Estate Planning for Broome County, New York Property Owners

For most Broome County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.

Record a TOD deedWhere to recordLocal attorneys

For a Broome County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Surrogate's Court. The two tools that keep a Broome County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Clerk, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.

Without a recorded beneficiary designation or a trust, Broome County property passes through the Surrogate's Court — even simple New York probates run 7+ months and start with $45 in filing fees.

Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in Broome County

A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Broome County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Clerk during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.

Before recording, a New York transfer on death deed is signed with 2N.Y. Real Prop. Law 424Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and notary acknowledgmentN.Y. Real Prop. Law 424Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathN.Y. Real Prop. Law 424Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.

Create a New York TOD deed →Broome County signing requirements →

Where to Record Property Documents

Deeds and other real property documents for Broome County are recorded with the County Clerk at 60 Hawley Street, 3rd Floor, Binghamton, NY 13901. Phone: 1-607-778-2451. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.

Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 2062, Binghamton, NY 13902.

The County Clerk charges $45 per document plus $5 for every page. Recording a 2-page transfer on death deed in Broome County comes to $55. A transfer on death deed is exempt from transfer tax.

Broome County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Indecomm and Simplifile.

Recording Office Record

County Clerk

Broome County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Office

60 Hawley Street, 3rd Floor, Binghamton, NY 13901

Open in Google Maps

Mail

P.O. Box 2062 Binghamton, NY 13902

Fax

1-607-778-2243

Verified October 17, 2026 · Source

Estate Planning Attorneys Serving Broome County

FirmBinghamton, NY

Garufi Law P.C.

Since 1991 · Serves 8 counties

Binghamton general practice whose service area runs across the Sixth Judicial District, including the Chenango County courts in Norwich as well as Broome, Chemung, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga and Tompkins counties. Handles wills, probate, guardianship, health care proxies and powers of attorney alongside family law, real estate and civil litigation. Founded in 1991.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipFamily Lawand 2 more

Office
68 Oak Street, Second FloorBinghamton, NY 13905

Solo PracticeBinghamton, NY

Law Office of Greg S. Catarella

Serves 1 county

Binghamton solo practice handling probate and estate administration in the Broome County Surrogate's Court. Greg Catarella works with people who have been named executor or trustee and need to move an estate through the court process, and pairs that with elder law, Medicaid planning and Article 81 guardianship petitions for families dealing with incapacity.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawGuardianshipMedicaid Planning

Office
31 Lewis Street, Suite 403Binghamton, NY 13901

FirmVestal, NY

Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP

Since 1927 · Serves 4 counties

Vestal firm outside Binghamton with offices in Ithaca, Whitney Point, and Montrose, Pennsylvania. Its trusts and estates group supports executors, trustees, and beneficiaries through estate and trust administration and contested and uncontested probate, and its litigators handle estate controversies. Best Lawyers ranks it the region's only first-tier Trusts & Estates firm; founded in 1927.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more

Office
450 Plaza DriveVestal, NY 13850

Solo PracticeVestal, NY

Pelella Law P.C.

Since 2014 · Serves 1 county

Solo practice in Vestal, Broome County, opened by Palmer J. Pelella in Binghamton in 2014. Handles probate and estate administration for surviving families, including disputes among beneficiaries over how assets are distributed, alongside wills, powers of attorney, health care proxies, and life-use deed transfers.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbate

Office
120 Plaza Drive, Suite A-1Vestal, NY 13850

Solo PracticeBinghamton, NY

Fabrizio Law Offices

Since 1985

Binghamton (Broome County) practice serving the Southern Tier since 1985 and appearing in New York's probate courts. Handles all aspects of estate and trust administration, including will-contest proceedings and family disputes, and prepares simple and complex wills and trusts. Uses tax and estate-planning techniques to reduce federal and New York estate transfer taxes.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more

Office
84 Court Street, Suite 201Binghamton, NY 13901

FirmElmira, NY

DeFilippo Law Firm P.L.L.C.

Since 1934

Elmira (Chemung County) firm on West Water Street, serving the Elmira area since 1934 and now in its third generation under James E. DeFilippo. Represents executors and trustees through estate and trust administration — protecting assets for beneficiaries, collecting outstanding assets and income, paying valid bills, filing federal and state estate, gift and fiduciary income tax returns, calculating tax basis for beneficiaries and filing court reports. Also prepares wills, lifetime trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxies and lifetime transfers of the home with a reserved life use.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateReal Estate

Office
1225 West Water Street, Suite 1Elmira, NY 14905
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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.

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Data sourced from New York statutes and official state code. How we research.

Forms for Planning Your Estate in New York

Free forms for planning your estate in New York: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for New York.

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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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Codicil to a Will

In New York, a codicil is signed before 2EPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, like a will, and the self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonySCPA §§ 103(52), 1406Verified Oct 25, 2026View source.

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Healthcare Power of Attorney

New York requires 2NY PHL § 2981(5)(d)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses for a healthcare power of attorney; notarization is not requiredNY PHL § 2981(5)(d)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source.

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HIPAA Release

In New York, a HIPAA release names who may receive your records and, as the state requires, names HIV/AIDS-related information and genetic informationN.Y. Pub. Health Law §§ 2780(9), 2782(5)(a) (Article 27-F); NY DOH Form DOH-2557 (Rev. 2/11); N.Y. Civ. Rights Law § 79-l(2)(b), (2)(c), (2)(d), (3)(a)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source expressly before a provider releases them.

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Financial Power of Attorney

New York treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultNY GOL §§ 5-1501, 5-1501A, 5-1501B, 5-1502A through 5-1502N, 5-1504, 5-1512, 5-1513Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed before 2NY GOL §§ 5-1501, 5-1501A, 5-1501B, 5-1502A through 5-1502N, 5-1504, 5-1512, 5-1513Verified Sep 18, 2026View source witnesses and a notary.

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Transfer on Death Deed

In New York, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryN.Y. Real Prop. Law 424Verified Oct 19, 2026View source and 2N.Y. Real Prop. Law 424Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathN.Y. Real Prop. Law 424Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. New York does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.

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Pour-Over Will

In New York, a pour-over will is signed before 2EPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.

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$12/month

Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

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Tools for Planning Your Estate in New York

Free tools for planning your estate in New York: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for New York and read its answer.

How Do I Sign Estate Documents?

In New York, a will is signed before 2EPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredEPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.

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Will My Estate Documents Transfer?

New York recognizes a will signed under the law of the place where it was signedEPTL § 3-5.1(c)Verified Oct 19, 2026View source; a will signed in New York itself needs 2EPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredEPTL § 3-2.1Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.

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Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?

In New York, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of 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 the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.

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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?

An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in New York runs $4,250Estimate: 10 hours at $425, Clio's New York Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $6,375Estimate: 15 hours at $425, Clio's New York Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.

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How Much Does a Will Cost?

An attorney-prepared will in New York runs $1,344Estimate: 3 hours at $448, Clio's New York Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,688Estimate: 6 hours at $448, Clio's New York Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $299 up front with an online service, and probate on a $500,000 estate adds about $35,992SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.

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How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?

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How Do I Name a Guardian for My Minor Children?

In New York, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a will or a separate signed writingN.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 81; N.Y. SCPA §§ 1707, 1710Verified Sep 16, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18N.Y. SCPA § 1707(2); N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 81Verified Sep 16, 2026View source.

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Do I Need a Revocable Trust?

Probate in New York takes 7 months to 9 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of 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 the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.

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