Franklin County Gift Deed Form (Iowa)
All Franklin County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:
Gift Deed Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included Franklin County compliant document last validated/updated 5/9/2025
Gift Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Franklin County compliant document last validated/updated 6/24/2025
Completed Example of the Gift Deed Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Franklin County compliant document last validated/updated 5/16/2025
The following Iowa and Franklin County supplemental forms are included as a courtesy with your order:
When using these Gift Deed forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Franklin County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:
Franklin County Recorder
Courthouse - 12 First Ave NW / PO Box 26, Hampton, Iowa 50441
Hours: 8:00 to 4:00 Monday through Friday
Phone: (641) 456-5675
Local jurisdictions located in Franklin County include:
- Alexander
- Bradford
- Chapin
- Coulter
- Geneva
- Hampton
- Latimer
- Popejoy
- Sheffield
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 Franklin 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 Franklin County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Franklin County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Franklin County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.
Can the Gift 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 Franklin County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Franklin County.
What are supplemental forms?
Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Iowa or Franklin 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 Franklin County Gift 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.
Gifts of Real Property in Iowa
Gift deeds convey title to real property from one party to another with no exchange of consideration, monetary or otherwise. Often used to transfer property between family members or to gift property as a charitable act or donation, these conveyances occur during the grantor's lifetime. Gift deeds must contain language that explicitly states that no consideration is expected or required. Ambiguous language, or references to any type of consideration, can make the gift deed contestable in court.
A lawful gift deed includes the grantor's full name and marital status, as well as the grantee's full name, marital status, vesting information, and mailing address. Vesting describes how the grantee holds title to the property. Generally, real property is owned in either sole ownership or co-ownership. For Iowa residential property, the primary methods for holding title are tenancy in common and joint tenancy. An estate conveyed to two or more people who are not married to each other is considered a tenancy in common unless otherwise specified. A conveyance to a married couple vests as joint tenancy with rights of survivorship unless otherwise stated (Iowa Code 557.15).
As with any conveyance of realty, a gift deed requires a complete legal description of the parcel. Recite the source of title to maintain a clear chain of title, and detail any restrictions associated with the property. The deed must be signed by the grantor and acknowledged by an individual authorized to take acknowledgements. All signatures must be original.
In Iowa, most conveyances of real property require a Declaration of Value. Because a gift deed transfers real property from one party to another with no exchange of consideration, however, it is exempt from this requirement (Iowa Code 428A.2(21)). Record the completed gift deed in the recorder's office of the county where the subject property is located. Contact the same office to confirm recording fees and accepted forms of payment.
With gifts of real property, the recipient of the gift (grantee or donee) is not required to declare the amount of the gift as income, but if the property accrues income after the transaction, the grantee is responsible for paying the requisite state and federal income tax [1].
In Iowa, there is no state gift tax, but gifts of real property are subject to the federal gift tax. The person or entity making the gift (grantor or donor) is responsible for paying the federal gift tax; however, if the donor does not pay the gift tax, the donee (grantee) will be held liable [1]. For questions regarding state and federal tax laws, consult a tax specialist.
In accordance with federal law, individuals are permitted an annual exclusion of $15,000 on gifts. This means that gifts valued below $15,000 do not require a federal gift tax return (Form 709). However, if the gift's value could possibly be disputed by the IRS, a donor may benefit from filing a Form 709 [2].
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Contact an Iowa lawyer with any questions about gift deeds or other issues related to the transfer of real property.
[1] http://msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT199105HR.pdf
[2] https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes
(Iowa Gift Deed Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)
Our Promise
The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Franklin 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
Get your Franklin County Gift Deed 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.
4.8 out of 5 - ( 4562 Reviews )
MARY LACEY M.
June 30th, 2025
Great service! Recording was smooth and swiftly performed. Deeds.com is an excellent service.rn
We are delighted to have been of service. Thank you for the positive review!
Robert F.
June 30th, 2025
Breeze.... It feels silly to hire an attorney to do this for just one beneficiary. Thanks.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Pauline C.
June 29th, 2025
Everything that was stated to be included in my order was complete. Very satisfied
Thank you for your positive words! We’re thrilled to hear about your experience.
Shawn S.
February 18th, 2021
Listen, I love your services. It's been such a convenience utilizing it.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Sandra W.
March 11th, 2020
No issues with the forms.
Thank you!
Conrad R.
January 28th, 2023
Easy to obtain form, easy to use. Came with instrucions and references to state statutes. Very Helpful.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Joseph P.
April 28th, 2023
I purchased the Affidavit of Surviving Joint Tenant document and found the whole package of documents to be useful and practical. Successfully recorded!!! While the fillable PDF files are good enough, I personally prefer a Word document as it is easier to modify font or spacing.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Tom D.
May 4th, 2019
I have one suggestion and couple of question
I would think that most TOD's would be from married couples. It would be real helpful to have a example of the I(we) block for married couples.
Why would I check or not check the "property is registered (torrents)"
Do I need a notarized signature of the Grantee
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Jim H.
August 13th, 2020
Well written form, and the guidance document and example supplied were very helpful.
Thank you!
Maria M.
September 27th, 2023
The requested documents I needed were provided and also complete instructions on how to fill them out. I definitely will you this service again.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
George A. M.
August 10th, 2022
User friendly and fast to use. I was pleased with experience.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Anna C.
March 14th, 2022
While I don't know if my filing will be accepted which is the penultimate test, I was happy with the product.
Thank you!
Herbert W.
September 29th, 2020
The service was fast and professional. So much easier than going to the courthouse. I recommend this to anyone who has to record documents at the Clerk's office.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Jessica H.
March 3rd, 2021
As a first time user I was a little skeptical of the service. But Deeds.com put all my worries aside. Their service is quick and easy. I will definitely be using it again.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Teresa H.
March 14th, 2019
I loved that there was a sample with the downloads. It made it much easier to fill out the document correctly.
Thank you Teresa, have a great day!