By Moshe B. Newman, Attorney · Published June 2026
If you’re looking into estate planning in Michigan, one of the first questions on your mind is probably: what is this going to cost? Most attorneys won’t give you a straight answer until after a consultation. We believe you deserve to know before you pick up the phone. Every package below is a flat fee — quoted up front, with no hourly surprises.
A will-based plan is appropriate when your primary goal is to name beneficiaries, appoint a personal representative, and designate guardians for minor children. Each will-based package includes the will itself, durable powers of attorney, patient advocate designations, and HIPAA authorization waivers.
A trust-based plan goes further: it avoids probate entirely, keeps your affairs private, and gives your family the ability to move forward without court involvement. Our trust-based packages are designed for straightforward estates (no business interests) with total assets between roughly $1,000,000 and $2,000,000.
The price is a complete package — not a starting point and not an estimate. Here is exactly what is included:
That last item matters more than most people realize. A trust only avoids probate if your assets are actually titled in the trust’s name. We include the deed transfers because a plan that isn’t funded is a plan that doesn’t protect your family.
If your situation involves business interests, more than two properties, special-needs beneficiaries, or assets above $2,000,000, we’ll discuss the scope during your initial consultation and provide a custom flat-fee quote before any work begins.
With hourly billing, clients hesitate to ask questions or request changes because every phone call and revision adds to the bill. The final cost is unpredictable, and you won’t know the total until the work is done.
Our standard estate planning engagements are flat-fee, quoted before any work begins. You can ask questions, request revisions, and take the time to understand your plan without watching the meter run. Our trust packages include five hours of consultation time because we want you to understand your plan, not rush through it.
The real question is what happens without a plan. In Michigan, if your estate goes through probate, your family will face court filing fees, publication costs, potential bond premiums, and statutory fiduciary fees based on the value of the estate. For an estate that includes a home and retirement accounts, those costs add up quickly — and probate adds months of delay, public exposure, and stress during an already difficult time.
A properly funded estate plan is an investment in your family’s ability to move forward without court involvement, without unnecessary expense, and without the complications that come from an incomplete or nonexistent plan.
We offer a free 20-minute screening call to answer your initial questions and determine whether we’re a good fit. If your situation calls for deeper analysis, we offer a $500 in-depth working session where we review your assets, family situation, and goals in detail — and that $500 is credited toward your plan if you choose to move forward with us.
Our estate planning packages are flat-fee, quoted before any work begins. No hourly surprises, no hidden costs.
This article is general information about Michigan law, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and dollar thresholds change; figures current as of 2026. For advice on your specific situation, schedule a consultation.