What to Do When Someone Dies in Chippewa County, Wisconsin

How probate works in Chippewa County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.

What probate costsHow to fileDeath certificatesTransferring propertyLocal attorneys

Probate Court Record

Chippewa County Circuit Court

Chippewa County · 10th Judicial District

Hours

Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM; Friday 7:30 AM-11:30 AM

Office

Room 203, 711 North Bridge Street, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

Files probate

Register in Probate

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

Court forms packet

Open in Google Maps

E-filing

Required for attorneysAttorneys must e-file probate cases in Wisconsin circuit courts. A self-represented filer may register to e-file or file on paper with the Register in Probate. On paper: Self-represented parties are not required to e-file and may file paper documents (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b)-(c)); The original will is filed on paper, and a will deposited for safekeeping may not be e-filed (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(9)(i)-(j)).

Self-represented filing

AllowedInformal probate, summary settlement, summary assignment and special administration do not require an attorney; the county says a formal administration does. The Register in Probate sells forms packets, and the county probate page links a guideline for each procedure.

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Chippewa County

Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Chippewa County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 711 North Bridge Street, Room 220, Chippewa Falls. The court sits in the 10th Judicial District.

The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Wisconsin intestacy law when there is no will.

Most Wisconsin estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsWis. Stat. §§ 859.01, 859.02, 859.07, 859.25Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.

What Probate Costs in Chippewa County

What probate costs in Chippewa County, Wisconsin comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Circuit Court at 711 North Bridge Street, Room 220, Chippewa Falls. The court is part of the 10th Judicial District.

Wisconsin charges $36 - $36 (graduated by the net probate estate)Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.

Estimate the costs for this estate:

Attorney fees in Wisconsin are negotiated, typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under Wis. Stat. § 851.40(1) (just and reasonable compensation for services under chs. 851-879, incl. ch. 865 informal administration; no statutory percentage for attorneys): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source to 2.9%Modeled estimate under Wis. Stat. § 851.40(1) (just and reasonable compensation for services under chs. 851-879, incl. ch. 865 informal administration; no statutory percentage for attorneys): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.

Wisconsin sets executor compensation by statute — about $10,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.0%Wis. Stat. § 857.05(2) (2% commission on inventory value less mortgages and liens plus net principal gains, subject to court approval; a different rate by written agreement; extraordinary services)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.

Wisconsin requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.

A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under Wis. Stat. § 856.25 (bond solely within court discretion; will requests not binding)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value annually.

Probate in Wisconsin typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.

How to File Probate at the Circuit Court

Probate cases in Chippewa County, Wisconsin are filed at the Register in Probate of the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 10th Judicial District.

Can You File Without an Attorney?

Wisconsin has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableWis. Stat. Ch. 865 (informal administration by probate registrar)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.

For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Chippewa County Self-Filing Assessment.

Chippewa County Filing Requirements

These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.

Before You File

No email filings accepted

Court documents and correspondence sent by email to the Clerk of Court are not filed or forwarded. Filings go by fax, mail, e-filing or hand delivery.

Source

What to Bring

Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Certified copy of the death certificate — NOT a filed document in Wisconsin. No statute or statewide probate form requires one to open an estate or obtain Letters; where a Register in Probate asks to see one, the clerk abstracts it onto form GF-162 and hands the original back (Wis. Stat. § 69.24(1)(a) makes copying a vital record a Class I felony); Original will and any codicils, filed with the court (Wis. Stat. § 856.05 — duty to deliver the will within 30 days of knowledge of the death)Wis. Stat. ch. 856 (formal opening, qualification, letters) & ch. 865 (informal administration); § 856.21 (persons entitled to domiciliary letters — priority); § 865.08 (informal appointment; letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.

Death Certificates and the Coroner in Chippewa County

In Wisconsin a death is registered locally, and in Chippewa County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Register of Deeds, Chippewa County as well as by Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Vital Records Office.

Vital Records Office Record

Register of Deeds

Chippewa County · Register of Deeds

Hours

Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM; Friday 7:30 AM-11:30 AM

Office

711 North Bridge Street, Room 111, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

Certified copies

At the counter, issued while you wait

Open in Google Maps

Local rule

  • A request made before 8:00 a.m. may not be ready until 8:15 a.m., and one made after 4:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday may wait until 8:15 a.m. the next business day.

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Coroner or Medical Examiner Record

Coroner

Chippewa County · Chippewa County Coroner's Office

Office

711 North Bridge Street, Room 005B, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

Open in Google Maps

Mail and offices

Fax

1-715-667-3271

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Transferring Property in Chippewa County

Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Register of Deeds.

Deeds and other real property documents for Chippewa County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 711 North Bridge Street, Room 111, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729. Phone: 1-715-726-7994. Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM; Friday 7:30 AM-11:30 AM.

The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.

Chippewa County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Hopdox, Indecomm and Simplifile.

Recording Office Record

Register of Deeds

Chippewa County

Hours

Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM; Friday 7:30 AM-11:30 AM

Office

711 North Bridge Street, Room 111, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

Open in Google Maps

Fees

Recording fees

Flat fee (any length)$30
Transfer tax on a TOD deedTOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax

Wis. Stat. 59.43(2)(ag)

Verified October 17, 2026 · Source

Forms that put a death on the title

Probate Attorneys Serving Chippewa County

Wisconsin allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Chippewa County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.

Probate attorney fees in Wisconsin are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Chippewa County firm to quote a structure up front.

A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.

Solo PracticeChippewa Falls, WI

Schmoldt Law Office, LLC

Serves 1 county

Practices from Bay Street in Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County. Takes estates through probate whether or not the decedent left a will, and administers trusts: contacting beneficiaries, paying debts, notifying creditors, filing taxes and distributing assets. Attorney Anthony J. Schmoldt also handles estate planning and elder law planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawBusiness Succession

Office
702 Bay StreetChippewa Falls, WI 54729

FirmMilwaukee, WI

von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

Since 1904 · Serves the whole state

Serves Wisconsin from seven offices in the state, led by Milwaukee and Madison. The Trusts and Estates group handles formal and informal probate, post-mortem trust administration, claims against estates and trusts, and estate tax returns, and represents personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries in will contests, trust disputes, and contested guardianships. Founded in 1904.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 9 more

Office
411 East Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1000Milwaukee, WI 53202

FirmOregon, WI

Krause Estate Planning & Elder Law Center

Since 1999 · Serves the whole state

Serves families across Wisconsin from offices in Oregon and Madison in Dane County and Brookfield in Waukesha County. Helps executors and personal representatives administer estates, from locating assets to paying debts and distributing to beneficiaries, and offers mediation and litigation for disputes among heirs. Founder Dan Krause is a Board Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 6 more

Office
116 Spring StreetOregon, WI 53575
Free consultation

FirmMadison, WI

Murphy Desmond S.C.

Since 1931 · Serves the whole state

Serves clients throughout Wisconsin from offices in Madison, Janesville, Appleton, and Dodgeville. Advises executors on probate administration and handles trust administration, guardianships and protective placement, and litigation over contested wills and trusts, breach of fiduciary duty, undue influence, and creditor claims in estate proceedings. Founded in Madison in 1931.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more

Office
33 East Main Street, Suite 500Madison, WI 53703

FirmAppleton, WI

Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

Serves the whole state

Serves clients throughout Wisconsin from offices in Appleton and Green Bay. Helps personal representatives through informal and formal probate, protects other beneficiaries' interests in disputes over estate administration, and brings will contests. Also handles adult and minor guardianships and elder-law and Medicaid planning. Estate planning consultations are offered at no charge.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 2 more

Office
2400 S. Kensington Drive, Suite 100Appleton, WI 54915
Free consultation

FirmGreen Bay, WI

Brabazon Law Office, LLC

Since 1997 · Serves the whole state

A general-practice firm on Packerland Drive in Green Bay that represents clients throughout Wisconsin and appears regularly in Brown, Outagamie, Winnebago, Door, and other Northeast Wisconsin county courts. Its estate work is drafting: wills, revocable living trusts, durable and healthcare powers of attorney, and living wills. Founded in 1997 by Shane Laughton Brabazon; Spanish is spoken.

PracticesEstate Planning

Office
221 Packerland DriveGreen Bay, WI 54303
See all 14 firms serving Chippewa 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.

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Legal Sources

Show 4 more sources

Data sourced from Wisconsin statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.

Tools for Settling an Estate in Wisconsin

Free tools for settling an estate in Wisconsin: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Wisconsin.

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Wisconsin: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 180 daysWis. Stat. §§ 858.01, 858.13, 858.15, 858.17Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsWis. Stat. §§ 859.01, 859.02, 859.07, 859.25Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.

See the Steps

How Do I Settle a Trust?

Settling a trust in Wisconsin happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeWis. Stat. § 701.0101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.

See the Steps

Can I Self-File Probate?

Wisconsin has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableWis. Stat. Ch. 865 (informal administration by probate registrar)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.

Get the Answer

Hire a Wisconsin Probate Attorney

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Notify Banks & Financial Institutions

Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.

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Erie Insurance

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Insurance Company serving the Southeast, Northeast, and more

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Educators CU

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Credit Union serving Wisconsin

Educators CU

Farm Bureau Financial

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Insurance Company serving the Midwest, West, and more

Farm Bureau Financial

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