State guide
Michigan
Michigan probate creditor notice is governed by EPIC and Michigan Court Rule 5.208, which require publication plus mailed or personal notice to known creditors. Michigan also has simplified small-estate options, including a sworn-statement procedure whose dollar amount is adjusted under statute.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Publishing the notice
- Michigan requires the personal representative to publish one notice to creditors in a county newspaper that qualifies under MCR 2.106(F); that rule defines the newspaper standards, and no official statewide probate-newspaper list was found.
- Creditor claim deadline
- 4 months after publication; known creditors get the later of 4 months after publication or 1 month after service
- Law
- MCL 700.3801; MCL 700.3803; MCR 5.208; MCR 2.106(F)
- Small-estate limit
- $53,000 or less for a decedent who died in 2026 (Michigan Legal Help); statute for sworn statement uses $50,000 adjusted under MCL 700.1210
Official resources in Michigan
Official court rule covering publication of notice to creditors, known-creditor notice, and claim presentment.
Official Michigan Legislature page for collection of personal property by sworn statement, including the adjusted dollar cap reference.
Michigan Judicial Branch forms portal with estates, trusts, and probate forms residents use to start and administer cases.
Statewide guided-help page explaining which Michigan small-estate path may fit and the current 2026 threshold it lists.
Key facts for Michigan
- MCL 700.3801 and MCR 5.208 require notice to creditors by publication after appointment.
- MCR 5.208 says claims are forever barred unless presented within 4 months after publication.
- MCL 700.3803 gives known creditors the later of 4 months after publication or 1 month after mailed notice.
- MCR 2.106(F) defines a qualifying newspaper, including weekly circulation, English-language print publication, and website posting.
- Michigan Legal Help says the small-estate process works for estates worth $53,000 or less for someone who died in 2026.
- MCR 5.208 says no creditor notice is needed if the decedent has been dead more than 3 years.
What to do next
- Publish the creditor notice promptly after appointment and keep the publisher affidavit for the file.
- Mail or personally serve each known or reasonably ascertainable creditor within the legal time limits.
- Check both Michigan small-estate options before opening a full estate, especially if there is no real property.
Helpful guides
- What is a notice to creditors in probate?
- How to publish a probate notice in a newspaper
- How much does it cost to publish a probate notice?
- What counts as a legal newspaper for probate notices
Creditor deadline calculator →