Diller & Rice serves Northwest Ohio with estate planning, probate, tax planning, family business succession planning, asset protection, and elder law including Medicaid and VA eligibility. The firm covers Van Wert, Mercer, Paulding, Defiance, Allen, Auglaize, and surrounding counties.
Probate in Van Wert County
Probate Court Record
Van Wert County Probate Court
Van Wert County
Phone
Hours
Monday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM; Tuesday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
Office
108 East Main Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Van Wert County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Van Wert County? →Settling an estate in Van Wert County →
Forms for Planning Your Estate in Ohio
Free forms for planning your estate in Ohio: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Ohio.
$12/month
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Free
Pour-Over Will
In Ohio, a pour-over will is signed before 2ORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
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Free
Transfer on Death Deed
In Ohio, a transfer on death designation affidavit is signed before a notaryORC 5302.22 to 5302.24Verified Oct 19, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathORC 5302.22 to 5302.24Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. Ohio does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.
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Free
Last Will and Testament
In Ohio, a will is signed before 2ORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and no self-proving affidavit is availableORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning Your Estate in Ohio
Free tools for planning your estate in Ohio: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for Ohio and read its answer.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Ohio, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Ohio runs $2,940Estimate: 10 hours at $294, Clio's Ohio Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $4,410Estimate: 15 hours at $294, Clio's Ohio Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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Do I Need a TOD Deed?
Ohio authorizes transfer on death deedsORC 5302.22 to 5302.24Verified Oct 17, 2026View source: a recorded, revocable deed that passes real property at death outside probate.
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Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?
Ohio automatically revokes an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorceORC § 5815.33; ORC § 5302.23(B)(12)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.
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