East Lansing firm with a second office in Mt. Pleasant, practicing in the probate courts of Ingham, Clinton, Eaton, Isabella and other mid-Michigan counties. Represents personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries in probate and trust administration, from marshalling assets to notice to creditors and estate taxes. Also litigates will contests, trust disputes and undue influence claims.
Probate in Jackson County
Probate Court Record
Jackson County Probate Court
Jackson County
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Hours
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How to file probate in Jackson County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Jackson County? →Settling an estate in Jackson County →
Probate Litigation Firms Serving Jackson County
Lansing firm tracing its origins to 1902, with a Trusts and Estates group in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Holland, Southfield and Detroit serving families, family businesses and fiduciaries throughout Michigan. The group handles trust and estate administration and trust and estate litigation, alongside gift tax, business succession, and Medicaid and elder law planning.
Lansing firm in the Boji Tower, tracing its practice to 1883 and the Michigan member of SCG Legal. Its trusts and estates team works with personal representatives and trustees through probate and trust administration, represents beneficiaries and fiduciaries in estate and trust disputes, and handles guardianship and conservatorship petitions and Medicaid planning.
Kalamazoo firm with a Grand Rapids office, handling probate administration in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and across Michigan. Brings and defends will and trust contests and breach of fiduciary duty claims against trustees and personal representatives. Drafts wills, trusts, special needs trusts, and Medicaid plans, with a fixed price quote for estate plans.
Multi-practice firm with Michigan offices in Grand Rapids, Traverse City and Detroit, appearing in the Grand Traverse County Probate Court and the surrounding Northern Michigan courts. Represents personal representatives, heirs and beneficiaries through Michigan probate, guides trustees through trust administration, and handles will challenges and disputes over a personal representative.
Southfield and Grand Rapids probate firm assisting clients statewide and out-of-state heirs with Michigan probate matters. Handles decedent estate administration, including small estates, intestate and high-debt estates and ancillary probate, along with trust administration, will contests, trust and fiduciary litigation, heir and creditor disputes, and guardianships and conservatorships.
All 8 Michigan probate litigation firms serving Jackson County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Michigan
Free Michigan forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Michigan.
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Last Will and Testament
In Michigan, a will is signed before 2MCL 700.2502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyMCL 700.2502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Michigan
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Michigan: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Michigan.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Michigan costs an estimated $25,430MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.7%Modeled estimate under MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%Modeled estimate under MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Michigan, a surviving spouse takes the first $301,000 plus half of the restMCL § 700.2102Verified Oct 21, 2026View source when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per capita at each generationMCL § 700.2106Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Michigan, creditors have 4 monthsMCL 700.3803Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Michigan: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 91 daysMCL 700.3706, 700.3707, 700.3708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsMCL 700.3801, 700.3803, 700.3804, 700.3805, 700.3806; MCR 5.208, MCR 5.106Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 5 months to 7 months.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Michigan pays executors reasonable compensationMCL 700.3719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.
