Estate Planning Attorneys in Michigan

94 estate planning firms in Michigan, by county and firm type.

Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.

94 firms

FirmTroy, MI

Akeel & Valentine, PLC

Serves 2 counties

Troy and Dearborn firm serving Detroit-area families from offices in Oakland and Wayne Counties. Prepares wills, trusts, financial and health care powers of attorney, living wills and advance directives, and represents clients at probate hearings when an estate is contested or has no plan. A small boutique whose estate work sits beside its employment and civil-rights practice.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbatePowers Of AttorneyWills Trusts

Office: 888 W Big Beaver Road, Suite 350Troy, MI 48084
Phone: (248) 918-4542

Solo PracticeLudington, MI

Carlos Alvarado Law PC

Serves 1 county

Ludington law office in Mason County, a member of the Mason-Lake Bar Association. Prepares wills, trusts and powers of attorney, names guardians for minor children, and handles probate administration for families settling an estate. Real estate title work, business law and immigration law round out the practice.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness LawReal EstateWills Trusts

Office: 202 S Harrison StreetLudington, MI 49431
Phone: (231) 425-4444

FirmBay City, MI

Great Lakes Bay Law Group: Birchler, Fitzhugh, Purtell & Brissette, PLC

Since 1945 · Serves 3 counties

Downtown Bay City firm serving the Tri-Cities of Bay City, Saginaw and Midland since 1945. Probates decedents' estates, handles conservatorships and guardianships, and represents trustees and beneficiaries in trust administration, alongside wills, trusts and estate tax planning. Its attorneys belong to the Bay County Bar Association and the Northeastern Michigan Estate Planning Council.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 3 more

Office: 703 Washington Avenue, Suite 200Bay City, MI 48708
Phone: (989) 892-0591

FirmEscanaba, MI

Miller, Parmet & Budkis, P.C.

Since 1941 · Serves 4 counties

Escanaba firm at the corner of North 9th and Ludington Streets that has served Michigan's Upper Peninsula since 1941. Handles wills, trusts and probate, including guardianships and conservatorships, for Delta County families and the surrounding UP. Estate work sits beside real estate, business, family law and civil litigation.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipWills Trusts

Office: 816 Ludington StreetEscanaba, MI 49829
Phone: (906) 786-4422

FirmCass City, MI

Biddinger, Schrot & Rolando, PC

Serves 4 counties

Estate planning and elder law firm in the Thumb of Michigan, with offices in Cass City, Caro, Reese, Bad Axe and Sandusky and an appointment office in Traverse City. Guides executors through probate, supports trustees administering a trust, and petitions for guardians and conservators for incapacitated adults. Medicaid and long-term care planning is a core part of the practice.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 5 more

Office: 4415 Seeger StreetCass City, MI 48726
Phone: (989) 872-5601

FirmBenton Harbor, MI

Banyon Fette Law

Serves 1 county

Benton Harbor firm at the Napier exit of I-94 serving Berrien County. Guides personal representatives through probate notices, creditor deadlines and closing the estate, advises trustees on trust administration, and handles adult guardianships and conservatorships. Every attorney offers new clients a free 30-minute initial consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipGuardianship

Office: 1211 E Napier AvenueBenton Harbor, MI 49022
Phone: (269) 926-6135

Free consultation

FirmTroy, MI

Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras, P.C.

Serves 1 county

Troy firm serving Oakland County and the surrounding area for more than five decades. Represents personal representatives and trustees through probate and trust administration, and litigates will and trust contests, undue influence, claims against fiduciaries and asset-ownership disputes. Also handles conservatorships, guardianships, and Medicaid and nursing home planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more

Office: 1301 W Long Lake Road, Suite 340Troy, MI 48098
Phone: (248) 213-9514

Free consultation

FirmBingham Farms, MI

Bingham Legal Group, P.C.

Serves 3 counties

Bingham Farms firm that has guided Detroit and Oakland County families through probate for nearly three decades. Handles each stage of probate from the initial petition and asset inventory to creditor claims and distribution, administers trusts, and litigates will contests and probate and trust disputes. Guardianship, conservatorship and mediation round out the practice.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more

Office: 30100 Telegraph Road, Suite 360Bingham Farms, MI 48025
Phone: (248) 594-1919

Solo PracticeTraverse City, MI

Brandon S. Dornbusch, PLC

Serves 5 counties

Downtown Traverse City practice serving Grand Traverse and nearby Northern Michigan counties. Handles estate administration with or without a will, trust administration, challenges to wills and trusts, and guardianship and conservatorship proceedings in probate court. Also counsels high net worth clients on gift, estate and generation-skipping tax, with a complimentary consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more

Office: 107 Cass Street, Suite HTraverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 714-9392

Free consultation

Solo PracticeSault Ste. Marie, MI

David E Bulson LLC Attorney at Law

Since 1985 · Serves 5 counties

Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette office serving Michigan's Upper Peninsula since 1985. Guides executors through probate, prepares formal accountings of estates and trusts, and litigates will contests, undue influence claims, removal of trustees and executors, surcharge actions, creditor claims and probate appeals. Wills and trusts, bankruptcy and real estate round out the practice.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more

Office: 402 Ashmun StreetSault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Phone: (906) 632-1118

Solo PracticeDetroit, MI

Law Office of Brooke Lauren Archie, PLLC

Serves 2 counties

Downtown Detroit solo practice serving Wayne and Oakland Counties in estate planning and probate for more than 10 years. Handles estate administration, litigates and mediates contested estates and disputes over a fiduciary, and petitions for guardianship and conservatorship. Also serves as an independent fiduciary and prepares wills, trusts and special needs trusts, with a free consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationConservatorshipand 2 more

Office: 615 Griswold Street, Suite 1300Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: (313) 662-9758

Free consultation

FirmAnn Arbor, MI

Bassett Murray Law Group PLLC

Serves 2 counties

Ann Arbor firm serving Washtenaw County families for more than 30 years, with an appointment-only office in Petoskey. Handles probate and estate administration, guides trustees through trust administration duties, and litigates will contests, trust disputes and contested guardianships. Elder law work includes guardianship and conservatorship petitions, Medicaid planning and special needs trusts.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more

Office: 2045 Hogback RoadAnn Arbor, MI 48105
Phone: (734) 930-9200

FirmDetroit, MI

Butzel Long

Since 1854 · Serves 7 counties

Detroit firm, in practice since 1854, with estate offices in Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids and southwest Michigan. Represents personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries in estate, trust, guardianship and conservatorship administration, will contests, trust litigation, fiduciary tax returns and estate tax audits, including estates over $100 million.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more

Office: 150 W Jefferson Avenue, Suite 100Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: (313) 225-7000

FirmMuskegon, MI

Bowen Hoogstra Law Offices

Serves 1 county

Muskegon firm on Terrace Street, near the Muskegon County Governmental Complex. After a death it identifies assets, obtains appraisals, files the probate court documents and transfers assets to beneficiaries, and it handles intestate estates, will contests, trust administration, guardianships, conservatorships and Medicaid crisis planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more

Office: 1042 Terrace StreetMuskegon, MI 49442
Phone: (231) 726-4484

FirmHolland, MI

Cunningham Dalman, P.C.

Serves 3 counties

Holland firm with a Grand Rapids office, serving Zeeland, Hudsonville, Allegan and West Michigan. Administers estates with or without a will, assists trustees with trust administration, obtains guardianship and conservatorship orders, and represents beneficiaries and fiduciaries in will and trust contests and breach-of-fiduciary claims.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more

Office: 321 Settlers RoadHolland, MI 49423
Phone: (616) 392-1821

FirmFlint, MI

CF Legal, PC

Serves 3 counties

Flint firm on East Court Street, near the Genesee County Probate Court, with a Grand Blanc office. Guides personal representatives through creditor notice, inventory and distribution, uses the small-estate affidavit where it applies, administers trusts, and litigates will and trust contests over undue influence or lack of capacity. Craig Fiederlein has practiced there for 30+ years.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more

Office: 302 E Court StreetFlint, MI 48502
Phone: (810) 232-1112

FirmHuntington Woods, MI

Collens Estate Law

Serves 7 counties

Huntington Woods estate-and-probate firm practicing in the Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Monroe, Washtenaw and St. Clair County probate courts. Handles contested and uncontested probate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and litigation over wills, trusts and breach of fiduciary duty. Offers a free phone consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more

Office: 26311 Woodward AvenueHuntington Woods, MI 48070
Phone: (248) 545-2500

Free consultationVirtual consultations

FirmJackson, MI

Curtis, Curtis & Brelinski, P.C.

Since 1901 · Serves 1 county

Downtown Jackson firm founded in 1901 by former Jackson County Probate Court Judge George H. Curtis. Guides personal representatives and trustees through administration and litigates will and trust contests, power-of-attorney abuse, breach of fiduciary duty and joint-account disputes. Initial meetings are billed hourly, in person, by phone or by Zoom.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more

Office: 120 W Michigan Avenue, Suite 1500Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: (517) 787-9481

Virtual consultations

Solo PracticeSt. Clair Shores, MI

Cherf & Greenup, P.C.

Since 1973 · Serves 3 counties

St. Clair Shores firm on Little Mack Avenue, formed in 1973, serving Macomb, Wayne and Oakland County families. Represents personal representatives defending an estate and relatives challenging a will or trust on grounds of incapacity, undue influence, a later document or an omitted beneficiary, and establishes guardianships and conservatorships. Ronald J. Cherf is the firm's active attorney.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbate LitigationTrust LitigationConservatorshipand 3 more

Office: 25400 Little Mack AvenueSt. Clair Shores, MI 48081
Phone: (586) 774-2222

Free consultation

FirmLivonia, MI

Creighton, McLean & Shea, PLC

Since 1945 · Serves 2 counties

Livonia firm on Farmington Road, in practice in the city since 1945, serving Livonia, Northville, Plymouth, Dearborn Heights and Farmington Hills. Files probate petitions, manages and distributes estate assets for personal representatives, helps trustees administer and distribute trusts, and represents clients in will contests, trust disputes and guardianship contests. Offers a free consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more

Office: 14881 Farmington RoadLivonia, MI 48154
Phone: (734) 422-5900

Free consultation

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A basic revocable living trust in Michigan costs $3,460 to $5,190 when drafted by an attorney, ten to fifteen hours of work at $346 an hour. An online service prices a trust package in the low hundreds of dollars without attorney advice on your situation. The Michigan trust cost calculator carries the breakdown.

Even with a revocable trust in Michigan, you still need a will, most commonly a pour-over will that catches any asset never retitled into the trust. Whether a trust adds enough over a will-only plan turns on the situation: real property, a blended family and out-of-state assets are the common reasons. The Michigan trust-or-will tool walks through the decision.

Estate planning attorneys in Michigan average $305 an hour for wills and estates work. A flat-fee package runs $915 to $1,830 for a simple individual will and $3,460 to $5,190 for a basic revocable trust. An online service prices the same documents in the tens to low hundreds of dollars; the Michigan will cost calculator sets the two side by side.

In Michigan, estates with personal property of $53,000 or less skip probate with the Affidavit of Decedent's Successor, 28 days after death. That route is a form rather than a court case, and most families handle it without an attorney. Above the line, formal probate generally benefits from counsel for the procedural work, even when nothing is contested. The Michigan probate calculator estimates the cost by estate value.

In Michigan, the situations where counsel is typically worth the cost are: a blended family with children from a prior relationship; a business, rental property or significant investment assets; a dependent with special needs, who needs a special-needs trust to keep benefits; substantial property in more than one state. Where none of these apply, an online or self-help document is often enough.

Estate Planning Attorneys in Michigan

Estate planning attorneys focused on trusts in Michigan charge $346 per hour for trust work. A basic revocable trust runs $3,460 to $5,190 when drafted by counsel. Trusts make the most sense in Michigan when you own real property, have a blended family, or want to avoid probate court entirely.

Estate planning attorneys in Michigan charge $305 per hour for wills and estates work. A simple will done through an attorney typically runs $915–$1,830; online services cost $30–$300 for the same document.

Michigan runs a conventional probate system, so the decision to hire an attorney usually comes down to general factors: blended families, business ownership, special-needs dependents, or property in multiple states. If none of those apply, simpler tools are often enough.

Estates under $53,000 in Michigan can use a simplified affidavit instead of formal probate. Most families in that range can handle it without retaining counsel.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated October 15, 2026

Legal Sources

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Data sourced from Michigan statutes and official state code. How we research.

Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Michigan

Free Michigan forms for planning an estate or settling one: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed, and the probate forms an executor files.

$12/month

Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

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Free

Last Will and Testament

In Michigan, a will is signed before 2 witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimony.

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Free

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Michigan requires 2 witnesses for a healthcare power of attorney; notarization is not required.

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Free

Financial Power of Attorney

Michigan treats a power of attorney as durable by default, and it is signed before 2 witnesses or a notary.

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Free

Pour-Over Will

In Michigan, a pour-over will is signed before 2 witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.

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Free

Transfer on Death Deed

Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.

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All Michigan forms

Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Michigan

Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Michigan: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.

Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?

In Michigan, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.7% to 2.7% of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.

Compare Options

Do I Need a Revocable Trust?

Probate in Michigan takes 5 months to 7 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 1.7% to 2.7% of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.

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What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?

An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Michigan runs $3,460 to $5,190 and a simple will $915 to $1,830, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.

Compare Costs

How Much Does Probate Cost?

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Michigan costs an estimated $25,430. Attorney fees run 1.7% to 2.7% of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.

Use Calculator

Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?

Michigan automatically revokes an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorce; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.

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What Are the Estate Laws in My State?

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Michigan costs an estimated $25,430 and takes 5 months to 7 months for a simple estate, with attorney fees of typically 1.7% to 2.7% of the estate. Estates under $53,000 can use a small-estate procedure instead.

Check Your State

All Michigan tools