Quick answer: personal property only, no house — use the Transfer by Affidavit after 28 days. A house is involved, net value at or under $53,000 — file the Petition and Order for Assignment (Form PC 556) instead. Check which applies with the Michigan small estate checker.
Petition and Order for Assignment: step by step
- Confirm eligibility: only an heir, or someone who personally paid the funeral bill, can file.
- Value all the decedent's assets as of the date of death, including real property.
- Deduct any unpaid funeral expenses and real property liens (up to $264,000 for 2026).
- Complete Form PC 556, attach the death certificate and the funeral bill (paid or unpaid).
- File with the probate court and pay the inventory fee.
- Receive the Order of Assignment and use it to transfer the property.
Only certain people can file the petition
Transfer by Affidavit: the simpler, faster route
When no real property is involved, a notarized sworn affidavit (Form PC 598) describing the personal property and confirming the estate stays within the threshold can be presented directly to each bank or asset holder — no petition, no court order, and no filing fee, once 28 days have passed since death.
A modest fee for the court path
The Petition and Order for Assignment carries an inventory fee that varies with the value of the assets listed, plus a small certification fee (typically around $10, plus $1 per page) if a certified copy of the order is needed later.
A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.
The $53,000 threshold and the lien-deduction cap apply the same way in Wayne, Oakland, and every other Michigan county — only the local inventory fee schedule differs.