For most Brown 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 Brown County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Probate Court. The two tools that keep a Brown 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.
Without a recorded beneficiary designation or a trust, Brown County property passes through the Probate Court — even simple Ohio probates run 6+ months and start with $275 in filing fees. Ohio also lets owners name a transfer-on-death beneficiary on vehicle titles, which keeps cars out of the same process.
A transfer on death designation affidavit names a beneficiary who receives Brown 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 Ohio transfer on death designation affidavit is signed with a notary juratORC 5302.22 to 5302.24Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathORC 5302.22 to 5302.24Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
Deeds and other real property documents for Brown County are recorded with the County Recorder at 800 Mt. Orab Pike, Suite 151, Georgetown, OH 45121. Phone: 1-937-378-6478. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $39 for the first 2 pages plus $8 for each page beyond 2. Recording a 2-page transfer on death designation affidavit in Brown County comes to $39. A transfer on death designation affidavit is exempt from transfer tax.
Brown County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Indecomm and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Brown County
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
Fax
Recording fees
| Base fee (first 2 pages) | $39 |
| Each page beyond 2 | $8 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
ORC 317.32(A)(1)(a)-(b); ORC 317.36(A); Brown County Recorder Fee Schedule
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
FirmMilford, OH
Serves Clermont County from Main Street in Milford, filing in the Clermont County Probate Court in Batavia. Handles probate administration — the court process of transferring a decedent’s property — along with guardianship and adoption matters that arise when a family member dies. In the Milford community since 1977.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipBusiness LawReal Estate
FirmCincinnati, OH
Favret Law is a boutique firm in Cincinnati's Hyde Park neighborhood that focuses exclusively on wills, trusts, estate planning, and probate. Bruce Favret is one of fewer than 160 attorneys in Ohio certified as a specialist in wills, trusts, and probate by the OSBA. The father-daughter team is licensed in both Ohio and Kentucky.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
FirmWest Chester, OH
Rosenbauer Law Office is an estate planning firm in West Chester serving the greater Cincinnati area. Founded in 2012 by Nicholas Rosenbauer, the firm focuses exclusively on estate planning, trust administration, and probate with a personalized, family-first approach.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
FirmCincinnati, OH
Wood + Lamping's Trusts, Estates and Wealth Transfer Practice represents clients in all aspects of estate planning, probate, and estate tax law. Over 90 years in Cincinnati; Tier 1 in 8 practice areas (2025 Best Law Firms).
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more
Solo PracticeHillsboro, OH
Schroeder Law Group serves Highland County and surrounding southern Ohio communities from Hillsboro. Attorney James Schroeder handles estate planning, probate, real estate, business law, and nonprofit formation. Licensed in Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
FirmAkron, OH
Serves Northeast Ohio from offices in Akron, Canton, and Cleveland. The Trusts & Estates group guides executors and trustees through estate and trust administration and handles contested matters including will and trust disputes, fiduciary litigation, and probate litigation, alongside business succession planning. Founded 1913.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateBusiness SuccessionCharitable Planning
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.
Data sourced from Ohio statutes and official state code. How we research.
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.
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.
In Ohio, a codicil is signed before 2ORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, like a will.
Ohio allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2ORC § 1337.17Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
In Ohio, a HIPAA release names who may receive your records; the state regulates HIV/AIDS-related information and mental health recordsOhio Rev. Code § 3701.243(B)(1)(b), (E); Ohio Rev. Code § 5122.31(A)(1)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source above the federal rule, and the document carries each rule.
Ohio treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultORC §§ 1337.21–1337.64Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed with no witness or notary requirementORC §§ 1337.21–1337.64Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
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.
Ohio allows a transfer-on-death beneficiary designation on a vehicle titleOhio Rev. Code 2131.13Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, filed through the County Clerk of Courts Title Office (Ohio BMV oversees motor vehicle records) using Form BMV 3811.
In Ohio, the living will is the Living Will DeclarationOhio Rev. Code Chapter 2133 (§§ 2133.01-2133.15)Verified Sep 27, 2026View source, a document of its own, apart from the healthcare power of attorney.
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.
In Ohio, a will is signed before 2ORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
Ohio recognizes a will signed under the law of the place where it was signedORC § 2107.18Verified Oct 19, 2026View source; a will signed in Ohio itself needs 2ORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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.
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.
An attorney-prepared will in Ohio runs $942Estimate: 3 hours at $314, Clio's Ohio Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $1,884Estimate: 6 hours at $314, Clio's Ohio Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $299 up front with an online service, and probate on a $500,000 estate adds about $26,234ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
In Ohio, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a will or a separate signed writingOhio Rev. Code §§ 2111.12, 2111.121, 2111.02(D)(1)Verified Sep 16, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18Ohio Rev. Code § 3109.01Verified Sep 16, 2026View source.
Probate in Ohio takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate and charges 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; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
Estate planning articles for Ohio.
Estate planning articles for Ohio.
