Probate and Estate Administration

Probate and estate administration in Wayne County is the court supervised transfer of assets of a deceased person to their heirs. In basic terms, the Wayne County Court appoints a Personal Representative. This executor gathers the assets, pays their debts and final expenses, and transfers property to the heirs. Having a lawyer familiar with the process will make it much easier than you may think.

Avoiding Estate Administration

When a person passes away, not all property passes through an estate. Some property transfers automatically without the court being involved at all. For example:

• any property owned as a joint tenant, however, but not as a tenant in common.
• assets with a beneficiary like a 401k or life insurance policy.
• any property owned by a trust.

Non-probate assets transfer automatically by operation of law. However, property that is in just the decedent’s name without a beneficiary is a probate asset.

Wills Guarantee Probate

A Last Will and Testament does not avoid probate. In fact, it guarantees it. Consider it a letter from the deceased person to the Wayne County Court as to their final wishes. A Will typically names a Personal Representative to oversee the estate.

Probate and estate administration in Michigan can be overwhelming if you have never done it before. However, our attorneys have decades of experience in Wayne County Court and can assist with issues like probate, decedent’s estates, guardianships, conservatorships and contested probate litigation.

Our firm also regularly provides assistance with those who need help with a decedent’s estate but the executor or personal representative either lives in a different state or outside the Metro Detroit area. We can handle all aspects of your estate matter efficiently and, in many but not all cases, without you ever having to go to court.

Please call today at 313-291-0240 and set an appointment for a review of your probate or estate administration matter. We will explain your options and give you enough information for you to make an informed decision.