Losing a loved one is never easy, and the last thing you should have to worry about during such a painful time is a lot of complex and unfamiliar legal procedures. Yet after someone passes away in Michigan, their family is often left to manage their financial affairs and oversee the distribution of their assets through probate and estate administration. This process can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already coping with grief, and you deserve to have a dedicated attorney to provide guidance, handle the details, and manage things with care and respect.
At Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC, we are here to provide all that and more. Contact us for an initial case evaluation with a probate and estate administration lawyer in East Lansing, and let us support you when you need it most. Our clients live in local communities like Okemos, Grand Ledge, and DeWitt.
Probate and estate administration are the processes of managing the estate assets of someone who has passed away. Estate administration may occur through affidavit or under the management of a court-appointed personal representative. It involves:
In Michigan, the probate process will vary depending on the type of probate proceeding your family chooses. The types of probate available in Michigan are as follows.
Michigan permits a small estate proceeding for estates valued at $51,000 or less (for decedents who passed away in 2025). A small estate proceeding may involve:
A small estate proceeding ignores a decedent’s will, instead passing the decedent’s assets to their surviving spouse, or if the decedent had no surviving spouse, to their surviving children or grandchildren.
In Michigan, an informal probate proceeding occurs before a probate register rather than a judge. Informal probate involves a more straightforward process than formal probate. Families may choose an informal probate proceeding to distribute a loved one’s estate per the terms of their will.
The executor named in the decedent’s will, a family member, or a beneficiary of the decedent’s estate can file an application for informal probate and appointment of personal representative, along with the decedent’s will and a certified copy of their death certificate. The person seeking appointment as the personal representative must notify any person with an equal or greater right to serve as a personal representative.
Once the probate register approves the application, the petitioner or another party appointed as personal representative may administer the decedent’s estate. The personal representative must gather and inventory the estate, notify creditors, pay the estate’s debts and taxes, and distribute remaining assets to heirs or beneficiaries named in the decedent’s will.
A formal probate proceeding in Michigan is overseen by a probate judge. An interested party can petition for a formal probate, either by probating a decedent’s will or finding the decedent intestate (that is, they died without a valid will). Any party petitioning for formal probate must provide notice of the petition to other interested parties. A petition can also ask the probate judge to appoint a specific individual to serve as the personal representative of the estate or to set aside an informal probate proceeding.
During formal probate, the probate judge will hold a hearing to determine the decedent’s legal residence, the validity of the decedent’s will (if they left one), and who should serve as the personal representative of the estate. The hearing will also resolve any challenges to the will.
An appointed personal representative may not distribute any estate assets except with the judge’s approval. The personal representative must also prepare an inventory of the estate’s assets, provide notice of the probate proceeding to the estate’s creditors, pay the estate’s debts, expenses, and taxes, and distribute remaining assets as ordered by the probate judge.
An interested party can also petition a probate judge for a supervised probate. The judge may order a supervised probate if the decedent’s will requires it or if the judge otherwise finds that the decedent’s estate requires supervision, in which case they will oversee all activities related to the estate.
Common issues or complexities that can arise in a probate or estate administration proceeding include:
An experienced lawyer in East Lansing can help you mitigate or avoid the challenges that you or your family may face when probating a loved one’s estate.
Administering a loved one’s estate in East Lansing is often a complex and time-consuming legal process. Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC can guide your family through each step of the estate administration process by:
There are many probate and estate administration lawyers in East Lansing, but you want one whom you can trust during a sensitive and challenging time. Choose Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC for guidance because:
Have you recently lost a loved one in East Lansing, DeWitt, Williamson, or elsewhere in the area? If so, your family deserves the help of a knowledgeable probate lawyer to navigate the estate administration process. Contact Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC for a confidential consultation and learn how our firm can assist you and your family through the probate and estate administration process.
Nick Leydorf is ready to help you with estate planning and elder law. Let Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC put our experience and diligent legal representation to work for you. Contact us today to learn how Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC can help you.
It’s never too early to get your plans in order. If you’re ready to plan for your future and protect your loved ones, reach out to Nick today to arrange your initial consultation with an estate planning attorney in East Lansing.
