Hancock County Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant Form
Last validated July 6, 2026 by our Forms Development Team
Hancock County Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant Form
Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Hancock County Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant Guide
Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Hancock County Completed Example of the Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant Document
Example of a properly completed form for reference.
All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees
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Additional Iowa and Hancock County documents included at no extra charge:
Where to Record Your Documents
Hancock County Recorder
Garner, Iowa 50438-0070
Hours: 8:00 to 4:00 Monday through Friday
Phone: (641) 923-2464
Recording Tips for Hancock County:
- Bring your driver's license or state-issued photo ID
- Verify all names are spelled correctly before recording
- Leave recording info boxes blank - the office fills these
- Recording early in the week helps ensure same-week processing
Cities and Jurisdictions in Hancock County
Properties in any of these areas use Hancock County forms:
- Britt
- Corwith
- Crystal Lake
- Garner
- Goodell
- Kanawha
- Klemme
- Woden
Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Hancock County
How do I get my forms?
Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Hancock County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Hancock County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Hancock County, including margin requirements, font requirements, and other layout standards. This guarantee applies to formatting, not to the legal sufficiency of information entered by the user or the suitability of a form for a particular transaction.
Can I reuse these forms?
Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Hancock County you only need to order once.
What do I need to use these forms?
The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.
Are there any recurring fees?
No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.
How much does it cost to record in Hancock County?
Recording fees in Hancock County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (641) 923-2464 for current fees.
Questions answered? Let's get started!
Transferring Title to Iowa Real Estate after a Joint Tenant Dies
Joint tenancy is a form of ownership where two or more people share title rights to a specific parcel of real property. If one joint tenant dies, his/her portion of property rights transfers to the remaining owners by function of law. If there are multiple surviving co-owners, they each receive an equal share of the rights. Property held in joint tenancy does not pass to the owners' estates in a will. Therefore, it avoids distribution via the probate process.
Iowa Code 558.66 (2013) governs the different requirements for completing the transfer of title rights under joint tenancy. Specifically, the living joint tenant may execute and record an affidavit of surviving joint tenant, which the recorder attaches to the previously recorded deed. An affidavit is a document containing statements, made under oath, which identify the person presenting the material (affiant); the name of the surviving co-owner (often the affiant); details about the deceased owner; the legal description of the property being transferred; recording information from the deed granting joint tenancy; and a request to update the records with the county auditor ( 558.66(3)(b)). In addition, many people include an official copy of the deceased owner's death certificate.
Completing this process is an essential step in preserving a clear chain of title to the property, meaning that there is an unbroken history of owners, which reduces the likelihood of unexpected claims of rights to the real estate. A clear chain of title also makes the property easier to sell or mortgage because title agencies will provide the insurance that is usually required as part of the sale. In addition, because grantors (owners) must sign deeds when property is sold or otherwise conveyed, the recorded affidavit serves as evidence proving why one of the named owners cannot sign the transfer.
Real estate held in joint tenancy is often one aspect of an overall estate plan. Good practice dictates frequent updates of items such as wills, trusts, and other associated documents. As such, executing an affidavit of surviving joint tenant soon after a co-owner dies protects the rights and interests of everyone involved by ensuring that the relevant land records contain the most current information.
Each situation is unique, so for complex issues or with additional questions, please contact a local real estate attorney or other estate planning professional.
(Iowa Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)
Important: Your property must be located in Hancock County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.
This Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant meets all recording requirements specific to Hancock County.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Hancock County recording format requirements. If there is a rejection caused by our formatting, we will correct the issue or refund your payment. This guarantee applies to document formatting only and does not extend to information entered by the user, the selection of the form, or the legal effect of the completed document.
Save Time and Money
Get your Hancock County Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.
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January 26th, 2019
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May 18th, 2021
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April 11th, 2019
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May 21st, 2019
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Thank you for your feedback. Sorry to hear of your experience. Our documents are Adobe PDFs because PDF is the standard for digital documents, most computers have Adobe Reader installed, and it (Adobe Reader) is free.
Diana T.
July 15th, 2022
Very helpful Got information and form I wanted.
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Kathy-Louise A.
February 9th, 2025
I found the process of downloading and completing the documents very user friendly. Thank you for the Declare Value instructions. It was easy to follow, though a sample of the declaration form would be very useful. I didn't know how to list my "capacity" so I left it blank so the recorder could advise me. Otherwise, thank you so much for being available for people who are capable of completing simple legal tasks without the expense of a lawyer. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
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March 12th, 2019
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June 18th, 2020
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January 4th, 2023
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May 31st, 2019
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July 21st, 2021
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February 25th, 2023
I wasn't sure what I was looking for initially so I printed out the wrong thing. Had to pay again to get the right one but much less expensive than getting it from a lawyer. Our military lawyers will make the forms official but they don't have the forms. Hope this makes things easier for our children when we pass. Thank you for offering this service.
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Cecelia C.
December 16th, 2021
Service was fantastic. So helpful and they promptly get back with you. No reason to drive if you are out of state and need to get a deed filed. Safe way to file if you don't want to go to public office or can't physically get there.
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June 15th, 2022
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September 14th, 2021
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