The Steps of Probate in Michigan
You must go to the probate court, whether online, in person or both, complete and file the initial paperwork. Court fees will be paid at that time. Once appointed the steps you will take to complete the probate process. A very quick general summary follows:
Step 1: Upon acceptance of the paperwork the probate estate, including the original will (if there is one) you will be appointed the personal representative.
Step 2: Step 3: Within 14 days after your appointment send out notice of appointment. Here you will notify the persons who have a legal interest in the estate. For example these will include a living spouse and children
Step 3: Give official notice to known creditors and publish the notice to creditors in a local legal newspaper for the county. This later step covers the bases for creditors you do not know about.
Step 4: Get access to accounts of the deceased through you official “Letters of Appointment” as personal representative that you got from the probate court.
Step 5: Set up the estate bank account and pay the bills of the estate. Note your costs and fees are part of the bills of the estate, which you will pay upon completion of your administration.
Step 6: Prepare and serve the estate inventory on all interested persons
Step 7: When all business of the estate is done you will be able to distribute the estate property to the beneficiaries. This process may include distribution a share of the money in the estate account and retitling title to the beneficiaries.
Some estates are simple and the above steps are time consuming but not difficult. As you probably already know others can be very complicated and difficult. In those cases you would be wise to hire an attorney to help you with the process.
There other items of business that have to be addressed, such as filing an income tax return, but these are not part of the probate process.
Good luck to you!