Estate Planning for Rusk County, Wisconsin Property Owners

For most Rusk 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 Rusk 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 Rusk 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.

Skipping this planning step means the Circuit Court decides who receives the property: a simple Wisconsin probate takes 6+ months and opens with about $20 in court filing fees.

Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in Rusk County

A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Rusk 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.

Where to Record Property Documents

Deeds and other real property documents for Rusk County are recorded with the Register of Deeds, led by Mary Berg, at 311 Miner Ave E, Suite 132N, Ladysmith, WI 54848. Phone: 715-532-2139. Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM; Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM.

The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $30 to record in Rusk County. A transfer on death deed is exempt from transfer tax.

Rusk County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC eRecording, EPN (eRecording Partners Network), Indecomm Global Services, Hopdox.

Recording Office Record

Register of Deeds

Rusk County · Mary Berg

Address

311 Miner Ave E, Suite 132NLadysmith, WI 54848

Fax

715-532-2194

Hours

Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM; Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM

E-recording

Available via Simplifile, CSC eRecording, EPN (eRecording Partners Network), Indecomm Global Services, HopdoxE-recording info →
Visit recorder website →

Recording fees

Flat fee (any length)$30
Transfer tax on a TOD deedExempt

Wis. Stat. 59.43(2)(ag)

Verified September 9, 2026 · Source

Estate Planning Attorneys Serving Rusk County

FirmAshland, WI

Clark & Clark, LLC

Since 1904

Serves Ashland and northern Wisconsin from Main Street West, in practice for over 120 years. Manages probate end to end — validating the will, inventorying assets, settling debts, and distributing inheritances under the Wisconsin probate statutes — and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Familiar with the lakefront property, recreational parcels, and family cabins in Northwoods estates.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbatePowers Of AttorneyWills

Office
214 Main Street WestAshland, WI 54806

FirmSuperior, WI

Gondik Law S.C.

Serves Superior and Douglas County as a family-owned firm operating in the northwest corner of the state since 1987. Handles probate proceedings, estate administration, and trust matters, along with powers of attorney and elder law work for clients settling an estate. Offers virtual appointments and emergency estate consultations.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrustsWills

Office
1215 Belknap StreetSuperior, WI 54880
Virtual consultations

Solo PracticeMercer, WI

Lutgen Law Office LLC

Since 2025

Solo practice in Mercer serving Iron County and the surrounding Northern Wisconsin counties. Handles wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, plus probate petitions, executor guidance, intestate estates, creditor claims, and final accountings, and trust administration for trustees. Roxanne Lutgen is licensed in Wisconsin as both an attorney and a CPA.

PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planning

Office
5037N US Hwy 51, Unit BMercer, WI 54547
Free consultationVirtual consultations

FirmHurley, WI

Sturgul & Long, S.C.

Serves Hurley and Iron County from its main office, with additional offices in Ashland and Minocqua reaching across Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Focuses on estate planning and elder law, guiding families through probate and trust administration, special needs and asset-protection trusts, and guardianship. The practice is limited to estate and elder law, not a general docket.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianshipand 2 more

Office
312 Silver StreetHurley, WI 54534
Virtual consultations

Solo PracticeHayward, WI

Susan Sharp Miley LLC

Serves Sawyer County and the surrounding Northwoods from Hayward, where Susan Sharp Miley has run her own practice since 2000. Handles probate, trusts, and estate planning alongside business succession and charitable giving, plus the powers of attorney and healthcare directives that go with them. Practiced at international firms in Washington and New York first.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTax PlanningBusiness Successionand 5 more

Office
10405 State Road 27, Suite AHayward, WI 54843

FirmRice Lake, WI

Coe, Cuskey & Stephens, S.C.

Serves 5 counties

Serves Barron, Rusk, Washburn, Sawyer, and Burnett counties from Rice Lake. Guides families through estate administration and probate after a death, establishes guardianships for dependents and vulnerable adults, and drafts wills and estate plans. Mark Coe is a fourth-generation attorney with over 40 years in the local courts.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipWills

Office
24 W Marshall StreetRice Lake, WI 54868
See all 13 firms serving Rusk 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

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