Probate in Kent County

Probate Court Record

Kent County Probate Court

Kent County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Office

180 Ottawa Avenue Northwest, Suite 2500, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Filing in person

Walk-ins accepted

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

How to file probate in Kent County →

Verified October 15, 2026 · Source

Do I need a lawyer for probate in Kent County? →Settling an estate in Kent County →

Probate Litigation Firms Serving Kent County

Cadillac firm with a Reed City office and over 50 years of service, citing one of the largest estate administration practices in northwest Michigan. Helps personal representatives and trustees with intestate estates, unusual assets such as oil and gas rights, post-death tax planning, will and trust contests, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Also handles guardianships and conservatorships.

Serves 2 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+5

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.

Since 1883Serves the whole stateEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+7

All 11 Michigan probate litigation firms serving Kent 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.

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Revocable Living Trust

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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