Muskegon firm with a Grand Haven office, handling probate court matters throughout West Michigan and serving clients in Muskegon, Mason, Oceana, Newaygo, Kent, Lake and Ottawa Counties. Its trust and estate administration team opens probate estates, publishes creditor notices, and prepares small-estate affidavits, accountings and federal estate tax returns; it also handles guardianships.
Probate in Kent County
Probate Court Record
Kent County Probate Court
Kent County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
180 Ottawa Avenue Northwest, Suite 2500, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Website
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 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.
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.
Downtown Traverse City multi-practice firm representing individuals throughout Michigan, and financial institutions across the state, the Midwest and the country. Handles probate and estate administration and trust administration, and offers guardianships and conservatorships, alongside wills, trusts, special needs trusts and Medicaid planning.
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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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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Do I Need Probate?
In Michigan, estates with personal property of $53,000MCL 700.3983Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Affidavit of Decedent's SuccessorMCL 700.3983Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 28 daysMCL 700.3983Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death.
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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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Can I Self-File Probate?
In Michigan, informal probate is availableMCL 700.3302Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
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