Michigan Probate Accounting

It is not legal advice. Verify current requirements with the county probate court, relevant agency, or qualified Michigan counsel before acting.

Michigan probate accounting means tracking estate property from the first inventory through final distribution. The personal representative must know what came in, what went out, what remains, and why each payment was made.

This guide provides general information about Michigan probate accounting. Confirm form, account, and closing requirements with the county probate court.

Start With The Inventory

MCL 700.3706 addresses the personal representative's inventory duty. The inventory lists estate property and values. It gives interested persons a starting picture of what the estate controls.

Common inventory categories include:

Real estate and land contracts
Bank and brokerage accounts
Vehicles and titled property
Business interests
Household goods and personal property
Refunds, claims, or money owed to the estate

Do not list assets that clearly pass outside probate unless the court or counsel tells you to include them for context.

Keep Estate Money Separate

Use a separate estate account when the estate receives money. Do not mix estate funds with personal funds. Keep bank statements, deposit records, receipts, invoices, court filing receipts, and copies of checks or electronic payments.

Good records help if a beneficiary asks questions, a creditor disputes payment, or the court asks for an account.

Track Income, Expenses, And Distributions

Build a ledger with these columns:

Column	What to record
Date	When money moved or value changed
Description	Asset, bill, sale, refund, or distribution
Money in	Income or sale proceeds
Money out	Expenses, claims, taxes, or distributions
Balance	Running estate account balance
Support	Receipt, invoice, statement, or court paper

Payment order matters. Check Michigan debt payment priority before distributing property to heirs.

Beneficiary Information And Accounts

MCL 700.3705 addresses information duties to heirs and devisees. MCL 700.3708 addresses accounting when requested or required. The exact court filing path can depend on supervised administration, objections, waivers, and local practice.

If everyone agrees, the estate may still need written receipts, releases, or closing papers. Do not rely on text messages or oral family consent when the estate has unresolved debts or tax issues.

Closing The Estate

Michigan estates may close by sworn statement or court order when statutory conditions fit. MCL 700.3952 addresses closing by sworn statement, while MCL 700.3953 addresses closing by order after notice and hearing.

Before closing, confirm that creditor periods, taxes, expenses, distributions, and required notices are complete. Keep estate records after closing in case a beneficiary, creditor, tax agency, or title company asks for support.

Common Accounting Problems

Watch for these issues:

Missing date-of-death values
Payments made from a personal account
Early distributions before creditor review
No support for cash transactions
Unclear reimbursement requests
Missing receipts from heirs
Real estate costs paid by the wrong person

For the wider fiduciary job, read Michigan executor duties and Michigan probate timeline.

Sources:

Title: MCL 700.3705, Information duty to heirs and devisees. Publisher: Michigan Legislature. Publication Date: Michigan Compiled Laws current through PA 14 of 2026. URL: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-700-3705
Title: MCL 700.3706, Inventory and appraisal. Publisher: Michigan Legislature. Publication Date: Michigan Compiled Laws current through PA 14 of 2026. URL: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-700-3706
Title: MCL 700.3708, Duty to account. Publisher: Michigan Legislature. Publication Date: Michigan Compiled Laws current through PA 14 of 2026. URL: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-700-3708
Title: MCL 700.3952, Closing estate by sworn statement of personal representative. Publisher: Michigan Legislature. Publication Date: Michigan Compiled Laws current through PA 14 of 2026. URL: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-700-3952
Title: MCL 700.3953, Closing estate by order. Publisher: Michigan Legislature. Publication Date: Michigan Compiled Laws current through PA 14 of 2026. URL: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-700-3953

This guide provides general Michigan probate accounting information. Verify inventory, account, and closing requirements with the county probate court or Michigan counsel.