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Saginaw County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Saginaw County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Saginaw County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Saginaw County Courthouse, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address. No separate post office box is published for the probate court. |
| Phone | Main probate line: (989) 790-5279. Estate Division: (989) 790-5320. |
| Fax | (989) 790-5328. The court publishes this as a contact number, not as a filing instruction. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. No money transactions after 4:30 p.m. No out-of-state checks accepted. |
| Filing cost | For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the probate filing fee under MCL 600.880 and the electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The inventory fee is separate and cannot be waived. |
| Local estate forms | No local decedent-estate cover sheet or local estate-opening form is published. Saginaw uses the statewide SCAO probate forms for estates. |
| E-filing | Saginaw County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Estate papers are filed on paper at the courthouse counter. Call before relying on mail, fax or any drop box. |
| Case lookup | Saginaw County publishes its own court case and hearing search. The docket search includes a probate filter, but public case documents are not available online. |
| Remote appearance | The court publishes a Notice of Hearing With Remote Participation for probate matters. Use the hearing notice you receive and call (989) 790-5279 to confirm participation. |
| Website | https://www.saginawcounty.com/courts-public-safety/courts/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Saginaw County Probate Court, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, accounts, real estate, vehicles and known creditors. That asset picture drives whether estate settlement can stay simple or needs a full Michigan probate administration.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before they choose forms or pay court costs. In Saginaw, that matters because the probate counter does not take money after 4:30 p.m., the Estate Division has a direct line for inventory fee questions and estate filings are handled on paper.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Saginaw County Probate Court serves estates venued in Saginaw County. Venue for the first Michigan probate or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, a county where the decedent had property at death (MCL 700.3201).
The probate filing counter is at the Saginaw County Courthouse, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602. The court serves communities across Saginaw County, including Saginaw, Frankenmuth, Zilwaukee, Birch Run, Chesaning, Merrill, Reese, St. Charles, Bridgeport, Buena Vista, Carrollton, Kochville, Tittabawassee and the other county townships and villages.
Saginaw County has its own Probate Court and its own probate register. It is not one of Michigan's two-county probate districts, and a Saginaw County estate is not filed at a neighboring county courthouse.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts and people with a legal interest in the estate. Decide whether the estate can use a Michigan small-estate path or needs a full administration, and call the Estate Division at (989) 790-5320 if the inventory fee history is unclear because there was already a small estate, a reopened estate or a partial payment.
- Prepare the statewide SCAO probate forms for the path you are using. In an informal estate, the probate register acts on the application; in a formal estate, a judge acts on the petition. Saginaw publishes local probate forms for guardianship, conservatorship and general court housekeeping, but not a local decedent-estate cover sheet.
- File on paper at the Saginaw County Probate Court counter, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602. Saginaw County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., and is closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Call before trying to file by mail, fax or any method other than bringing papers to the courthouse.
- Pay the court cost at the counter. For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. No money transactions are taken after 4:30 p.m., and the court does not accept out-of-state checks.
- Give the required notices. Michigan law requires notice to interested persons after informal probate and notice to creditors after a personal representative is appointed. Use the statewide PC forms for notices, proof of service and creditor claims.
- If the court sets a hearing, follow the notice from Saginaw County Probate Court. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, but MCR 2.407 lets the court decide how the hearing will be held. Saginaw's remote hearing notice tells participants to confirm they can take part by calling (989) 790-5279.
- After appointment, obtain certified copies of the letters of authority for the personal representative. For 2026, certified copies are $10.00 plus $1.00 per page under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority, use Saginaw's county inventory fee calculator or the Michigan Judiciary calculator to check the inventory fee, pay the inventory fee before closing or within one year when required, distribute the estate and file the proper closing paper for the type of administration.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Saginaw County
Saginaw County uses the statewide SCAO probate form set for decedent estates. The main statewide estate forms include the informal application, the formal petition, testimony to identify heirs, acceptance of appointment, letters of authority, notice to creditors, inventory and closing forms.
Saginaw County Probate Court publishes local instruction sheets and forms, but they are for guardianship, conservatorship, mental health notice and general court housekeeping such as a change of address, an objection and a records check release. The court publishes no local estate-opening form or local estate cover sheet for a decedent's estate.
| Form source | How it applies in Saginaw County |
|---|---|
| Statewide SCAO estate forms | Use these for a Saginaw County decedent's estate. The statewide index is at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/. |
| Saginaw County probate forms page | Useful for court housekeeping forms and for non-estate probate matters. It does not replace the statewide estate forms. |
| Protected personal information forms | Use the Michigan protected personal identifying information forms when a probate form needs sensitive account or identifying information. |
Local nuance
Saginaw County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Saginaw estate |
|---|---|
| Lunch closure | The probate counter closes from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Plan a courthouse trip around that gap. |
| Payment cutoff | The court takes no money transactions after 4:30 p.m., even though the probate counter is open until 4:45 p.m. |
| Out-of-state checks | The court states that out-of-state checks are not accepted. Out-of-state personal representatives should call before traveling or mailing payment. |
| Estate Division line | For inventory fee questions, especially after a small estate, reopened estate or partial payment, call the Estate Division at (989) 790-5320. |
| County inventory fee calculator | Saginaw publishes its own inventory fee calculator at https://secure.saginawcounty.com/InvCalc/. The fee is still the statewide statutory inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| No MiFILE | Saginaw probate filings are paper filings at the courthouse. Attorneys and self-represented filers do not use MiFILE for this probate court. |
| Local self-help center | The Saginaw County Legal Self-Help Center is in the courthouse lower level and offers free walk-in help with court forms, kiosks, scanning and printing. Ask whether staff can help with estate paperwork because probate is not on the center's published topic list. |
| Concurrent jurisdiction plan | Saginaw County has a concurrent jurisdiction plan that allows judges in the county to handle different kinds of matters. Filing still happens at the probate counter. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Saginaw County path | Local step to plan for | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate and whether any probate asset still needs a Saginaw County filing. If a personal representative is needed, use the statewide forms and file at the Saginaw County Probate Court. | Bring paper filings to 111 S. Michigan Avenue during the probate counter's split hours, and plan payment before 4:30 p.m. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues and debts so the spouse can choose the right estate settlement path before going to the courthouse. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Review whether assignment of property or transfer by affidavit fits under Michigan law. If a court filing is needed, Saginaw uses paper filing and the statewide SCAO forms. | Call the probate court before traveling because Saginaw is not on MiFILE, does not accept out-of-state checks and has no published appointment or mail-filing rule for opening an estate. | Sunset helps gather the asset list, generate the probate packet and connect the child with a local attorney if travel or paper filing is difficult. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale often requires a personal representative with letters of authority, so a full Saginaw County probate administration may be needed if the property does not pass outside probate. | Use the Estate Division line and the county inventory fee calculator to plan the inventory fee, especially if the real property has a mortgage or other encumbrance. | Sunset helps find assets, organize creditor and property information, prepare the estate settlement packet and connect the parent with a vetted Michigan probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it helps with | Contact or website |
|---|---|---|
| Saginaw County Probate Court | The filing counter for Saginaw County decedent estates. The probate register can explain filing procedure but cannot give legal advice. | 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602. Main line (989) 790-5279. https://www.saginawcounty.com/courts-public-safety/courts/probate-court/ |
| Saginaw County Probate Court Estate Division | Estate Division contact for decedent-estate questions and inventory fee questions after a small estate, reopened estate or partial payment. | (989) 790-5320. https://www.saginawcounty.com/courts-public-safety/courts/probate-court/estate-division/ |
| Saginaw County inventory fee calculator | County calculator for the inventory fee, including a lien field for real property encumbrances for deaths on or after March 28, 2013. | https://secure.saginawcounty.com/InvCalc/ |
| Saginaw County court case and hearing search | Free case and hearing lookup for Saginaw County courts. The docket side includes a probate filter. It does not provide public case documents online. | Use the case and hearing search linked from Saginaw County's courts pages. |
| Saginaw County Legal Self-Help Center | Free walk-in help in the courthouse lower level with court forms, public kiosks, scanners, printers, copies needed in court proceedings and legal information. Ask whether staff can help with estate paperwork. | 111 S. Michigan Avenue, lower level, Saginaw, MI 48602. Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Email [email protected]. https://www.saginawcounty.com/courts-public-safety/courts/saginaw-county-legal-self-help-center/ |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide Michigan probate forms used for Saginaw decedent estates. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan inventory fee calculator | Statewide Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State directory listing for Saginaw County Probate Court. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Statewide self-help articles and guided tools on Michigan probate and small-estate options. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, Saginaw office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents. Ask at intake whether the estate question fits their services. | 301 E. Genesee Avenue, 5th Floor, Saginaw, MI 48607. Phone (800) 322-4512. https://lsem-mi.org/contact-us/ |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in Saginaw County when real property must be sold or title must be cleared through the estate, heirs disagree, a will is challenged, creditors are pressing claims, the personal representative lives out of state, or the matter needs a judge rather than action by the probate register. Saginaw has one courthouse filing counter, no MiFILE access for probate and a free self-help center that does not list probate among its published topics, so counsel can also solve practical filing problems. Sunset connects to a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across thousands of institutions, helps organize what the decedent owned and owed, and gives the family a clearer starting point before choosing a Saginaw County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized probate packet using the Michigan statewide forms that Saginaw County uses for decedent estates.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, a home sale, creditor strategy or help with paper filing from out of state, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement process, identify missing assets and decide what help they need without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Saginaw County?
File a Saginaw County decedent estate at Saginaw County Probate Court, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602. The probate counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., and is closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Is Saginaw County Probate Court on MiFILE?
No. Saginaw County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Estate papers are filed on paper at the courthouse counter. Call (989) 790-5279 before relying on mail, fax or any method other than bringing papers to the courthouse.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Saginaw County in 2026?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The inventory fee is based on estate value and cannot be waived. Saginaw also publishes its own inventory fee calculator, and the Estate Division can be reached at (989) 790-5320.
Can I pay Saginaw probate costs online?
No probate payment option is published on the county's online court payment page. The probate court publishes counter payment rules instead: no money transactions after 4:30 p.m. and no out-of-state checks accepted. Call the court before traveling if you need to confirm accepted payment methods.
Does Saginaw County have local probate forms for estates?
Saginaw County Probate Court publishes local forms and instruction sheets, but not a local decedent-estate form or local estate cover sheet. Use the statewide SCAO estate forms for a decedent's estate in Saginaw County.
Can I look up a Saginaw County probate case online?
Saginaw County publishes its own court case and hearing search, and the docket search includes a probate filter. It gives case and hearing information, not public case documents. Copies of documents come from the probate court office for a fee.
Are Saginaw County probate hearings remote?
Saginaw County Probate Court publishes a Notice of Hearing With Remote Participation for probate matters. Use the hearing notice you receive for the joining instructions and call (989) 790-5279 to confirm you can participate. Uncontested decedent-estate matters are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, but the court can require an in-person appearance under MCR 2.407.
Do I have to travel to Saginaw to handle probate?
Maybe. Saginaw probate filings are paper filings, and the court has no published appointment, mail-filing or drop-box rule for opening an estate. If you live out of state, call the probate court or work with a Michigan probate attorney before planning travel, especially because no money is taken after 4:30 p.m. and out-of-state checks are not accepted.
Who should I call with an inventory fee question in Saginaw County?
Call the Estate Division at (989) 790-5320. The court specifically points people to that line when there has already been a small estate, a reopened estate or a partial inventory fee payment.
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.