Michigan Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Michigan rule |
|---|---|
| Probate court | Michigan has a separate Probate Court. Decedent estates are opened in the Probate Court for the proper county. |
| Where to file | File in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a nonresident decedent, in a Michigan county where the decedent left property (MCL 700.3201). |
| Filing officer | The probate register receives filings. Informal probate can be handled by the probate register without a judge when EPIC allows it (MCL 700.1304, 700.3307). |
| Opening cost | Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00: $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus a $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Small-estate assignment | Assignment of property uses PC 556 and costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880. The inventory fee under MCL 600.871 still applies. |
| Transfer by affidavit | Transfer by affidavit uses PC 598, is not filed with the court, and carries no court filing cost (MCL 700.3983). |
| Statewide forms | Michigan uses statewide SCAO-approved PC forms for decedent estates. In informal, unsupervised estates, a court may not require extra documents beyond those required by statute or court rule (MCR 5.307). |
| MiFILE | MiFILE probate e-filing reaches 17 probate courts. Attorneys are mandated MiFILE users at all 17. People filing without a lawyer are mandated users only in Gogebic and Oakland under the SCAO probate e-filing list. |
| Remote hearings | Videoconferencing is presumed for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, but the court may require an in-person hearing and must state its reason when the presumption applies (MCR 5.140, 2.407). |
| Case lookup | There is no single Michigan trial-court probate lookup. Probate case access depends on the county court or county website. |
| Taxes | No Michigan estate tax applies to modern deaths. Michigan's inheritance tax applies only to inheritances from a person who died on or before September 30, 1993, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing a Michigan probate path, list the assets, debts, funeral and burial expenses, real estate, liens, beneficiary designations and co-owned property. Michigan small-estate dollar amounts are indexed by the year the person died, so a 2026 filing for an earlier death uses the figure for the year the person died under MCL 700.1210.
Estate settlement moves faster when the asset picture is complete. Sunset helps families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize accounts and debts, and decide whether Michigan probate, assignment of property, transfer by affidavit or another transfer method is the right next step.
Which court handles probate
Michigan probate is organized by county. There are 83 counties, and each has a probate filing counter for that county. Most counties have a single-county Probate Court. Ten counties share one probate judge with a neighboring county in five two-county probate districts, but each of those counties still keeps its own courthouse counter and probate register.
Venue is county-based. The first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding belongs in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue is in a county where the decedent left property (MCL 700.3201). Later proceedings stay in the county where the first proceeding was filed unless venue is transferred under MCL 700.3201.
| District | Counties | Filing point |
|---|---|---|
| 5th Probate District | Alger and Schoolcraft | Each county files at its own courthouse counter. |
| 6th Probate District | Luce and Mackinac | Each county files at its own courthouse counter. |
| 7th Probate District | Charlevoix and Emmet | Each county files at its own courthouse counter. |
| 17th Probate District | Clare and Gladwin | Each county files at its own courthouse counter. |
| 18th Probate District | Mecosta and Osceola | Each county files at its own courthouse counter. |
The probate process
- Identify the governing county under MCL 700.3201. Use the decedent's Michigan domicile at death, or, for a nonresident decedent, a Michigan county where property was located.
- Choose the path. Use transfer by affidavit for qualifying personal property after 28 days when no real property is in the estate (MCL 700.3983). Use assignment of property for a qualifying small estate, including eligible real property (MCL 700.3982). Use full administration when letters of authority or court supervision are needed.
- Choose informal or formal opening if full administration is needed. Informal probate uses PC 558 and is handled by the probate register when available (MCL 700.3307). Formal probate uses PC 559 and goes before a probate judge.
- Prepare the statewide SCAO forms. Common opening forms include PC 558 or PC 559, PC 565, PC 571 and, when appointed, PC 572 for letters of authority. Use MC 97 or MC 97a for protected personal identifying information.
- File with the probate register in the proper county. Filing may be by MiFILE only in the courts on the SCAO probate e-filing list; otherwise use the filing method the county Probate Court publishes.
- Pay the required court costs. Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. Assignment of property costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
- Give required notice. On the informal track, serve the notice of intent to seek appointment at least 14 days by mail or 7 days by personal service before appointment when required by MCR 5.309. After informal probate is granted, give written information of probate within 28 days under MCL 700.3306.
- Receive letters of authority if a personal representative is appointed. Certified copies of letters of authority cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page under MCL 600.2546.
- Publish and mail creditor notices when a personal representative is appointed. Creditors generally have 4 months after publication to present claims, and known creditors receive mailed notice under MCL 700.3801 and 700.3803.
- File inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority and pay the inventory fee by the earlier of closing or 1 year after appointment under MCR 5.307 and MCL 600.871.
- Administer the estate. Collect assets, pay valid expenses and claims in the proper order, account to interested persons, distribute property and keep the court informed of address changes within 7 days under MCR 5.307.
- Close the estate. An unsupervised estate may close by sworn statement no earlier than 5 months after original appointment if the requirements are met (MCL 700.3954). Summary proceedings close under MCL 700.3988. Supervised administration closes by court order under MCR 5.311.
Types of probate
| Path | When it fits | Key Michigan rules | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer by affidavit | Personal property only, no real property, after 28 days, and no personal representative appointment pending or granted. | The estate value must be within the indexed limit, $53,000 for a 2026 death under MCL 700.3983 and MCL 700.1210. It is presented to the bank, transfer agent or asset holder, not filed with the Probate Court. | PC 598, Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent. |
| Assignment of property | A qualifying small estate, including real property, when funeral and burial expenses are paid, unpaid or reimbursed through the order. | The balance of the gross estate must fit the indexed limit, $53,000 for a 2026 death under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.1210. A mortgage or other real-property indebtedness may be deducted up to $264,000 for a 2026 death under MCL 700.3982. Most heirs who receive property remain responsible for unsatisfied debts for 63 days up to the value received. | PC 556, Petition and Order for Assignment. |
| Summary proceedings | An estate already has a personal representative, and the inventory shows the estate does not exceed administration costs, funeral and burial expenses, family protections and last-illness medical and hospital expenses. | There is no dollar cap. The test is whether the estate exceeds the listed expenses and allowances (MCL 700.3987). The personal representative may distribute without creditor notice and file a closing statement under MCL 700.3988. | PC 590, Sworn Closing Statement, Summary Proceeding. |
| Full administration | Letters of authority are needed, a house must be sold or titled through the estate outside assignment of property, creditors or heirs are disputed, or a will contest or supervision issue must be resolved. | Opening may be informal through the probate register or formal before a judge. Administration is usually unsupervised unless the court orders supervised administration under MCL 700.3502. | PC 558 for informal opening, PC 559 for formal opening, and PC 572 for letters of authority. |
| Vehicle transfer without probate | The decedent owned vehicles and did not leave other property that requires letters of authority. | The surviving spouse or an heir may apply to the Secretary of State with proof of death and the required heir certification. The vehicle cap is $100,000 for 2024 and 2025 deaths under MCL 257.236. For 2026 and later deaths, the Michigan Department of Treasury certifies and publishes the vehicle cap annually, so use the certified amount for the year of death. | Secretary of State TR-40 packet, including TR-40a. |
Executor duties
Executor duties in Michigan
Michigan uses the term personal representative. The personal representative, the role many families still call the executor, gathers estate assets, protects property, gives required notices, pays valid expenses and claims, accounts to interested persons, distributes property, and closes the estate.
| Duty | Michigan deadline or rule |
|---|---|
| Give information after informal probate | Within 28 days after informal probate is granted, give written information of probate to heirs, devisees and other interested persons (MCL 700.3306). |
| Notify creditors | Publish notice to creditors after appointment. Claims are generally barred 4 months after publication, with additional rules for known creditors (MCL 700.3801, 700.3803). |
| Investigate known creditors | A known creditor includes one reasonably ascertainable from the decedent's available records for the 2 years immediately before death and mail after death (MCL 700.3801). |
| File inventory information | Submit the information needed to compute the inventory fee within 91 days after letters of authority (MCR 5.307). |
| Pay the inventory fee | Pay the inventory fee by closing or within 1 year after appointment, whichever is earlier (MCL 600.871, MCR 5.307). |
| Keep address current | Notify the court and interested persons in writing within 7 days after an address change (MCR 5.307). |
| Continue administration if needed | If the estate is not complete within 1 year, file and send a notice of continued administration within 28 days after the appointment anniversary (MCL 700.3951). |
| Close properly | An unsupervised estate may close by sworn statement no earlier than 5 months after original appointment if statutory conditions are met (MCL 700.3954). |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Michigan
Michigan uses statewide SCAO-approved PC forms for decedent estates. The forms index is the safest source because SCAO revises forms in place. In informal, unsupervised administration, a Probate Court may not require documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, although additional documents may be filed when allowed (MCR 5.307).
| Form | Title | Use |
|---|---|---|
| PC 556 | Petition and Order for Assignment | Assignment of property under MCL 700.3982. Filed with the court. Use MC 97 if account numbers are needed. |
| PC 598 | Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent | Transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983. Presented to the asset holder, not filed with the court. |
| PC 558 | Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative (Testate/Intestate) | Opens an informal estate through the probate register. |
| PC 559 | Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative, Testate / Intestate | Opens a formal estate before a probate judge. |
| PC 557 | Notice of Intent to Request Informal Appointment of Personal Representative | Pre-appointment notice on the informal track under MCR 5.309. |
| PC 565 | Testimony to Identify Heirs | Filed with opening papers to identify heirs. |
| PC 566 | Supplemental Testimony to Identify Nonheir Devisees (Testate Estate) | Used in testate estates with nonheir devisees. |
| PC 571 | Acceptance of Appointment | The personal representative accepts appointment. |
| PC 570 | Bond of Fiduciary | Used where bond is required. |
| PC 572 | Letters of Authority for Personal Representative | The authority document for the personal representative. |
| PC 573 | Notice of Appointment and Duties of Personal Representative | Notice served on interested persons. |
| PC 574 | Notice to Creditors, Decedent's Estate | Published creditor notice under MCL 700.3801. |
| PC 578 | Notice to Known Creditors | Mailed notice to known creditors. |
| PC 579 | Statement and Proof of Claim | Creditor claim form. Filing in a pending estate costs $20.00 under MCL 600.880b. |
| PC 577 | Inventory (Decedent Estate) | Inventory due within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307. |
| PC 583 | Account of Fiduciary, Short Form (Annual / Final / Interim) | Short-form account. |
| PC 584 | Account of Fiduciary, Long Form (Annual / Final / Interim) | Long-form account. |
| PC 588 | Receipt of Distributive Share of Personal Property (Full / Partial) | Distribution receipt. |
| PC 590 | Sworn Closing Statement, Summary Proceeding (Small Estates) | Closes a summary proceeding under MCL 700.3988. |
| PC 591 | Sworn Statement to Close Unsupervised Administration | Closes an unsupervised estate under MCL 700.3954. |
| PC 592 | Certificate of Completion | Issued after a qualifying closing statement. |
| PC 593 | Petition for Complete Estate Settlement | Requests court-ordered complete estate settlement under MCL 700.3952. |
| PC 597 | Order of Discharge | Discharges the fiduciary. |
| PC 599 | Memorandum of Administrative Closing | Administrative closing under MCR 5.144. |
| PC 560 | Petition for Supervised Administration after Previous Adjudication | Moves an estate into supervised administration. |
| PC 562, PC 563, PC 564 | Notice of Hearing, Publication of Notice of Hearing, Proof of Service | Formal-proceeding notice and service forms. |
| PC 617 | Declaration of Intent to Give Notice by Publication | Used when an interested person cannot be located. |
| PC 618 | Personal Representative Notice to the Friend of the Court | Used where a distributee may owe support. |
| PC 555 | Demand for Notice | Interested person demands notice. Cost depends on whether an estate is already pending under MCL 600.880 and 600.880b. |
| PC 561 | Waiver/Consent | Waives notice and consents. |
| PC 552 | Safe-Deposit Box Certificate and Receipt | Used for a decedent's safe-deposit box. |
| MC 97 / MC 97a | Protected Personal Identifying Information | Michigan's protected-information forms for Social Security numbers and account numbers. |
Fees
Michigan probate court costs are statewide. Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00: $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus a $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. That is not the total cost of probate because the estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The inventory fee cannot be waived.
| Item | Amount | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Open a decedent estate | $175.00 total, made of $150.00 plus $25.00 | MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986 |
| Assignment of property petition | $25.00, plus the inventory fee | MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.871 |
| Transfer by affidavit | No court filing cost | MCL 700.3983 |
| Motion, objection, amended petition, account, statement and proof of claim, or similar request in a pending proceeding | $20.00 | MCL 600.880b |
| Demand for notice with no estate pending, petition to determine heirs with no estate pending, or petition to reopen a closed file | $150.00 | MCL 600.880 |
| Certified copy of letters of authority or another certified copy | $10.00 certification plus $1.00 per page | MCL 600.2546 |
| Demand for jury trial | $30.00 | MCL 600.857 |
| Appeal to the Court of Appeals | $25.00 | MCL 600.880c |
The inventory fee is based on the value of estate assets. Real-property debt is deducted from the value of that real property when computing the inventory fee, and all inventory fees are rounded to the nearest whole dollar (MCL 600.871). The Michigan Judiciary publishes an inventory fee calculator.
| Estate value | Inventory fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $1,000.00 | $5.00 plus 1 percent of the amount over $500.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| $1,000.00 or more but less than $3,000.00 | $25.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| $3,000.00 or more but less than $10,000.00 | $25.00 plus 5/8 of 1 percent of the amount over $3,000.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| $10,000.00 or more but less than $25,000.00 | $68.75 plus 1/2 of 1 percent of the amount over $10,000.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| $25,000.00 or more but less than $50,000.00 | $143.75 plus 3/8 of 1 percent of the amount over $25,000.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| $50,000.00 or more but less than $100,000.00 | $237.50 plus 1/4 of 1 percent of the amount over $50,000.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| $100,000.00 to $500,000.00 | $362.50 plus 1/8 of 1 percent of the amount over $100,000.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| Over $500,000.00 | $62.50 for each additional $100,000.00 value, or larger fraction, over $500,000.00 | MCL 600.871 |
| Over $1,000,000.00 | $31.25 for each additional $100,000.00 value, or larger fraction, over $1,000,000.00 | MCL 600.871 |
Timeline
- At death, determine domicile, property location, the year-of-death dollar figures under MCL 700.1210, and whether any asset passes outside probate.
- After 28 days, transfer by affidavit may be used for qualifying personal property if the requirements are met (MCL 700.3983).
- Before informal appointment, serve notice of intent to seek appointment and the application at least 14 days by mail or 7 days by personal service on persons with prior or equal appointment rights who have not renounced (MCR 5.309).
- After appointment, publish notice to creditors and send notice to known creditors. The main creditor period runs 4 months after publication (MCL 700.3801, 700.3803).
- Within 28 days after informal probate is granted, give written information of probate to heirs, devisees and other interested persons (MCL 700.3306).
- Within 91 days after letters of authority, submit inventory information needed to compute the inventory fee (MCR 5.307).
- Within 7 days after an address change, notify the court and interested persons in writing (MCR 5.307).
- No earlier than 5 months after original appointment, an unsupervised estate may close by sworn statement if the statutory requirements are satisfied (MCL 700.3954).
- By the earlier of closing or 1 year after appointment, pay the inventory fee (MCL 600.871, MCR 5.307).
- If administration continues beyond 1 year, file and send a notice of continued administration within 28 days after the appointment anniversary (MCL 700.3951).
- After a closing statement, the personal representative's appointment terminates 1 year later if no proceeding involving the personal representative is pending (MCL 700.3954).
State-specific considerations
California uses statewide Judicial Council forms (the DE-series). The same forms apply in all 58 counties, although counties may add local cover sheets. Los Angeles requires LASC PRO 010.
| Consideration | Michigan rule |
|---|---|
| Year-of-death indexing | EPIC dollar amounts are adjusted annually, and the applicable figure is based on the calendar year in which the decedent died (MCL 700.1210). For a 2026 death, the assignment of property and transfer by affidavit limit is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982 and 700.3983. |
| Informal probate can avoid a judge | The probate register can appoint a personal representative on the informal track when the statutory requirements are met (MCL 700.3307). Formal proceedings go to a probate judge. |
| Unsupervised and supervised are separate from informal and formal | Unsupervised administration is the usual posture. Supervised administration requires a court order and a finding or direction that fits MCL 700.3502. |
| Family protections stack | For a 2026 death, the homestead allowance is $30,000 under MCL 700.2402 and exempt property is $20,000 under MCL 700.2404. The family allowance is reasonable under MCL 700.2403; the personal representative may set it without a court order up to $36,000 for a 2026 death under MCL 700.2405. |
| Surviving spouse rights | A surviving spouse may have an intestate share under MCL 700.2102, including indexed 2026 tiers of $301,000 and $201,000 depending on surviving descendants and parents, and may have an elective-share right under MCL 700.2202. |
| Case lookup | Michigan does not provide a single trial-court probate search. County Probate Courts and county websites control what, if anything, is searchable online. |
| Remote proceedings | Uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed suitable for videoconferencing, subject to the court's authority to require in-person appearance (MCR 5.140, 2.407). |
| Tax posture | No Michigan estate tax applies to modern deaths. Michigan's inheritance tax applies only to inheritances from a person who died on or before September 30, 1993, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. The federal estate tax basic exclusion amount is 15 million dollars for deaths in 2026. |
Small-estate alternatives
Michigan has two main small-estate paths, and they are alternatives. Transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983 is for qualifying personal property only, after 28 days, and is not filed with the court. Assignment of property under MCL 700.3982 is filed with the Probate Court on PC 556 and can include real property.
For a 2026 death, both transfer by affidavit and assignment of property use the $53,000 indexed limit under MCL 700.3982, 700.3983 and 700.1210. Assignment of property also has a special real-property debt deduction: for a 2026 death, up to $264,000 of indebtedness secured by real property may be deducted when calculating the value under MCL 700.3982. Funeral and burial expenses come off the top in the assignment calculation, and most heirs who receive property through an assignment order remain responsible for unsatisfied debts for 63 days up to the value received.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 PA 1 | Michigan raised the base for assignment of property and transfer by affidavit and moved those figures onto the newer EPIC index. For a 2026 death, the indexed figure is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982, 700.3983 and 700.1210. | MCL 700.3982, MCL 700.3983, Michigan Department of Treasury 2026 EPIC cost-of-living notice |
| January 30, 2026 Treasury notice | The State Treasurer certified the 2026 EPIC amounts, including $30,000 for the homestead allowance under MCL 700.2402, $20,000 for exempt property under MCL 700.2404, and $36,000 as the personal representative's no-court-order family allowance ceiling under MCL 700.2405. | Michigan Department of Treasury 2026 EPIC cost-of-living notice |
| MiFILE probate courts | As of the SCAO list dated 03/17/26, 17 probate courts accept MiFILE e-filing. Attorneys are mandated users at all 17, and people filing without a lawyer are mandated only in Gogebic and Oakland. | SCAO e-filing courts list |
| SCAO Probate Court Fee Tables | The SCAO Probate Court Fee Tables in effect are the February 2025 edition, including the $175.00 opening cost under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986 and the inventory-fee schedule under MCL 600.871. | SCAO Probate Court Fee Tables |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Michigan path | Watch points | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home was titled and whether it passes outside probate. If probate property remains, the spouse may need informal or formal administration, assignment of property, or another EPIC path depending on assets and values. | Michigan is not a spousal-half system. A spouse may have rights to the homestead allowance, family allowance, exempt property, intestate share or elective share depending on the facts (MCL 700.2102, 700.2202, 700.2402 to 700.2405). | Sunset identifies accounts, debts and title issues, then helps prepare the estate settlement plan and connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney when needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If there is no Michigan real property and the estate fits the indexed limit, transfer by affidavit may avoid court filing after 28 days (MCL 700.3983). If real property or a court order is needed, assignment of property may fit (MCL 700.3982). | The $53,000 figure applies to a 2026 death under MCL 700.3982 and 700.3983. Use the year-of-death figure under MCL 700.1210. PC 598 is not filed with the court; PC 556 is. | Sunset helps locate accounts, determine whether institutions will accept transfer by affidavit, and assemble the right form packet so the family does not travel unnecessarily. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is probate property and cannot fit assignment of property, full administration is usually needed so a personal representative can receive letters of authority and sell or transfer the property. | Heirs may need to be determined formally if disputed, and creditor notice, inventory, the inventory fee and closing rules apply (MCL 700.3801, 700.3803; MCR 5.307; MCL 700.3954). | Sunset organizes the asset search, drafts the probate packet, tracks creditor and inventory milestones, and connects the parent to a vetted Michigan probate attorney for the sale. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | Find the proper Probate Court, address, phone and court website for any Michigan county. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| SCAO estates, trusts and probate forms index | Get current statewide PC forms for probate proceedings, including PC 556, PC 558, PC 559, PC 572, PC 577, PC 590 and PC 591. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Index of Probate Court Forms | Find broader probate, general and general-civil forms that may be used with estate and trust proceedings. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/probate-court-forms/ |
| Michigan Judiciary Inventory Fee Calculator | Calculate the inventory fee under MCL 600.871 from the value on PC 556 or PC 577. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Courts self-represented litigants page | Explains self-representation, trial court types and the limits on court staff giving legal advice. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/resources-for/the-public/self-represented-litigants/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Statewide plain-language legal information and tools for Michigan families. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Michigan Legal Help small-estate hub | Guidance on distributing a small estate, including the Do-It-Yourself Settling a Small Estate tool and articles on Michigan small-estate processes. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/resources/wills-and-life-planning/distributing-small-estate-without-using-will |
| Michigan Legal Help larger-estate hub | Plain-language guidance on informal probate, formal probate, supervised administration and unsupervised administration. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/resources/wills-and-life-planning/distributing-larger-estate-or-estate-will |
| Michigan Legal Help self-help center directory | Directory of in-person legal self-help centers by community. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/organizations-and-courts/self-help-centers |
| MiFILE | Michigan's TrueFiling-based e-filing system and the current list of courts using MiFILE. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/mifile-systems/ |
When to hire an attorney
A Michigan probate attorney makes sense when real property must be sold, a title problem blocks transfer, heirs disagree, creditors are disputed, the estate may be insolvent, supervised administration is possible, a personal representative has a pre-death claim against the estate, or the decedent lived outside Michigan but left Michigan property. Sunset connects families with a vetted Michigan probate attorney when legal help is the right next step.
How Sunset helps in Michigan
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions, helps identify debts and account ownership, and gives the family a clearer estate settlement map before Michigan probate forms are prepared.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps assemble the information needed for Michigan SCAO forms, including small-estate assignment, informal probate, inventory and closing documents, while keeping sensitive account numbers off the public PC forms.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Michigan estate needs legal judgment, a real-estate sale, formal proceedings, supervised administration or creditor strategy, Sunset connects the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the Michigan path, and move through estate settlement with less administrative burden.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Michigan?
File in the Probate Court for the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, file in a Michigan county where the decedent left property (MCL 700.3201).
Does Michigan use the Probate Court for estates?
Yes. Michigan Probate Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over matters relating to the settlement of a deceased individual's estate, including estate administration, settlement, distribution, will construction and heir determinations (MCL 700.1302).
Can the Michigan probate register open an estate without a judge?
On the informal track, yes. The probate register may appoint the personal representative after receiving the application and making the required determinations (MCL 700.3307). Formal proceedings go before a probate judge.
How much does it cost to open probate in Michigan?
Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00: $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus a $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871, which is based on asset value and cannot be waived.
What is the Michigan small-estate limit for a 2026 death?
For a 2026 death, the indexed limit is $53,000 for both assignment of property under MCL 700.3982 and transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983. The applicable figure is tied to the year the person died, not the year the paperwork is filed (MCL 700.1210).
Do I file PC 598 with a Michigan Probate Court?
No. PC 598 is the transfer by affidavit form. It is sworn and presented to the bank, transfer agent or other asset holder after 28 days when the requirements of MCL 700.3983 are met. It is not filed with the Probate Court.
Is MiFILE used for Michigan probate?
MiFILE is used in 17 Michigan probate courts. Attorneys are mandated MiFILE users at all 17. People filing without a lawyer are mandated users only in Gogebic and Oakland; the other MiFILE probate courts allow but do not mandate that group under the SCAO's published list of e-filing courts.
Can a Michigan probate hearing be remote?
Uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed suitable for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140. The court may still require an in-person hearing under MCR 2.407 and must state its reasoning when the presumption applies.
Can I look up any Michigan probate case online?
No single trial-court probate lookup covers all counties. Some county courts publish records or docket tools, and many do not. Use the county Probate Court's website or contact the probate register for that county.
Does Michigan have estate or inheritance tax for a current death?
No Michigan estate tax applies to modern deaths. Michigan's inheritance tax applies only to inheritances from a person who died on or before September 30, 1993, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. The federal estate tax basic exclusion amount is 15 million dollars for deaths in 2026.
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.