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What Delays Probate in Michigan?

Skipping the newspaper notice to save a small fee is the single costliest shortcut a Michigan personal representative can take — it can turn a 4-month window into a 3-year one.

MCL 700, Article III

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Quick answer: the biggest delay risks in Michigan are skipping creditor notice publication, ending up in supervised administration, and a disallowed claim that goes to a lawsuit. Estimate your own timeline with the Michigan probate timeline calculator.

1. Skipping or botching creditor notice publication

The stakes: the 4-month creditor claim window under MCL 700.3803(1)(a) only starts once notice has actually been published. Skip that step — sometimes to save a modest newspaper fee — and the estate can instead face creditor claims for up to 3 years after death under § 3803(1)(c). It's the single most consequential shortcut a Michigan personal representative can take, precisely because the cost of skipping it looks small at the time.

2. Ending up in supervised administration

Supervised administration requires court approval for nearly every significant action — selling an asset, paying a claim, making a distribution. That ongoing oversight is why it routinely runs well past informal administration's typical timeline, and it's the track disputes among heirs or an uncertain will often push an estate into.

3. A disallowed claim that turns into a lawsuit

When a personal representative formally disallows a creditor's claim, the creditor has 63 days to sue on it or lose it for good. If they do sue, resolving that lawsuit — discovery, a hearing, a ruling — adds real time the estate wouldn't otherwise need before it's safe to close.

4. Real estate that needs to be sold

Selling estate real estate adds its own appraisal, listing, and closing timeline. Under supervised administration, that sale may also need separate court approval, while informal administration generally allows more flexibility to proceed without a hearing at each step.

Facing probate in Michigan?

A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.

Talk to a Michigan attorney

What delays Michigan probate — frequently asked questions

Does skipping creditor notice publication delay Michigan probate?

Yes, potentially by years. Without proper publication, the 4-month claim window never starts, and the estate can face creditor claims for up to 3 years after death instead — a personal representative who skips this step to save a small publication fee risks a far larger delay.

Does supervised administration delay Michigan probate the most?

Generally yes, among the tracks. Court approval required at nearly every step routinely extends supervised administration well past informal administration's typical 7-to-12-month range.

Does a disallowed creditor claim delay Michigan probate?

It can, if the creditor sues. Once a claim is formally disallowed, the creditor has 63 days to file suit or lose the claim — but if they do sue, resolving that lawsuit adds real time before the estate can safely close.

Does real estate delay Michigan probate?

It can add time when it needs to be sold, particularly under supervised administration where the sale may require separate court approval — informal administration generally allows more flexibility to sell without a hearing for each step.

Keep going

Michigan Probate Timeline CalculatorYour estimate, based on your answers Michigan Probate DeadlinesEvery statutory date, with citations Informal vs SupervisedWhich one applies to your estate Michigan Probate vs Living TrustWould a trust have avoided this?

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on MCL 700.3803, 700.3806. Whether a specific estate will actually be delayed depends on its own facts. Consult a licensed Michigan attorney about a contested or complex estate.