The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Michigan with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
This page is built to print. Use your browser's Print command and choose "Save as PDF" for a one-page Michigan reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Michigan probate pages.
Michigan probate fees
| Item | Michigan |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee | Typical fees: ~$175 to file an application/petition to open a decedent estate, plus $12 per Letters of Authority (~$187 to open); $23 for most subsequent filings; publication of Notice to Creditors usually $100–$200; plus the MCL 600.871 inventory fee scaled to estate value. |
| Attorney fees | No statutory schedule. Attorneys for the personal representative are entitled to 'reasonable compensation' (MCL 700.3715(w), 700.3721), typically billed hourly or as agreed; the probate court can review reasonableness on objection. |
| Executor / personal representative fees | Under MCL 700.3719, a personal representative is entitled to 'reasonable compensation' for services performed — Michigan has no statutory percentage. The PR may pay their own compensation periodically without prior court approval, but if the PR is an attorney, contemporaneous time records are required. Interested persons can challenge fees as unreasonable. |
| Fee basis | reasonable |
| Appraisal / referee | Michigan does not use a state-appointed probate referee/appraiser. The personal representative prepares and files the inventory, hiring private appraisers as needed for real estate or unique assets. |
Worked example
Because Michigan uses a "reasonable" standard, executor compensation varies with the actual work. For a typical $500,000 Michigan estate, reasonable fees often fall in the low five figures — but they must be justified and can be contested by heirs.
Michigan thresholds and deadlines
| Item | Michigan |
|---|---|
| Small-estate threshold | For decedents dying in 2026, the MCL 700.3982 'Petition and Order for Assignment' small-estate threshold is $53,000 (gross estate after funeral/burial expenses). The statutory base of $50,000 (set by 2024 PA 1) is adjusted annually under MCL 700.1210. A separate Transfer by Affidavit procedure (MCL 700.3983) under the same threshold is available 28 days after death. |
| Creditor claim period | Four months from publication of notice to creditors, under MCL 700.3801. This sets the practical floor on closing an estate. |
| Typical duration | Most Michigan decedent estates close in 6 to 12 months. The 4-month creditor-claims period (after publication) sets the practical minimum. Informal/unsupervised administration under EPIC moves fastest; supervised administration or contested matters commonly run 12–24+ months. |
| Simplified real-property transfer | Michigan does not have a statutory transfer-on-death deed, but Lady Bird (enhanced life estate) deeds are widely recognized and routinely used to pass real estate at death outside probate while preserving the owner's lifetime control. Summary administration is also available when estate assets don't exceed allowances, exempt property, costs of administration, funeral, and last-illness medical expenses (MCL 700.3987). |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Michigan does NOT have a statutory transfer-on-death deed for real estate, but Michigan courts widely recognize Lady Bird (enhanced life estate) deeds, which serve a nearly identical function. The owner records a deed reserving a life estate with full lifetime control; on death, the property passes to the named remainder beneficiary outside probate. |
What passes outside Michigan probate
These transfers are not part of the estate the fees above are calculated on:
- Beneficiary designations — retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death accounts.
- Joint ownership with right of survivorship.
- Transfer-on-death deed — Michigan does NOT have a statutory transfer-on-death deed for real estate, but Michigan courts widely recognize Lady Bird (enhanced life estate) deeds, which serve a nearly identical function. The owner records a deed reserving a life estate with full lifetime control; on death, the property passes to the named remainder beneficiary outside probate.
- Assets titled into a funded living trust.
Sources for this sheet
- Statutes: MCL 700.3719; MCL 700.3715; MCL 700.3721; MCL 600.871; MCL 700.3801; MCL 700.3982; MCL 700.3983; MCL 700.3987; MCL 700.1210
- State authority: Michigan Courts (courts.michigan.gov)
- Executor fees: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-700-3719
- Fee basis: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/
- Court filing fees: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/490e3c/siteassets/court-administration/resources/pfee.pdf
- Small-estate procedure: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-700-3982
- Statutes: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/Index?ObjectName=mcl-chap700
Compiled August 15, 2026 from the sources listed above. Fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs are amended by legislatures and courts — confirm each figure against the cited statute or the Michigan court before relying on it.
The full Michigan guides
-
How Much Does Probate Cost in Michigan? — the full cost breakdown.
-
How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Michigan? — the fee rule in detail.
-
How Long Does Probate Take in Michigan? — the timeline and its statutory floor.
-
How to Avoid Probate in Michigan — the transfers that pass outside it.
-
How Much Does a Will Cost in Michigan? — execution requirements and pricing.
Fee sheets for other states
California · Texas · Florida · New York · Pennsylvania · Illinois · Ohio · Georgia · North Carolina · Connecticut · Arkansas · Indiana · Oklahoma · Oregon · New Jersey · Washington · Arizona · Colorado · Massachusetts · Maryland · Minnesota · Missouri · Alabama · Alaska · Delaware · Hawaii · Idaho · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Mississippi · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Mexico · North Dakota · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
This sheet sets out Michigan probate figures as published at the time of compilation. It is not legal advice. Figures and statutes change and their application depends on the specific estate. Confirm current figures with the Michigan courts or a licensed Michigan attorney.