Probate Costs in Michigan

Michigan’s probate costs are driven by a statutory court fee that scales with estate size, layered on top of attorney and personal representative compensation that Michigan law leaves to a “reasonable” standard rather than a fixed percentage. That combination makes Michigan’s total costs more variable than states with mandatory fee schedules, but generally more moderate than the most expensive states.

How Much Does Probate Cost in Michigan?

Michigan’s probate courts charge an inventory fee under MCL 600.871, calculated on a sliding scale based on the estate’s value. For estates between $100,000 and $500,000, the fee is $362.50 plus 0.125% of the amount over $100,000; above $500,000, it’s that base amount plus $62.50 for every additional $100,000 (or fraction) of value.

Estate Value	Statutory Inventory Fee	Typical Attorney + PR Fees (reasonable, estimated)
$300,000	$612.50	roughly 2-4% of estate value
$500,000	$862.50	roughly 2-4% of estate value
$1,000,000	$1,175.00	roughly 2-4% of estate value

Math basis for the inventory fee: $300,000 = $362.50 + (0.125% × $200,000) = $612.50. $500,000 = $362.50 + (0.125% × $400,000) = $862.50. $1,000,000 = $862.50 + (5 × $62.50 for each $100,000 above $500,000) = $1,175.00. The attorney and personal representative fee range is a general estimate based on typical practice reported by Michigan probate attorneys, not a statutory figure — flag this as secondary-sourced and confirm actual billing with counsel, since Michigan law sets no percentage benchmark.

Michigan’s Fee System

Michigan does not use a mandatory percentage schedule for attorney or personal representative fees. Under MCL 700.3719, a personal representative is entitled to “reasonable compensation” for services performed, and may pay themselves periodically without prior court approval. If a will sets a specific fee and the personal representative doesn’t like it, they can renounce that provision and instead claim reasonable compensation. An attorney who also serves as personal representative must keep detailed time records under the statute.

Because there’s no fixed schedule, families should get a written fee agreement or hourly rate estimate from the attorney and executor up front.

Court and Filing Fees

Beyond the inventory fee under §600.871, Michigan probate courts charge an initial filing fee of roughly $175 to open an estate, per county fee schedules such as Macomb County’s and Wayne County’s, consistent with the statewide Probate Court Fee Tables published by the Michigan courts. Add publication costs for the notice to creditors and certified copy fees, and total court-related costs commonly run several hundred dollars before attorney and personal representative compensation.

How Long Probate Takes in Michigan

The creditor claims period under MCL 700.3801 is 4 months from the date of first publication, and an estate generally can’t close until at least 5 months after the proceeding commenced. Informal, unsupervised administration — the path most Michigan estates use — typically takes 6 to 9 months for straightforward, uncontested cases. Estates that require court supervision, involve real estate sales, or face disputes among heirs routinely take longer.

Small Estate Shortcuts

Michigan offers two main simplified procedures:

• Collection by affidavit: Available at least 28 days after death for estates consisting only of personal property (no real estate) that fall under the small estate threshold — $53,000 for deaths in 2026, per Kent County’s small estates guidance. This figure adjusts annually for inflation, so confirm the exact current-year number before relying on it.
• Assignment of property (petition and order, MCL 700.3982): A court-supervised process using Form PC 556 that can include real estate, available when the gross estate (after funeral and burial expenses) falls under the same small estate threshold.

Both procedures avoid the inventory fee schedule that applies to formal or informal supervised administration and dramatically cut attorney time.

How to Reduce or Avoid Probate in Michigan

Because Michigan’s inventory fee and reasonable-fee standard both scale with the size and complexity of the probate estate, keeping assets out of probate has a direct cost benefit:

• Revocable living trust: Assets titled in a trust avoid the inventory fee entirely and bypass the reasonable-compensation billing tied to formal administration.
• Lady Bird deed (enhanced life estate deed): Michigan is one of a handful of states that recognizes this deed, which lets a homeowner retain full control of the property during life while it passes directly to a named beneficiary at death, avoiding probate and preserving certain tax and Medicaid advantages. It is well-established in Michigan case law and title standards, though it is not created by a specific statute.
• Beneficiary designations: Retirement accounts, life insurance, and payable-on-death bank accounts pass directly to named beneficiaries outside probate.
• Joint tenancy with right of survivorship: Property held this way passes to the surviving owner automatically, with its own control and liability tradeoffs.

Disorganized records are a common driver of extra billable hours in Michigan probate, since both the personal representative and attorney bill for time spent locating and valuing assets. Keeping deeds, account numbers, and digital access organized in one place, as with Eternal Vault’s document organization, can meaningfully shorten that work. For a broader state-by-state comparison, see the complete probate guide.

Costs vary by county and case; this is general information, not legal advice. Consult a licensed Michigan probate attorney for guidance on your specific situation.