Howard County Court Officer Deed Form (Iowa)

All Howard County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Court Officer Deed Form

Howard County Court Officer Deed Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included Howard County compliant document last validated/updated 5/8/2024

Court Officer Deed Guide

Howard County Court Officer Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Howard County compliant document last validated/updated 7/18/2024

Completed Example of the Court Officer Deed Document

Howard County Completed Example of the Court Officer Deed Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Howard County compliant document last validated/updated 11/1/2023

When using these Court Officer Deed forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Howard County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:

Howard County Recorder

Howard County Courthouse 137 N. Elm ST., Cresco, Iowa 52136

Hours: 8:00am to 4:30pm.Monday through Friday

Phone: 563-547-9210

Local jurisdictions located in Howard County include:

  • Chester
  • Cresco
  • Elma
  • Lime Springs
  • Protivin
  • Riceville

How long does it take to get my forms?

Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.

How do I get my forms, are they emailed?

Immediately after you submit payment, the Howard County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.

What does "validated/updated" mean?

This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:

  • Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
  • Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Howard County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Howard County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Howard County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.

Can the Court Officer Deed forms be re-used?

Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Howard County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Howard County.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Iowa or Howard County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.

What type of files are the forms?

All of our Howard County Court Officer Deed forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I need any special software to use these forms?

You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I have to enter all of my property information online?

No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.

Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?

Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.

Are there any recurring fees involved?

No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

When a property owner dies in Iowa, title to his or her real property passes by means of the decedent's will, or, in the absence of a will, via the laws of intestate succession established in the probate code, codified at chapter 633 of the Iowa Code.

Probate is the court procedure through which a decedent's will is proved and his or her estate is settled. The probate process takes place in the county in which the decedent was domiciled at the time of his or her death.
Pursuant to designation in the decedent's will or priority to administer the decedent's estate, as established by Iowa Code 633.227, the court appoints a personal representative (PR) who will oversee the estate's administration. The PR is either called an executor, when named by a decedent's will, or an administrator, in the absence of a will or lack of designation in a will. Regardless, the fiduciary duties of the personal representative remain the same, including marshalling the decedent's assets, paying debts and valid claims on the estate, and distributing the remainder of the estate to beneficiaries.

Title to real property that does not transfer outside of the probate process by means of a survivorship interest or trust must pass by means of a deed. Depending on the situation, a PR may be directed by the terms of a will to sell real property, or might need to consolidate the estate by selling property. The PR will need to petition the court for an order of sale if a power of sale is not set forth in a will. In Iowa, PRs use a court officer deed to transfer property from a decedent's estate to a distributee or purchaser.

A court officer's deed must meet all state and local standards, and might also require additional supporting documentation. The completed deed is executed and signed by the PR of the decedent's estate and recorded in the office of the recorder of land records in the county where the subject real property is situated. Iowa requires additional documentation when recording land records, including a Ground Water Hazard Statement (GWHS) and a Declaration of Value (DOV), unless a revenue tax exemption is claimed on the face of the conveyancing document.

As always, consult a lawyer with any questions regarding estate administration and court officer deeds in Iowa.

(Iowa Court Officer Deed Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Howard County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.

Save Time and Money

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