What can I do if a trustee won't provide an accounting in Michigan?

You can make a written demand, and if the trustee still refuses, petition the probate court to compel an accounting and information. Where there's been a breach, the court can remove the trustee and order a surcharge to repay losses.

Am I entitled to a copy of the trust as a beneficiary?

A qualified beneficiary is generally entitled to relevant information about the trust's terms and administration and to an accounting. A trustee who goes silent is usually not meeting the Michigan Trust Code's duty to keep beneficiaries reasonably informed.

Trustee Won't Provide an Accounting in Michigan? Your Rights

Q: Is there a deadline to challenge a trustee's accounting in Michigan?

Yes. When a trustee provides an adequate report, a beneficiary may have as little as one year to bring certain claims about matters disclosed (MCL 700.7905). Deadlines can be short, so act promptly.

By Moshe B. Newman, Attorney · Published June 2026

If you’re a trust beneficiary and the trustee won’t give you an accounting, won’t answer questions, or won’t distribute what you’re owed, you are not powerless. Michigan’s Trust Code gives qualified beneficiaries real rights to information — and gives the probate court real authority to enforce them.

Your right to information

Under the Michigan Trust Code, a trustee has a duty to keep qualified beneficiaries reasonably informed about the trust and its administration. On request, a beneficiary is generally entitled to relevant information about the trust’s terms, assets, and administration, and to an accounting of how the trust has been managed. A trustee who simply goes silent is usually not meeting that duty.

What “an accounting” should actually show

What assets the trust holds, and what they’re worth.
Income received and expenses paid.
Distributions made — to whom, and how much.
Trustee fees taken, and the basis for them.

Vague assurances are not an accounting. You are entitled to enough detail to tell whether the trust is being handled properly.

What you can do when the trustee won’t cooperate

Make a written demand. A clear, dated written request for an accounting and information creates a record and often prompts action on its own.
Petition the probate court. If the trustee still refuses, the court can compel an accounting, compel information, and supervise the administration.
Seek removal or surcharge. Where a trustee has breached duties — self-dealing, mismanagement, refusing to account — the court can remove the trustee and order them to repay losses (a “surcharge”).

Why timing matters

Michigan law contains short limitation periods that can run against you. For example, when a trustee provides an adequate report or accounting, a beneficiary may have as little as one year to bring certain claims about matters disclosed in it (MCL 700.7905). Waiting can quietly cost you the right to object. If a trustee is stonewalling, that is a reason to move sooner, not later.

How we help

We represent beneficiaries who are being kept in the dark and trustees who want to administer correctly and defend against unfounded claims. Often a well-drafted demand letter resolves the problem without litigation; when it doesn’t, we go to the probate court. Either way, the first step is understanding your rights and the deadlines that apply to your situation.

This article is general information about Michigan law, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Statutes, deadlines, and dollar amounts change; figures current as of 2026. Deadlines in probate and trust disputes can be short and unforgiving — if you think you may have a claim, contact us promptly.

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