Estate Planning & Probate in Niagara County, New York
Most Niagara County estate questions come down to one fork: avoid probate before a death, or work through it after one. This page points you to the right path—planning ahead, or settling an estate at the Surrogate's Court.
Someone died — settling an estate
Filing probate at the Surrogate's Court, what it costs, transferring property, and local attorneys.
What to do when someone dies in Niagara County→Planning ahead as a property owner
Keep a Niagara County home out of probate with a transfer-on-death deed or a living trust.
Estate planning in Niagara County→The Probate Process in Niagara 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 Niagara County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at Niagara County Courthouse, 175 Hawley Street, Lockport. The court sits in the 8th Judicial District.
Full Niagara Countyprobate guide: cost, how to file & attorneys →Probate Court Record
Surrogate's Court
Niagara County · 8th Judicial District
Address
Phone
Hours
Recording Deeds & Property Documents
Recording Office Record
County Clerk
Niagara County · County Clerk · Joseph A. Jastrzemski
Address
Phone
Fax
Hours
$45 per document plus $5 for every page; a 2-page TOD deed records for $55; TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax.
Full recording details →Verified September 8, 2026 · Source
New York Estate Planning Articles
Articles about estate planning, probate, and trusts relevant to families in Niagara County.
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