(1) Unless the will indicates a contrary intention, the distributable property of a decedent‘s estate shall be distributed in kind to the extent possible through application of the following provisions:
  (a) A specific devisee is entitled to distribution of the property devised to him or her, and a spouse or child who selects particular estate property as provided in section 2404 shall receive the property selected.

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Terms Used In Michigan Laws 700.3906

  • Application: means a written request to the probate register for an order of informal probate or informal appointment under part 3 of article III. See Michigan Laws 700.1103
  • Child: includes , but is not limited to, an individual entitled to take as a child under this act by intestate succession from the parent whose relationship is involved. See Michigan Laws 700.1103
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Devisee: means a person designated in a will to receive a devise. See Michigan Laws 700.1103
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Estate: includes the property of the decedent, trust, or other person whose affairs are subject to this act as the property is originally constituted and as it exists throughout administration. See Michigan Laws 700.1104
  • Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
  • Family allowance: means the allowance prescribed in section 2403. See Michigan Laws 700.1104
  • Money: means legal tender or a note, draft, certificate of deposit, stock, bond, check, or credit card. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  • Person: means an individual or an organization. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  • Personal representative: includes , but is not limited to, an executor, administrator, successor personal representative, and special personal representative, and any other person, other than a trustee of a trust subject to article VII, who performs substantially the same function under the law governing that person's status. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  • Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership, and includes both real and personal property or an interest in real or personal property. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  • Security: includes , but is not limited to, a note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in an oil, gas, or mining title or lease or in payments out of production under such a title or lease, collateral trust certificate, transferable share, voting trust certificate, or interest in a regulated investment company or other entity generally referred to as a mutual fund or, in general, an interest or instrument commonly known as a security, or a certificate of interest or participation for, a temporary or interim certificate, receipt, or certificate of deposit for, or any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase any of the items listed in this subdivision. See Michigan Laws 700.1107
  (b) A homestead or family allowance, or devise of a stated sum of money, may be satisfied in kind provided all of the following are true:
  (i) The person entitled to the payment does not demand payment in cash.
  (ii) The property distributed in kind is valued at fair market value as of its distribution date.
  (iii) A residuary devisee does not request that the property in question remain a part of the estate residue.
  (c) The residuary estate may be distributed in any equitable manner.
  (2) Property described in subsection (1)(b) shall be valued in accordance with the following:
  (a) A security regularly traded on recognized exchanges, if distributed in kind, is valued at the price for the last sale of like securities traded on the business day before distribution or, if there was no sale on that day, at the median between amounts bid and offered at the close of that day.
  (b) Property consisting of money owed the decedent or the estate by a solvent debtor as to which there is no known dispute or defense is valued at the amount due with accrued interest or discounted to the distribution date.
  (c) Property that does not have a readily ascertainable value is valued as of a date not more than 28 days before the distribution date, if otherwise reasonable.
  (d) For purposes of facilitating distribution, the personal representative may ascertain property value as of the time of the proposed distribution in any reasonable way, including the employment of qualified appraisers, even if the property may have been previously appraised.