Kenosha Reporter

A new bill authored by State Sen. Robert W. Wirch in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to clarify and streamline the process for revoking transfer on death beneficiary designations on real property, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "revoking a transfer of real property on death, obtaining evidence of the termination of a decedent’s property interests, disbursing deposits after rescission of real property wholesaler contracts, and filing satisfactions of judgment".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill allows for the revocation of a transfer on death (TOD) beneficiary designation on real property through specific instruments, effective only when acknowledged by the owner and submitted to the register of deeds. It stipulates that revocation by one owner does not affect interests of other owners, and joint owners must all agree to revoke a TOD designation. To evidence the termination of property interests of a deceased person, a recent property tax bill can now be used. The bill also allows real property wholesaler contracts to have deposits and option fees returned to buyers or sellers upon rescission without liability to the holder. Additionally, the bill specifies that an original satisfaction of judgment signed by the owner can be filed to update records across counties, bypassing the need for county clerk certification. The effective date of the bill is not specified within the provided text.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Scott Krug (Republican-72nd District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Daniel Knodl (Republican-24th District), and Representative Dave Maxey (Republican-83rd District), along four other co-sponsors.

Robert W. Wirch has co-authored or authored another 15 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Wirch graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Parkside in 1970 with a BA.

Wirch, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 1997 to represent the state's 22nd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Joseph F. Andrea.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB193	04/14/2025	Revoking a transfer of real property on death, obtaining evidence of the termination of a decedent’s property interests, disbursing deposits after rescission of real property wholesaler contracts, and filing satisfactions of judgment
SB153	03/21/2025	Expanding the treatment alternatives and diversion programs. (FE)