A Brief Outline of Michigan Probate Forms
Probate is one of the most difficult legal processes to get though, and the state of Michigan, with its significant oversight and regulation, just makes it more difficult. Creditors will have to be notified, taxes will have to be drawn, and the court will have to be notified every step of the way via Michigan probate forms. The worse part of it is that if you fill out your Michigan probate forms incorrectly or too late, and your probate can stretch on for well over a year, and you may be hit with significant penalty fees as well.
However, the good news is that it doesn’t take too much effort to keep track of your Michigan probate forms. Visit your district court to get all the information you need, and print out every available Michigan probate form at the court’s website, here. In the meantime, look at this outline below to get an idea concerning the most important Michigan probate forms that you’ll need to file.
• Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative
This will likely be the first Michigan probate form that you file, and it may also be the most important, containing decisions that will affect the rest of the probate procedure. First, you will note in the Michigan probate form whether you need testate or intestate probate. The different is that testate refers to the presence of a will and intestate does not. If a will is present, it likely names an executor to help distribute the estate’s property, and that person will have to apply here as a personal representative of the estate. However, if no executor is mentioned, than an administrator will have to be named in this Michigan probate form. Be careful when making this decision because the administrator has a tremendous amount of power with the estate’s funds. Print out this petition here.
• Petition and Order to Open Safe-Deposit Box to Locate Will or Burial Deed
Though it won’t necessarily be used like the Petition for Probate, the Petition to Open a Safe Deposit Box will likely be the first Michigan probate form filed when it’s filed. That’s because heirs need to be aware of a will before probate processes begin so that they can appropriate the estate’s property according to the deceased's wishes. Print this Michigan probate form here.
• Notice to Creditors
It is Michigan law that all creditors should be aware of the deaths of their debtors and that they should be given an ample amount of months during which to collect the funds owed to them. Thus, all personal representatives of an estate must file this Michigan probate form with the court. Print it here.
• Order for Complete Estate Settlement
One all the proper channels have been gone through and a fixed plan has been settled upon for how the estate’s funds will be divided, this Michigan probate form can be filed, officially bringing a close to the probate procedure. Print it out here.
