Lady Bird Deed In Michigan

Transfer your home automatically — without probate and without losing control.

A Michigan Lady Bird Deed, also known as an Enhanced Life Estate Deed, allows you to retain full ownership of your home during your lifetime while ensuring it transfers directly to your chosen beneficiaries upon death. This powerful planning tool can help avoid probate, preserve benefits, and simplify property transfer.

Protect Your Home While Keeping Full Control

A Lady Bird Deed, also known as an Enhanced Life Estate Deed, is a powerful estate planning tool available in Michigan that allows you to transfer your home to your chosen beneficiaries automatically — without probate — while still keeping full ownership and control during your lifetime.

This approach gives you flexibility today and peace of mind for the future, without giving up your rights to sell, refinance, or live in your home.

What a Michigan Lady Bird Deed Does

A Michigan Lady Bird Deed allows you to:

• Retain full ownership and control of your property

• Sell, refinance, or change beneficiaries at any time

• Automatically transfer the property upon death

• Avoid probate entirely for that property

• Maintain eligibility for certain public benefits

Unlike traditional life estate deeds, a Lady Bird Deed does not require the consent of future beneficiaries to make changes during your lifetime.

Why Many Michigan Homeowners Choose a Lady Bird Deed

For many people, a Lady Bird Deed offers a simpler and more flexible alternative to placing a home into a trust — especially when the primary goal is to avoid probate and ensure a smooth transfer to loved ones.

This option is commonly used by:

• Homeowners planning ahead for aging or health changes

• Individuals looking to protect family property

• Those seeking to avoid probate court

• Families coordinating long-term care or Medicaid planning

When used properly, a Lady Bird Deed can preserve control, reduce administrative burden, and provide peace of mind.

How a Lady Bird Deed Works in Real Life

With a Lady Bird Deed:

• You remain the legal owner of your home during your lifetime

• You can sell or refinance without anyone else’s permission

• Upon death, the property passes directly to your named beneficiaries

• No probate court involvement is required

This allows for a smooth, private transfer of property — often faster and less expensive than traditional estate administration.

In Michigan, a Lady Bird Deed, formally known as an Enhanced Life Estate Deed, allows a property owner to retain full control of their home during their lifetime while automatically transferring ownership to designated beneficiaries upon death — without probate. This planning tool is recognized under Michigan common law and is commonly used in estate planning to preserve eligibility for Medicaid while avoiding probate court. Unlike a traditional life estate, a Lady Bird Deed allows the owner to sell, mortgage, or refinance the property without beneficiary consent. While not governed by a single statute, Michigan courts have long recognized enhanced life estate deeds as valid conveyances, and they are commonly used alongside planning statutes such as MCL 700.1104 (definitions under EPIC) and MCL 700.6101–700.6113 (governing non-probate transfers). A properly drafted Michigan Lady Bird Deed can be an effective tool for estate planning, real property transfer, and probate avoidance.

Why Michigan-Specific Drafting Matters

Lady Bird Deeds are recognized in Michigan, but they must be drafted correctly to be effective. Generic online forms often fail to address state-specific requirements or unintended tax and benefit consequences.

A properly prepared Michigan Lady Bird Deed helps ensure:

• Clear transfer language

• Proper recording and legal effect

• Compliance with Michigan property and estate laws

• Coordination with your broader estate plan

A Smart Step Toward Peace of Mind

A Lady Bird Deed can be one of the most efficient tools in your estate planning toolkit — when used appropriately. It provides clarity, flexibility, and protection for both you and your loved ones.

You don’t need to have everything figured out to begin.
Answer a few simple questions and we’ll help determine whether a Lady Bird Deed is the right fit for your situation.