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 Wisconsin Statutes (Last Updated: January 10, 2017)
 Chapter 867. Probate — Summary Procedures

  Section 867.03. Transfer by affidavit.  

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    (1c)   Definition. In this section, “guardian" has the meaning given in s. 54.01 (10) or s. 880.01 (3) , 2003 stats.
    (1g)   Generally. When a decedent leaves property subject to administration in this state which does not exceed $50,000 in value, any heir of the decedent, trustee of a revocable trust created by the decedent, or person who was guardian of the decedent at the time of the decedent's death may collect any money due the decedent, receive the property of the decedent, and have any evidence of interest, obligation to, or right of the decedent transferred to the affiant if the heir, trustee, or guardian provides to the person owing the money, having custody of the property, or acting as registrar or transfer agent of the evidences of interest, obligation to, or right, or, if the property is an interest in or lien on real property, provides to the register of deeds preliminary to the recording required under sub. (2m) , proof of prior mailed notice under sub. (1m) if applicable and an affidavit in duplicate showing all of the following:
    (a) A description of and the value of the property to be transferred.
    (b) The total value of the decedent's property subject to administration in this state at the date of decedent's death.
    (c) Whether the decedent or the decedent's spouse ever received services provided as a benefit under a long-term care program, as defined in s. 49.496 (1) (bk) , medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 , long-term community support services funded under s. 46.27 (7) , or aid under s. 49.68 , 49.683 , 49.685 , or 49.875 [s. 49.785 ].
    (1m)   Notice of affidavit.
    (a) Whenever an heir, trustee, or person who was guardian of the decedent at the time of the decedent's death intends to transfer a decedent's property by affidavit under sub. (1g) and the decedent or the decedent's spouse ever received services provided as a benefit under a long-term care program, as defined in s. 49.496 (1) (bk) , medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 , long-term community support services funded under s. 46.27 (7) , or aid under s. 49.68 , 49.683 , 49.685 , or 49.785 , the heir, trustee, or person who was guardian of the decedent at the time of the decedent's death shall give notice to the department of health services of his or her intent. The notice shall include the information in the affidavit under sub. (1g) and the heir, trustee, or person who was guardian of the decedent at the time of the decedent's death shall give the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested.
    (b) An heir, trustee, or person who was guardian of the decedent at the time of the decedent's death who files an affidavit under sub. (1g) that states that the decedent or the decedent's spouse received services provided as a benefit under a long-term care program, as defined in s. 49.496 (1) (bk) , medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 , long-term community support services funded under s. 46.27 (7) , or aid under s. 49.68 , 49.683 , 49.685 , or 49.785 shall attach to the affidavit the proof of mail delivery of the notice required under par. (a) showing the delivery date.
    (2)   Release of liability of transferor. Upon the transfer to the heir, trustee, or person who was guardian of the decedent at the time of the decedent's death furnishing the affidavit with an attached proof of mail delivery if required under sub. (1m) (b) , the transferor is released to the same extent as if the transfer had been made to the personal representative of the estate of the decedent.
    (2g)   Obligation of affiant.
    (a) By accepting the decedent's property under this section the heir, trustee, or guardian assumes a duty to apply the property transferred for the payment of obligations according to priorities established under s. 859.25 and to distribute any balance to those persons designated in the appropriate governing instrument, as defined in s. 854.01 , of the decedent or if there is no governing instrument, according to the rules of intestate succession under ch. 852 , subject to par. (b) . An heir or guardian may publish a notice to creditors in the same manner and with the same effect as a trustee under s. 701.0508 . This paragraph does not prohibit any appropriate person from requesting administration of the decedent's estate under s. 856.07 or ch. 865 .
    (b) Property transferred under this section to or by an heir, trustee, or guardian is subject to the right of the department of health services to recover under s. 46.27 (7g) , 49.496 , 49.682 , or 49.849 an amount equal to the medical assistance that is recoverable under s. 49.496 (3) (a) , an amount equal to aid under s. 49.68 , 49.683 , 49.685 , or 49.785 that is recoverable under s. 49.682 (2) (a) or (am) , or an amount equal to long-term community support services under s. 46.27 that is recoverable under s. 46.27 (7g) (c) 1. and that was paid on behalf of the decedent or the decedent's spouse. Upon request, the heir, trustee, or guardian shall provide to the department of health services information about any of the decedent's property that the heir, trustee, or guardian has distributed and information about the persons to whom the property was distributed.
    (2m)   Recording of affidavit.
    (a) If an affidavit under sub. (1g) describes an interest in or lien on real property a certified copy or duplicate original of the affidavit shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds in each county in this state in which the real property is located.
    (b) For purposes of a transfer under this section of an interest in or lien on real property, the recording of the affidavit copy or duplicate original constitutes the transfer to the affiant under sub. (1g) of the evidence of the interest in or lien on real property.
    (3)   Applicability. This section is additional to s. 109.03 (3) for payment of decedent's wages by an employer directly to the decedent's dependents.

Note

The correct cross-reference is shown in brackets. Corrective legislation is pending. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 A “Simple" Probate Should Not Be This Complicated: Principles and Proposals for Revising Wisconsin's Statutes for Probate Summary Procedures. Johnson. 2008 WLR 575. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1