.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.