Olean firm serving Cattaraugus County families, with a second office in Wellsville. Shane & Firkel handles estate administration after a death - the firm keeps a dedicated estate-administration paralegal in the Olean office - alongside the estate planning that precedes it. The partnership also carries a regional specialty in oil and gas title work drawn from the Bradford field that runs under southern Cattaraugus County.
Ellicottville is in Cattaraugus County.
More Probate Firms in Cattaraugus County
Olean (Cattaraugus County) firm open since 2018, with one attorney and three paralegals working estate matters. Handles probate and estate administration, trust administration and trust funding, and estate litigation, alongside wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and proactive and crisis Medicaid planning.
Probate in Cattaraugus County
Probate Court Record
Cattaraugus County Surrogate's Court
Cattaraugus County · 8th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
Cattaraugus County Courthouse, 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Cattaraugus County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Cattaraugus County? →Settling an estate in Cattaraugus County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in New York
Free New York forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for New York.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Last Will and Testament
In New York, a will is signed before 2EPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyEPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in New York
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in New York: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for New York.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in New York costs an estimated $35,992SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2.5%Modeled estimate under SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 4%Modeled estimate under SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in New York: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 270 days22 NYCRR 207.20Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 7 monthsSCPA 1802, 1803, 1810, 1811; EPTL 11-1.5Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 7 months to 9 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
New York sets executor compensation by statute — about $19,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.8%SCPA § 2307Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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Do I Need Probate?
In New York, estates with personal property of $50,000SCPA § 1301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Voluntary AdministrationSCPA § 1301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, a court filing short of full probate.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In New York, the 7 monthsSCPA § 1802Verified Sep 8, 2026View source period after the personal representative's appointment protects a representative who distributes after it; late claims can still reach undistributed assets.
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Can I Self-File Probate?
In New York, informal probate is not availableSCPA § 1408 (court must inquire into all facts before admitting a will to probate)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
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