What Does Estate Planning Cost in Michigan?

Major life events like marriage, divorce, or having a child often require updating your estate plan. Some providers require purchasing an entirely new plan, while others offer amendments. Attorney amendments in Michigan typically cost $1,384 to $2,768 for major changes.

Online services have lower upfront costs ($30-$600) compared to attorneys in Michigan (around $346/hour for trusts). However, total lifetime cost depends on subscription fees, amendment charges, and how often life events require updates. This calculator compares the full cost across providers.

Many online estate planning services charge annual subscription fees ranging from $0 to $240/year. These subscriptions may include document access, minor amendments, or attorney consultations depending on the provider and tier.

Trusts cost more upfront than wills but can save money long-term by avoiding probate. In Michigan, an attorney-prepared trust typically costs $3,460 to $5,190, while a will costs $915 to $1,830. Wills require probate, which adds about $25,067 in costs for heirs on a $500,000 estate. See a detailed breakdown with the Michigan trust cost calculator.

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Michigan costs about $25,067 — roughly 5% of estate value — including attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and publication costs.MCL 700.3982, 700.3983 (small estate; base $50K set by PA 1 of 2024, adjusted by 2023 COLA factor per MCL 700.1210; 2026 adjusted amounts: $53K affidavit/petition threshold per MCL 700.3983 and 700.3982(1)&(2); $264K real-property indebtedness deduction cap per MCL 700.3982(5) — confirmed via Michigan Treasury COLA notice dated 2026-01-30, Table B); MCL 700.3803 (4-mo creditor claims from publication; 3-yr if no publication); MCL 700.3801 (publication duty); MCR 5.208 (publication mechanics); MCL 700.3719 (PR reasonable compensation); MCL 700.3721 (attorney reasonable compensation); MCL 700.3603 (bond not required in informal probate by default); MCL 600.871 (inventory fee schedule — all tiers verified); MCL 600.880 (filing fee: $150 civil action; $25 for MCL 700.3982 petition); MCL 700.3302 (informal probate by the probate register); MCL 700.3704 (unsupervised administration); MCL 700.3501 (supervised admin). Verified 2026-07-14 against legislature.mi.gov and the Michigan Treasury EPIC cost-of-living-adjustment notice signed 2026-01-30 (Tables A and B).Verified Jul 15, 2026 Estates with a trust can bypass probate entirely, potentially saving heirs thousands of dollars. Estimate probate fees with the Michigan probate calculator.