Probate Law
Handling legal affairs after the death of a loved one can be emotionally trying and frustrating. Whether your loved one left a valid will or simply expected everything to go to a surviving spouse or child, probate issues are often complex. Even when an estate isn’t very large, assets may have to go through the Michigan probate courts to determine their final disposition. Having an experienced probate professional handle the final affairs can help you concentrate on your family, rather than on court proceedings.
To learn more about the probate process in Michigan and how we can assist you, call us at 248-545-2500.
Comprehensive Probate and Estate Administration Services
Serving Royal Oak, Southfield and beyond, Collens Estate Law, has served as legal counsel for hundreds of families in Royal Oak and Michigan and throughout the United States. When the death of a loved one arrives, our Detroit probate lawyers offer compassionate assistance in probating and administering the estate.
Whether the estate involves a will, a trust, a handwritten document or no written document at all, we provide counsel for everything relating to final estate administration, including:
- Gathering all records
- Taking inventory of assets
- Identifying heirs
- Distributing bequests to heirs and beneficiaries
- Administering trusts
- Notifying and paying creditors
- Handling life insurance issues
- Final tax issues
- Probating the estate in court
- Real estate transactions in probate
- Conservatorships
- Guardianships
How Are Estates Probated In Michigan?
There are several ways to probate a final estate in Michigan:
- A supervised probate requires hearings before a probate judge to determine the final disposition and distribution of assets.
- An unsupervised estate requires more limited court oversight without the need for as many hearings. A formal hearing may be necessary to finalize matters that may be in dispute.
- Lastly, an informal unsupervised probate estate is handled completely through court filings and paperwork without the need to go to a formal hearing before a probate judge. An experienced probate lawyer will answer your questions about what type of probate procedure your family’s estate will require.
We can also provide you with several strategies that you can use during the estate planning process to avoid probate.
When Your Family Member Owned Property in Michigan But Lived In Another State
If the deceased lived in another state but owned property in Michigan, our Royal Oak attorneys can assist executors and administrators from other states with the ancillary administration of a Michigan estate. For smaller estates without property, we can assist your family members in assets transitions
— sometimes without the need for a full-blown probate estate proceeding.
Contact Our Oakland County Probate Court Attorneys
After the death of a loved one, contact our Michigan probate law attorneys at 248-545-2500. We serve people in the Detroit metro area and throughout Michigan.
