Educational guide — not legal advice. Costs vary by attorney and Michigan county. Always get a written engagement letter with the exact fee before any work begins.
The short answer
“Estate plan” ranges from a single will to a full trust package, so the price depends on what you need:
| What you’re getting | Typical Michigan cost |
|---|---|
| Basic will only | $200–$600 |
| Will + financial POA + patient advocate designation/living will (basic plan) | $500–$1,500 |
| Revocable living trust package (trust + pour-over will + POAs + directive) | $1,500–$3,500 |
| Complex plan (blended family, special needs, business, out-of-state property) | $3,500–$8,000+ |
| Online will (simple situation) | $0–$300 |
Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor run at the higher end; smaller Michigan markets run lower. Re-verify current quotes locally.
What each package includes
A basic will ($200–$600)
A Michigan-compliant will customized to your wishes, guidance on naming a personal representative and guardians for minor children, and a signing with two witnesses (plus a notary for the self-proving affidavit). It does not include powers of attorney, a patient advocate designation, or a trust — those are separate.
A full basic estate plan ($500–$1,500)
The will plus the documents most adults need:
- Durable financial power of attorney — names someone to manage your money if you can’t.
- Patient advocate designation — Michigan’s name for a health care power of attorney (MCL 700.5506), naming someone to make medical decisions.
- Living will / statement of wishes — your end-of-life preferences.
- Often a HIPAA authorization so your advocate can access records.
For most Michigan families, this is the sweet spot — a complete plan for a modest flat fee.
A revocable living trust package ($1,500–$3,500)
Everything above plus a revocable living trust and a pour-over will. In Michigan this is worth it mainly for privacy, incapacity planning, out-of-state property, or controlling how heirs receive assets — not always just to avoid probate, since a Lady Bird deed can pass your home for a few hundred dollars. Ask whether trust funding is included.
A complex plan ($3,500–$8,000+)
Blended families, special-needs beneficiaries, business succession, or out-of-state property. The price reflects real attorney time.
Why the probate cost matters here
Michigan has no state estate or inheritance tax, so death taxes aren’t a factor. But Michigan probate has a distinctive line item:
- A mandatory probate inventory fee (MCL 600.871), charged on the date-of-death value of the probate estate — roughly $363 on a $100,000 estate up to ~$1,175 on a $1 million estate.
- No statutory attorney or executor fee percentage — both are “reasonable compensation,” typically hourly.
- ~$175 filing fee, plus creditor-notice publication (~$100–$200).
Because the inventory fee scales with the value that goes through probate, keeping your home out of probate saves real money — which is why Michigan planning leans on Lady Bird deeds and beneficiary designations. See Do You Need a Living Trust in Michigan? and Lady Bird Deed vs. Living Trust in Michigan.
Online and DIY options
For simple situations, online services (FreeWill, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, Quicken WillMaker) produce Michigan-compliant wills for $0–$300. They’re a good fit when your situation is straightforward and you can confidently answer a guided questionnaire.
Michigan also recognizes holographic (handwritten) wills if they’re dated, signed, and the material portions are in your handwriting — valid, but easy to get wrong, so a typed, witnessed will (or a good online will) is safer. See Does a Will Have to Be Notarized in Michigan?.
A reasonable rule: if you can answer every question on the questionnaire without hesitation, online is fine. The moment you’re unsure — a blended family, a special-needs child, a business — that’s when a Michigan attorney earns the fee.
Ways to spend less
- Buy the plan you need, not the trust you don’t. For most Michiganders, the will-based plan plus a Lady Bird deed is enough.
- Use a Lady Bird deed for the home instead of a full trust when your situation is simple.
- Do the prep work — know your personal representative, guardians, and beneficiaries before meeting the attorney.
- Comparison-shop — flat-fee quotes vary across Michigan; get two or three.
- Keep beneficiary designations current — accounts pass outside probate for free, shrinking the inventory fee.
The honest takeaway
For most middle-class Michiganders, a $500–$1,500 attorney package — will, financial POA, and patient advocate designation — plus a Lady Bird deed on the home is a complete plan, and there’s no state death tax to worry about. Add a living trust ($1,500–$3,500) only if you want privacy, incapacity protection, out-of-state coverage, or control over how heirs receive assets. The biggest mistakes here are doing nothing, or overpaying for a trust when a low-cost Lady Bird deed would keep the home out of probate.
Common questions
Do you need a lawyer to make a will in Michigan?
No. You can make a valid Michigan will yourself or online — typed and witnessed by two people, or (with strict rules) handwritten. An attorney is worth it for complex situations or the certainty of professional drafting.
Does Michigan have an estate or inheritance tax?
No — Michigan has neither a state estate tax nor an inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax, which affects only very large estates (in the millions), applies — so death taxes are a non-issue for nearly all Michigan families.
How much does a living trust cost in Michigan?
Typically $1,500–$3,500 from an attorney for a full trust package, or $300–$600 online for a simple situation. Consider whether a Lady Bird deed would do the job for less.
What is a patient advocate designation in Michigan?
Michigan’s version of a health care power of attorney (MCL 700.5506). It names someone to make medical decisions for you if you can’t, and it’s a standard part of a full Michigan estate plan.
What’s the difference between the plan cost and probate cost in Michigan?
The plan cost ($200–$3,500) is what you pay now to create documents while you’re alive. Probate cost after death includes the inventory fee (up to ~$1,175+), filing fees, publication, and attorney time. Spending a little now — especially on a Lady Bird deed — is often what keeps the later probate cost and inventory fee low or eliminates them.
Is a mental competency or witnessing requirement part of the cost?
No extra charge, but worth knowing: a valid Michigan will needs two witnesses (or must be a proper handwritten will), and you must be of sound mind when you sign. Attorney packages include a proper signing; if you DIY, follow the witnessing rules exactly. See Does a Will Have to Be Notarized in Michigan?.
Related reading
- Do You Need a Living Trust in Michigan?
- Lady Bird Deed vs. Living Trust in Michigan
- Does a Will Have to Be Notarized in Michigan?
- Estate Planning in Michigan: The Complete Guide
- How Much Does a Living Trust Cost?
Educational information only — not legal advice. Michigan estate-planning costs vary by attorney, county, and complexity; figures are 2026 estimates. Always get a written engagement letter before any work begins. Sources: MCL 600.871; Michigan Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC), MCL 700.5506; State Bar of Michigan.