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Michigan Probate vs Living Trust Calculator

Michigan's inventory fee can't be waived, even if the executor takes nothing — it's the one line item a trust removes outright, not just negotiates down.

Probate side: MCL 700.3719, 700.3721, 600.871 FigureMyTax Editorial Team Free · no sign-up

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Your Michigan estate

Enter your estate's inventory value — we'll estimate Michigan probate cost (informal administration) and compare it to a typical trust setup cost.

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Estimated Michigan probate cost vs trust setup
Probate (estimated)
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Living trust setup
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Is it worth it for me? →
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Michigan probate cost vs living trust cost

The probate side of this comparison reuses the same approach as the Michigan Probate Cost Calculator: a reasonable executor fee under MCL 700.3719 (typically 2–4%, no statutory percentage), a comparable reasonable attorney fee under § 700.3721, plus Michigan's statutory inventory fee under MCL 600.871 — a tiered court fee, roughly $862.50 on a $500,000 estate, that cannot be waived. The trust side is market data, not a statutory figure: Michigan attorneys typically charge roughly $1,500–$5,190 for a revocable living trust. See the full breakdown in Michigan Living Trust Setup Cost.

The inventory fee is worth calling out specifically: unlike the executor fee, it applies no matter what — even a family member who waives their own compensation entirely still generates this cost for any asset that passes through the probate inventory. A properly funded trust sidesteps it completely, since trust assets never enter that inventory.

Michigan probate vs living trust — frequently asked questions

Is a living trust worth it in Michigan?

For most estates above the small-estate threshold, yes — reasonable executor and attorney fees together commonly run 4–8% of the estate, plus Michigan's statutory inventory fee, which cannot be waived and applies whether or not the executor takes a fee at all.

How much does Michigan probate cost compared to a living trust?

On a $500,000 estate, reasonable executor and attorney fees commonly total $10,000–$20,000, plus the statutory inventory fee (about $862.50 at that value) and a filing fee. A Michigan living trust typically costs roughly $1,500–$5,190 to set up with an attorney.

Can the Michigan inventory fee be avoided?

Not for assets that go through probate — it applies regardless of whether the personal representative waives their own compensation. Assets held in a properly funded trust never generate this fee at all, since they never enter the probate inventory.

Michigan living trust tools & guides

Michigan Living Trust Setup CostThe market-rate breakdown Is a Living Trust Worth It in Michigan?A decision framework Michigan Living Trust Funding MistakesWhy trusts still fail to avoid probate Michigan Probate Cost CalculatorThe reasonable-fee + inventory-fee breakdown Michigan Probate Timeline CalculatorHow long probate would take

This calculator provides an estimate for general guidance only and is not legal or financial advice. Probate-side figures are based on Michigan statute (MCL 700.3719, 700.3721, 600.871) using typical reasonable-fee percentages, not a statutory schedule. Trust-side figures are illustrative market rates, not a legal or statutory amount, and vary by attorney and estate complexity. Confirm current figures with a licensed Michigan estate planning attorney before acting.