For most Grant 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 Grant 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 Grant County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the Register of Deeds, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.
Without a recorded beneficiary designation or a trust, Grant County property passes through the Circuit Court — even simple Wisconsin probates run 6+ months and start with about $20 in filing fees.
A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Grant County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the Register of Deeds during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.
Before recording, a Wisconsin transfer on death deed is signed with notary acknowledgmentWis. Stat. 705.15Verified Aug 24, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathWis. Stat. 705.15Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Deeds and other real property documents for Grant County are recorded with the Register of Deeds, led by Andrea Noethe, at 111 S Jefferson St, Lancaster, WI 53813. Phone: 608-723-2727. Hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM; Friday, 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to PO Box 391, Lancaster, WI 53813.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count. Recording a 2-page transfer on death deed in Grant County comes to $30. A transfer on death deed is exempt from transfer tax.
Grant County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC eRecording Solutions, Indecomm Global Services, ePN (eRecording Partners Network).
Recording Office Record
Grant County · Andrea Noethe
Address
Phone
Fax
Hours
E-recording
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $30 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | Exempt |
Wis. Stat. 59.43(2)(ag)
Verified September 9, 2026 · Source
FirmLancaster, WI
Serves Grant County and southwest Wisconsin from Lancaster, reaching Platteville and the surrounding communities. Handles probate and estate administration for area families alongside wills, trusts, and business formation. Matters are billed hourly, on contingency, or at a flat fee depending on the work.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness LawTrustsWills
FirmLa Crosse, WI
Serves La Crosse County and the western Wisconsin coulee region, plus Sparta, Onalaska, and southeastern Minnesota, from its La Crosse office, in practice since 1900. Represents executors and families through probate and estate administration, with experience in related estate tax matters, and drafts wills and trusts for clients across financial circumstances.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTrustsWills
FirmLa Crosse, WI
Serves La Crosse County and the coulee region from downtown La Crosse, with a second office in Holmen. Estate planning and elder law is one of twelve practice areas, covering long-term care planning, wills, powers of attorney, and Medicare and Medicaid planning, alongside family business succession. Seventeen attorneys across the two offices.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawTax Planningand 4 more
FirmLa Crosse, WI
Serves La Crosse and the surrounding coulee region across the Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa tri-state area from its Main Street office. Handles probate administration, trust and estate administration, guardianship and conservatorship, and special-needs WisPact trusts alongside long-term-care and elder-law planning. Offers phone, video, and in-person consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawHealthcare Directivesand 3 more
FirmMilwaukee, WI
Serves clients across Wisconsin from Mayfair Road in Milwaukee, with a second office in West Bend. A division of Karp & Iancu, S.C. handling wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and asset-protection planning, with plan pricing published up front on its site.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateAsset ProtectionHealthcare Directivesand 3 more
FirmMilwaukee, WI
Serves Milwaukee and Madison clients across seven Wisconsin offices, handling formal and informal probate in the local circuit courts. The Estate and Trust Administration group represents personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries through trust administration, claims against estates and trusts, estate tax compliance, and will contests. Practicing in Milwaukee for more than a century.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawSpecial Needs Planningand 3 more
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 Wisconsin statutes and official state code. How we research.
Estate planning articles for Wisconsin.
Forms and tools for property owners in Grant County.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Create a free, state-specific will with witness and notarization requirements included.
Transfer assets to your existing trust. State execution requirements included.
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate.
Designate someone to make medical decisions on your behalf.
Designate someone to manage your financial affairs.
Answer questions about your estate size, real estate ownership, marital status, and family situation to see how a revocable trust compares to a will alone. Includes estimated probate costs for your state.
Answer questions about your property type, ownership structure, and estate plan to see if a TOD deed is the right approach. Includes state-specific availability, signing requirements, and recording fees.
Compare trusts vs wills for your specific situation. See probate costs, trust administration expenses, and whether your estate qualifies for simplified procedures based on your state and estate value.
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
Compare the cost of creating a revocable living trust. See how SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys compare over 5 years including life events.
Estate planning articles for Wisconsin.
