Transfer of Vehicle Ownership for Descendent in Michigan

The death of a spouse, parent, or friend invokes the depository provisions in one’s estate planning documents.  While the process to transfer tangible personal items can be simple, transferring an asset with a title can be more complex.  

Here are common scenarios for transferring vehicles in the State of Michigan: 

• Spouse. If the deceased is survived by a spouse, the spouse is the next of kin who will receive the vehicle. First, the spouse must complete a form to transfer the vehicle. This form also applies if the vehicle will be transferred to another immediate family member. After the transfer, the license plate may remain on the vehicle.  There’s no transfer tax between spouses. 
• Siblings. If the deceased has no surviving spouse, surviving brothers and sisters are the next closest kin in line to receive the vehicle. All siblings share equal inheritance of the vehicle. Siblings who don’t want the vehicle may complete a certification statement saying so. The next-of-kin has the option of adding a co-owner when the vehicle is titled. But if that co-owner is not an immediate family member or isn’t the spouse of the family member who is inheriting the vehicle, that co-owner must pay use tax.
• Probate. If the deceased had a will, the deceased personal representative appointed by the probate court assigns the title of the deceased’s vehicle to a spouse or family member. That person must then present the title and a copy of the personal representative’s “Letter of Authority” to a branch office of the Secretary of State, where the vehicle may then by titled in his or her name. The license plate is inherited by the spouse or family member and may remain on the vehicle.

Learn more about the transfer of vehicle ownership after someone passes here.

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If you would like to learn more about estate planning in Ann Arbor, contact us today! Estate planning attorneys at Pear Sperling Eggan & Daniels, P.C., can help assist you with your case and everything in between.