Berrien County Personal Representative Deed Form (Michigan)

All Berrien County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Personal Representative Deed Form

Berrien County Personal Representative Deed Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included Berrien County compliant document last validated/updated 10/14/2024

Personal Representative Deed Guide

Berrien County Personal Representative Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Berrien County compliant document last validated/updated 10/21/2024

Completed Example of the Personal Representative Deed Document

Berrien County Completed Example of the Personal Representative Deed Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Berrien County compliant document last validated/updated 10/10/2024

When using these Personal Representative Deed forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Berrien County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:

Berrien County Register of Deeds

701 Main St, St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

Hours: 8:30 to 5:00 M-F

Phone: (269) 983-7111 Ext. 8562

Local jurisdictions located in Berrien County include:

  • Baroda
  • Benton Harbor
  • Berrien Center
  • Berrien Springs
  • Bridgman
  • Buchanan
  • Coloma
  • Eau Claire
  • Galien
  • Hagar Shores
  • Harbert
  • Lakeside
  • New Buffalo
  • New Troy
  • Niles
  • Riverside
  • Saint Joseph
  • Sawyer
  • Sodus
  • Stevensville
  • Three Oaks
  • Union Pier
  • Watervliet

How long does it take to get my forms?

Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.

How do I get my forms, are they emailed?

Immediately after you submit payment, the Berrien County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.

What does "validated/updated" mean?

This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:

  • Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
  • Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Berrien County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Berrien County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Berrien County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.

Can the Personal Representative Deed forms be re-used?

Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Berrien County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Berrien County.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Michigan or Berrien County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.

What type of files are the forms?

All of our Berrien County Personal Representative Deed forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I need any special software to use these forms?

You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I have to enter all of my property information online?

No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.

Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?

Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.

Are there any recurring fees involved?

No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

In the State of Michigan, the administration and distribution of estates is governed by MCL Chapter 700, known as the estates and protected individuals code.

When a Michigander dies, probate -- the process of settling a decedent's estate, including gathering the decedent's assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing what is left of the estate to those entitled to receive it -- takes place in the county in which the decedent was domiciled at the time of death. Michigan Probate Courts oversee probate proceedings. The extent to which the court supervises administration is dependent upon the type of probate opened. Administration of the estate is generally unsupervised, unless the specific situation necessitates otherwise.

All property owned by the decedent individually is subject to probate. Property held with a survivorship interest, beneficiary designation, or in a trust skips probate.

Administration officially begins when the court appoints a personal representative (PR) who will personally settle the decedent's estate. Michigan uses the general term personal representative, though he or she may be either the executor of the decedent's will, or an administrator of an intestate estate. An estate is said to be intestate when the decedent dies without a will.

The court issues letters of authority to the PR, which confirm the personal representative's powers. In Michigan, the PR's powers are quite broad, unless otherwise limited by a decedent's will. Any restrictions on the PR's powers are noted in the letters of authority.

By process of Michigan law, title to a decedent's real property generally passes at the
time of his or her death to any devisees or heirs at law. Pursuant to MCL 700.3910, an instrument or deed of distribution is proof that the distributee has succeeded to the decedent's interest of the estate in the distributed property. See special provisions relating to distribution under the estates and protected individuals code, and contact a lawyer with questions.

In some cases, the PR may be required to sell real property on behalf of the estate (to pay the decedent's debts, for example). A PR does not, in general, need to seek court approval before selling real property, barring restrictions stated on the letters of administration. However, if complications arise, the PR or an interested person (person having a property right in or claim against the estate) may file a petition and an order may be entered by the Probate Court.

To accomplish a sale of the decedent's property, the PR executes a type of fiduciary deed called a personal representative's deed, which transfers title to the grantee. In Michigan, the PR deed typically carries a limited warranty, covenanting that the grantor warrants and defends the title against lawful claims arising from persons claiming by, through, or under the grantor (but none other).

A PR deed includes information about the probated estate, including the decedent's name, county in which probate is open, probate file number, and source of authorization for the conveyance. All requirements of form and content for instruments pertaining to real property must be met. Each PR must sign the deed for a valid transfer.

Consult a lawyer with questions regarding estate administration and personal representative's deeds in Michigan, as each case is unique.

(Michigan PRD Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Berrien County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.

Save Time and Money

Get your Berrien County Personal Representative Deed form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.

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December 14th, 2018

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April 6th, 2022

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July 24th, 2023

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April 6th, 2019

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