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.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Broome County, New York
How probate works in Broome County: the Surrogate's Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Broome County Surrogate's Court
Broome County · 6th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
Broome County Courthouse, 92 Court Street, Binghamton, NY 13901
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysE-filing through NYSCEF is mandatory in administration, probate, voluntary administration, guardianship and other miscellaneous proceedings commenced on or after October 21, 2020. Self-represented filers are exempt under 22 NYCRR 207.4-aa(e)(1) and CPLR 2111(b)(1), may choose to e-file, and attach no hard-copy notice to paper filings. Documents may be e-filed in an estate that began on paper.
Self-represented filing
AllowedCourt staff explain procedures and policies but do not give legal advice or help fill out forms. The Central New York Legal HelpLine, 1-877-777-6152, answers calls Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCredit card, Check.Fees can be paid by credit card through NYSCEF at the time of filing or at the court. A filing paid at the court is not filed until payment is received.
County forms
- Broome Surrogate's Court FormsThe court's local forms, with links to the statewide forms and the DIY small estate, safe deposit box and Article 17A programs.
- Fiduciary Qualification Form - EstatesQualification form completed by a nominated executor or administrator.
- Assets and Debts FormSummary of the estate's assets and debts.
- Consent to No BondConsent by an interested person to dispensing with the fiduciary's bond.
- Informal Closing (22 NYCRR 207.42)Papers for closing an estate informally with receipts and releases.
P.O. Box 1766
Binghamton, NY 13902
About the court
- Every visitor passes through a magnetometer on entering the courthouse.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Broome 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 Broome County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at Broome County Courthouse, 92 Court Street, Binghamton. The court sits in the 6th Judicial District.
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 Broome County
What probate costs in Broome 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 Broome County Courthouse, 92 Court Street, Binghamton. The court is part of the 6th 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 Broome County, New York are filed at the Surrogate's Court. The court sits in the 6th Judicial District.
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 Broome County Self-Filing Assessment.
Broome 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 an initial filing, search NYSCEF by the decedent's last name and first initial to see whether a file is already open, and contact the court to learn whether another will is on file for safekeeping.
SourceCase name entered without punctuation or spaces
The case name is entered exactly as the signature on the will; a different name on the will, the death certificate or the petition becomes an AKA. No punctuation or spaces are used.
SourceDocument Requirements
Original will within two business days; death certificate may be e-filed
The filer scans the will, may unstaple it, and files the original paper will within two business days of e-filing. The court does not require the original death certificate; e-filing it is sufficient.
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 Coroner in Broome County
In Broome County certified copies of the death certificate come from the Registrar of Vital Statistics of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New York State Department of Health - Vital Records Section.
Vital Records Office Record
New York State Department of Health - Vital Records Section
Broome County · State vital records office
Phone
Website
Certified copies
From the Registrar of Vital Statistics of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New York State Department of Health - Vital Records Section
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $30 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Broome County · Broome County Coroner
Phone
Website
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Broome 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 County Clerk.
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.
Broome County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Indecomm and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
County Clerk
Broome County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
60 Hawley Street, 3rd Floor, Binghamton, NY 13901
Website
P.O. Box 2062
Binghamton, NY 13902
Fax
1-607-778-2243
Recording fees
| Document fee (per document) | $45 |
| Each page | $5 |
| TP-584 Combined Real Estate Transfer Tax ReturnNot required for a TOD deed | $10 |
| RP-5217 Real Property Transfer Report (Residential/Agricultural)Not required for a TOD deed | $125 |
| RP-5217 Real Property Transfer Report (Commercial/Other)Not required for a TOD deed | $250 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
CPLR § 8021(a)(4) (county-adjustable); RPL § 333(3)(ii) (RP-5217 filing fee); county-published fee schedules
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Broome County
New York uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Broome 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 Broome 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
- CPLR § 8021(a)(4) (county-adjustable); RPL § 333(3)(ii) (RP-5217 filing fee); county-published fee schedules
- Broome County Surrogate's Court, official page
- Broome County Clerk, official page
- Broome 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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