Quick Answer
What do I need for a Michigan revocable living trust?
A Michigan revocable living trust only avoids probate if it is funded — the trust document alone does nothing. After signing, you must retitle real estate into the trust with a new recorded deed, change account ownership, and name the trust as beneficiary where appropriate. You will also need a pour-over will as a backstop.
Required Forms
- L-4260Property Transfer Affidavit (after retitling real estate)
Documents to Gather
Filing Steps, In Order
- 1.Decide on trustees, successor trustees, and beneficiaries
- 2.Set distribution terms — outright, staged, or held to a certain age
- 3.Sign the trust in front of a notary
- 4.Record a new deed transferring real estate into the trust
- 5.Retitle bank and brokerage accounts to the trust
- 6.Update beneficiary designations where the trust should receive assets
- 7.Sign a pour-over will covering anything left outside the trust
Costs (Estimated)
Deed recording ~$30 per property. No court filing fee. Document preparation is quoted after we review your matter.
Questions about anything on this list?
Text or call us and describe your situation — we will tell you exactly which documents apply to you. Every matter is reviewed before we quote a price, and nothing is purchased online.
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Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.