For most Wood 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 Wood 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 Wood 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.
A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Wood 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 Wood County are recorded with the Register of Deeds, led by Tiffany R. Ringer, at 400 Market St, 2nd Floor, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494. Phone: 715-421-8450. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to PO Box 8095, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495-8095.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $30 to record in Wood County. A transfer on death deed is exempt from transfer tax.
Wood County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC eRecording Solutions, ePN (eRecording Partners Network), Hopdox, Indecomm Global Services.
Recording Office Record
Wood County · Tiffany R. Ringer
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
Solo PracticeMarshfield, WI
Locally and veteran-owned law firm in the heart of Marshfield. Attorney Brandon Carlin is a combat veteran who served with the U.S. Army in Iraq, completing two year-long tours. Registered Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.
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FirmStevens Point, WI
Modern law firm focused exclusively on estate planning, probate, and estate settlement serving central Wisconsin from Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids offices.
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Serves Portage, Wood, Marathon, Waushara, Adams, and Waupaca counties from Stevens Point, reaching Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau, Plover, and Waupaca. Handles estate administration and summary settlement, trust administration, and guardianships for families after a death, alongside wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. Founded in 1886.
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FirmWausau, WI
Serves Marathon County and central Wisconsin from Wausau. Handles informal and formal probate, termination of a decedent's joint-property interest, small-estate transfers, and trust administration for revocable, irrevocable, and testamentary trusts, plus will challenges and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Estate and probate work is billed on a flat-fee basis.
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Serves Marathon County and the rest of Wisconsin from Wausau, with offices in Rhinelander and Plover. Handles probate and trust administration, guardianship, and crisis nursing home and Medicaid planning, alongside revocable living trusts, wills, and powers of attorney. New clients start with a two-hour complimentary consultation.
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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.
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Data sourced from Wisconsin statutes and official state code. How we research.
Estate planning articles for Wisconsin.
Forms and tools for property owners in Wood 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.
