Bronx firm on Westchester Avenue handling probate and estate administration for executors and administrators, from the initial filing through distributing assets and closing the estate. Also drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney and advance directives, and handles estate tax planning. Consultations are free.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Bronx County, New York
How probate works in Bronx County: the Surrogate's Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Bronx County Surrogate's Court
Bronx County · 12th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
851 Grand Concourse, 3rd Floor, Bronx, NY 10451
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysE-filing through NYSCEF is mandatory in new probate, administration, accounting and miscellaneous proceedings, and in related proceedings such as small estates, commenced on or after July 10, 2026. Guardianship and adoption proceedings cannot be e-filed and are filed on paper. Self-represented filers are exempt under 22 NYCRR 207.4-aa(e)(1) and CPLR 2111(b)(1) and may choose to e-file, and documents may be e-filed in an estate that began on paper. On paper: Guardianship proceedings (paper only); Adoption proceedings (paper only).
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe court refers self-represented filers to the statewide DIY programs for small estates and Article 17A guardianship.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCredit card.Fees can be paid by credit card through NYSCEF, with no added NYSCEF fee, or at the court. A filing paid at the court is not filed until payment is received and may be deleted if unpaid within two business days; certificates requested in an e-filed proceeding are paid at the time of the request.
Hearing schedule
- The court holds a hybrid calendar in person and on Microsoft Teams, and the calendar list is posted each Friday for the following week. Hearings and conferences are scheduled by individual Teams invitations.
Self-help center
- Self-help service1-718-618-1722 · bxsurrhelpctr@nycourts.gov · Assistance in Spanish in addition to EnglishThe Help Center gives self-represented court users basic information on procedure, court rules and statutes, and some forms and brochures; it does not give legal advice or fill out forms. The Spanish-language line is (718) 618-1744.
County forms
- Administration PacketForms for a petition for letters of administration.
- Affidavit of HeirshipThe court's affidavit setting out the decedent's family tree and distributees.
- Bond FAQsWhen an administrator may need an estate bond and how to obtain one.
- Petition to Open Safe Deposit BoxPetition to open and examine a safe deposit box in the decedent's name.
- Staple AffidavitAffidavit explaining staple holes or removed staples on an original will.
Departments
- Calendar Clerk1-718-618-2373 · virtualbronxsurrogatescourt@nycourts.govCourtesy copies of e-filed adjournment requests go to this mailbox.
- Administration1-718-618-2370Estates without a will that leave property worth more than $50,000.
- Probate1-718-618-2365Estates with a will that leave property worth more than $50,000, and requests to open a safe deposit box.
- Accounting1-718-618-2375Estate and trust accountings, supplemental needs trusts, bond discharges and removal of a fiduciary.
- Miscellaneous1-718-618-2075Compromise of actions, real property, discovery and turnover, contempt and other SCPA Article 21 proceedings.
- Guardianship1-718-618-2380Guardianship of infants under SCPA Article 17, Article 17A applications and guardianship annual accountings.
- Small Estates1-718-618-2309Estates, with or without a will, leaving personal property worth less than $50,000 in the decedent's name alone.
- Cashier1-718-618-2396Certificates, certifications and record searches.
- Inventory of Assets1-718-618-2385The inventory of assets is filed no later than nine months after letters issue.
About the court
- Since August 6, 2026 there is no filing fee for a petition to amend letters of administration, though an amendment that raises the estate value still owes the added SCPA 2402(7) fee. Accounting and miscellaneous papers e-filed through NYSCEF are processed once the court receives the hard copy of the petition or accounting.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Bronx County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Bronx County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at 851 Grand Concourse, 3rd Floor, Bronx. The court sits in the 12th Judicial District. Probate e-filing in Bronx County runs through nycourts.gov, not the iappscontent.courts.state.ny.us portal used by most New York counties.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under New York intestacy law when there is no will.
Most New York estates take 9 months to 15 months to move through this process. Creditors have 7 monthsSCPA 1802, 1803, 1810, 1811; EPTL 11-1.5Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.
What Probate Costs in Bronx County
What probate costs in Bronx County, New York comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Surrogate's Court at 851 Grand Concourse, 3rd Floor, Bronx. The court is part of the 12th Judicial District.
New York charges $45 - $1,250 (based on estate value)N.Y. SCPA § 2402(1), (2), (7)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in New York are negotiated, typically 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 estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
New York sets executor compensation by statute — about $19,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.8%SCPA § 2307Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under SCPA §§ 710, 801, 805Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in New York typically runs 9 months to 15 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Surrogate's Court
Probate cases in Bronx County, New York are filed at the Surrogate's Court. The court sits in the 12th Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Calendar Clerk, Administration, Probate, and Accounting.
The Help Center gives self-represented court users basic information on procedure, court rules and statutes, and some forms and brochures; it does not give legal advice or fill out forms. The Spanish-language line is (718) 618-1744.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
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.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Bronx County Self-Filing Assessment.
Bronx County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Search NYSCEF and ask the court about other wills before filing
Before commencing a proceeding, search NYSCEF by the decedent's last name and first initial, and contact the court to learn whether another will is on file for safekeeping. The court does not take calls asking whether a proceeding was already filed.
SourceWorking copies of pleadings, motions and accountings
Paper working copies of pleadings, motions with all supporting and responding papers, and accountings are submitted with proof of e-filing attached. Review does not begin until the working copy arrives.
SourceCase name entered without punctuation or spaces
The case name is entered exactly as the signature on the will; a different name on the death certificate or the will becomes an AKA. No punctuation or spaces are used.
SourceDocument Requirements
Original will and certified death certificate within two business days
Paper originals of the certified death certificate and the will are delivered to the court two business days after they are e-filed. The will is scanned but not unstapled.
SourceOther Requirements
Stamped self-addressed envelope for returned documents
Requested documents are mailed back only in a self-addressed envelope with at least two ounces of postage. Without one, they go to the attorney pick-up drawer in the department.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Surrogate's Court: Death certificate — one must be filed on any application for letters testamentary, letters of administration, or voluntary administration; alternate evidence of death may be accepted in the court's discretion (22 NYCRR 207.15(b)); Original will and any codicils (filed with the Petition for Probate) (SCPA Art. 14); Estimate of gross estate value (personal and real property, gross rents for 18 months, and any wrongful-death/personal-injury cause of action) in the petition (22 NYCRR 207.16(a)(2))N.Y. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act Art. 14 (§§ 1401-1424, probate; § 1402 who may propound will/contents of petition; § 1414 letters testamentary); Art. 10 (§ 1001 et seq., administration); Art. 13 (§§ 1301-1312, small estate)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Bronx County
In New York a death is registered locally, and in Bronx County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Office of Vital Records, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bronx County as well as by New York State Department of Health - Vital Records Section.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Bronx County · Office of Vital Records, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Hours
Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-3:30 PM
Office
125 Worth Street, Room CN-4, Room 119, New York, NY 10013
Website
Certified copies
By appointment
Order online
Local rule
- The Office of Vital Records issues death certificates for deaths in the five boroughs; every in-person order needs an appointment, and the counter handles death records from 1970 on. Older records are ordered online or by mail.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $15 |
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Bronx County · Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Bronx Family Services Center
Phone
Office
260 East 161 Street, 4th Floor, Bronx, NY 10451
Website
Serves this county
Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York
Release of remains
1-212-447-2030 · Communications Unit, family members · (press 3, then press 1) · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Bronx County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the City Register.
Deeds and other real property documents for Bronx County are recorded with the City Register at 3030 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor, Bronx, NY 10455. Phone: 1-212-487-6300.
The City Register charges $37 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page.
Bronx County accepts electronic recording through ACRIS.
Recording Office Record
City Register
Bronx County
Phone
Office
3030 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor, Bronx, NY 10455
Website
E-recording
Fees
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $37 |
| Each additional page | $5 |
| TP-584-NYC Combined Real Estate Transfer Tax Return (NYC)Not required for a TOD deed | no separate City Register filing fee |
| RP-5217-NYC Real Property Transfer Report (Residential/Agricultural)Not required for a TOD deed | $125 |
| RP-5217-NYC Real Property Transfer Report (Commercial/Other)Not required for a TOD deed | $250 |
| NYC-RPT NYC Real Property Transfer Tax ReturnRequired with most deeds | no fee on a deed; $100 to file the RPTT for non-deed transfers |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
NYC Department of Finance Schedule of Property Recording Fees and Taxes; CPLR § 8021; RPL § 333(3)(ii)
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Bronx County
New York uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Bronx County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in New York are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Bronx County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Surrogate's Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
College Point (Queens) firm with dedicated pages for will probate, estate administration, lost-will hearings, and spousal and beneficiary-rights disputes, taking executors from validating the will through distributing what is left, and petitioning the Surrogate's Court to admit a copy when the original will cannot be found. Also drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and testamentary guardian appointments for minor children. Serves all five New York City boroughs plus Nassau and Suffolk, and offers a free consultation and case evaluation on probate matters.
Bronxwood Avenue firm where wills and probate run alongside a personal injury and divorce practice. It represents people asked to serve as executor or administrator, taking them from inventorying the estate through paying creditors to distributing assets, and its probate page answers the New York-specific questions families arrive with about intestate succession and letters testamentary.
Brooklyn firm led by Pinni Bohm with a second office in Times Square, Manhattan. Petitions the New York City Surrogate's Courts for Letters Testamentary and Letters of Administration, advises executors and administrators on their duties, oversees distributions to beneficiaries and heirs, and negotiates with estate creditors. Also litigates will and trust contests, spousal right-of-election disputes, and fiduciary-misconduct claims.
Bronx firm on East Tremont Avenue with an appointment-only New Rochelle office, serving Bronx, Westchester, Manhattan and Queens families since 1989. Walks executors and administrators through filing the will and petition with the Surrogate's Court, getting appointed, notifying heirs, beneficiaries and creditors, collecting and valuing assets, paying debts, taxes and expenses, and distributing what remains. Also takes contested probate - will contests, undue-influence claims, disputes over asset ownership and challenges to executor authority - plus trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and Medicaid and special-needs planning. Consultations are free and the firm practices in Spanish.
Brooklyn practice on Columbia Street representing executors and administrators in the Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Bronx Surrogate's Courts. It collects waivers and consents from distributees, gets a citation issued when an heir will not sign, opens the estate account and EIN, reviews creditor claims and files the final accounting. The first one-hour consultation is free, online or in person.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- N.Y. SCPA § 2402(1), (2), (7)
- N.Y. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act Art. 14 (§§ 1401-1424, probate; § 1402 who may propound will/contents of petition; § 1414 letters testamentary); Art. 10 (§ 1001 et seq., administration); Art. 13 (§§ 1301-1312, small estate)
- SCPA § 1408 (court must inquire into all facts before admitting a will to probate)
- SCPA § 2307
- SCPA 1802, 1803, 1810, 1811; EPTL 11-1.5
- NYC Department of Finance Schedule of Property Recording Fees and Taxes; CPLR § 8021; RPL § 333(3)(ii)
- Bronx County Surrogate's Court, official page
- Bronx County City Register, official page
- Bronx County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from New York statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in New York
Free tools for settling an estate in New York: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for New York.
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.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in New York happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteN.Y. EPTL Article 7Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
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.
Get the Answer
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