How probate works in Taylor County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Taylor County · 9th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
Files probate
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Self-help forms
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Fax
Departments
About the court
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
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 Taylor County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 224 South Second Street, Medford. The court sits in the 9th 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 Taylor 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 224 South Second Street, Medford. The court is part of the 9th 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.
Probate cases in Taylor County, Wisconsin are filed at the Register in Probate of the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 9th Judicial District.
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 Taylor County Self-Filing Assessment.
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.
In Wisconsin a death is registered locally, and in Taylor County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Register of Deeds, Taylor County as well as by Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Vital Records Office.
Vital Records Office Record
Taylor County · Register of Deeds
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
Certified copies
Fax
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $20 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $3 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Taylor County · Taylor County Medical Examiner
Phone
Office
Website
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
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 Taylor County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 224 South Second Street, Courthouse 2nd Floor, Medford, WI 54451. Phone: 1-715-748-1483. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
Taylor County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Taylor County
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
E-recording
Fax
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $30 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
Wis. Stat. 59.43(2)(ag)
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Wisconsin allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Taylor 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 Taylor 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.
FirmAshland, WI
Two-attorney general practice in Ashland serving the surrounding Northern Wisconsin area, with roots dating to 1904. Handles probate and estate administration from the initial filing through final distribution, including validating wills, inventorying assets, settling debts, and distributing inheritances, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
FirmSuperior, WI
Family-owned general practice in Superior serving Douglas County and the Twin Ports, in operation since 1987. Its wills and trusts practice handles probate proceedings and estates alongside wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and elder law. Offers same-day, emergency, and live video consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder Law
Solo PracticeMercer, WI
Solo practice in Mercer serving Northern Wisconsin. Files probate petitions and guides personal representatives through intestate estates, creditor claims, estate taxes, final accountings, and distributions, assists trustees with notices, creditors, and distributions, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Roxanne Lutgen is licensed in Wisconsin as both an attorney and a CPA.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planning
FirmHurley, WI
Estate planning and elder law office based in Hurley, with satellite offices in Ashland and Woodruff serving Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Handles probate and trust administration (court forms, inventories, accountings, and distributions), guardianships with their inventories and annual accountings, special needs trusts, and Medicaid and nursing home planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
Solo PracticeThorp, WI
Solo practice in Thorp serving Clark and Taylor counties. Attorney Johanna R. Kirk probates estates, mostly on a flat fee, and has handled estates in litigation between family members or creditors, represented beneficiaries against personal representatives, and handles guardianships of elderly or disabled adults. She practiced in Superior from 2006 to 2024 before moving the office to Thorp.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 3 more
FirmMilwaukee, WI
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
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. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Browse vetted Wisconsin attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Wisconsin attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether Wisconsin lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
