Do You Need a Lawyer for Michigan's Petition for Assignment?
Michigan's statute does not require a lawyer, and the Macomb, Oakland and Grand Traverse County packets read for this guide say court staff can help with procedure but cannot give legal advice; none says an attorney is required. Wayne and Kent counties' pages could not be read. The filing still asks for a funeral statement showing who paid, an asset-by-asset valuation with supporting documents, a correct list of heirs, and — if real property or a mortgage is involved — a legal description and lien documents. Where heirs disagree, a will exists that the family wants followed, debts are large or unknown, or real estate is being sold, a licensed Michigan attorney is worth the fee. This is informational only and is not legal advice.
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What an attorney typically charges
A probate attorney typically charges $1,500–$4,200+ to handle petition for assignment in Michigan — work that is, in practice, completing Michigan's own official form and presenting it to the right asset holder.
What you can typically do yourself
Michigan's statute does not require a lawyer, and the Macomb, Oakland and Grand Traverse County packets read for this guide say court staff can help with procedure but cannot give legal advice; none says an attorney is required. Wayne and Kent counties' pages could not be read. The filing still asks for a funeral statement showing who paid, an asset-by-asset valuation with supporting documents, a correct list of heirs, and — if real property or a mortgage is involved — a legal description and lien documents. Where heirs disagree, a will exists that the family wants followed, debts are large or unknown, or real estate is being sold, a licensed Michigan attorney is worth the fee.
When the fee is worth it anyway: a contested estate, disputed heirship, unresolved debts beyond what MCL 700.3982 allows, or real property with a complicated title history. Those are fact-specific questions this kit doesn't answer — for them, consult a licensed Michigan attorney regardless of which mechanism applies.
Either way, know before you go
Whether you hire an attorney or file it yourself, the step that trips families up most is the same: an asset holder who's never processed this kind of filing before. See what to say when a bank, DMV, or clerk pushes back.
Whichever way you go, this is the step that actually delays people
Not the filing itself — presenting it to a bank, DMV, or title company that's never processed one before. Free one-pager: what to bring and say before that first visit, emailed now. Then a few short follow-ups over the next few weeks — then we stop.