Estate Planning for Lake County, Indiana Property Owners

For most Lake County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.

For a Lake County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Circuit Court. The two tools that keep a Lake County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Recorder, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.

Skipping this planning step means the Circuit Court decides who receives the property: a simple Indiana probate takes 6+ months and opens with $177 in court filing fees. Indiana also lets owners name a transfer-on-death beneficiary on vehicle titles, which keeps cars out of the same process.

Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in Lake County

A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Lake County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Recorder during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.

Before recording, an Indiana transfer on death deed is signed with notary acknowledgmentIC 32-17-14-1 to 32-17-14-32Verified Aug 24, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathIC 32-17-14-1 to 32-17-14-32Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.

Where to Record Property Documents

Deeds and other real property documents for Lake County are recorded with the County Recorder at 2293 N Main Street, Crown Point, IN 46307. Phone: 219-755-3730. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.

The County Recorder charges $25 flat, regardless of page count. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $35 to record in Lake County, which is $25 in recording fees plus the $10 County Auditor's real property endorsement (transfer). A transfer on death deed is exempt from transfer tax.

Lake County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.

Recording Office Record

County Recorder

Lake County

Address

2293 N Main StreetCrown Point, IN 46307

Fax

219-648-6028

Hours

Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

E-recording

Available via SimplifileE-recording info →
Visit recorder website →

Recording fees

Flat fee (any length)$25
County Auditor's real property endorsement (transfer)Applies to a TOD deed$10
SDF-1 (State Form 46021) Sales Disclosure Form$20
Transfer tax on a TOD deedExempt

IC 36-2-7-10(c)(1)

Verified September 4, 2026 · Source

Estate Planning Attorneys Serving Lake County

FirmValparaiso, IN

Douglas, Koeppen & Krsak

Since 1930 · Serves 3 counties

Valparaiso firm serving Porter, Lake, and LaPorte counties in northwest Indiana, in practice since 1930. Handles probating a will, distribution of assets, transfer of titles, estate and trust administration, and Date of Death Affidavits, plus guardianships and conservatorships. R. Bradley Koeppen practices in probate, real estate, and estate planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationGuardianshipPowers Of Attorneyand 2 more

Office
14 Indiana Ave, Suite 200Valparaiso, IN 46383

FirmSchererville, IN

Kelly Law Offices LLC

Serves 7 counties

Northwest Indiana firm based in Schererville (Lake County), with a second office in South Bend, handling estate administration after a death as well as planning. Represents clients in contested matters including will contests and breach-of-fiduciary-duty disputes, and employs in-house accountants for estate tax planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbate LitigationTax PlanningProbate AdministrationWills Trusts

Office
1619 Junction AveSchererville, IN 46375
Free consultation

FirmMerrillville, IN

Law Office of Weiss, Schmidgall and Hires, P.C.

Serves 2 counties

Merrillville firm covering Lake and Porter County probate for Northwest Indiana families, from Gary and Hammond to Crown Point and Valparaiso. Handles supervised and unsupervised probate administration, estate inventory and distribution, personal-representative guidance, and inheritance disputes. Estate work sits alongside the firm's bankruptcy, criminal-defense, and business practice.

PracticesEstate PlanningHealthcare DirectivesPowers Of AttorneyProbate AdministrationWills Trusts

Office
6 W 73rd AveMerrillville, IN 46410
Free consultation

FirmSchererville, IN

Law Offices of Gary P. Bonk

Serves 1 county

Schererville firm serving Lake County and Northwest Indiana (St. John, Dyer, Munster). Handles probate administration and estate settlement, adult guardianships, and elder-law/Medicaid matters, with attention to probate-avoidance review. More than 25 years of estate practice, and a free two-hour estate planning consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningElder LawGuardianshipSpecial Needs Planningand 4 more

Office
900 Parker Pl, Suite ASchererville, IN 46375
Free consultation

FirmCrown Point, IN

O'Drobinak & Nowaczyk, P.C.

Serves 2 counties

Crown Point firm serving Lake and Porter counties with an estate-planning and elder-law focus. The practice handles probate and trust administration alongside wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, and Medicaid/nursing-home planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationElder LawGuardianshipand 5 more

Office
333 E Summit StCrown Point, IN 46307
Free consultation

FirmChesterton, IN

Smith Legal Group, LLC

Serves 3 counties

Chesterton firm in Porter County serving northwest Indiana. Its estate and trust administration work covers collecting, appraising and preserving assets, sorting out the claims and liabilities to be paid, minimizing taxes and administrative costs, and preparing and filing the required pleadings, reports and returns. Consultations are a flat $300 for up to an hour.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationGuardianshipHealthcare Directivesand 3 more

Office
802 Wabash Ave, Suite 100Chesterton, IN 46304
See all 22 firms serving Lake County→

Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Indiana statutes and official state code. How we research.

Indiana Estate Planning Articles

Estate planning articles for Indiana.