Required for attorneysProbate, administration, small estate, accounting and miscellaneous proceedings commenced on or after February 16, 2021 are filed through NYSCEF, and guardianship proceedings may be e-filed. A self-represented filer is exempt and may take part by choice. On paper: Guardianship (e-filing optional); Self-represented filers (exempt).
Self-represented filing
AllowedA self-represented filer files on paper at the court or takes part in NYSCEF voluntarily.
Accepted payment
At the counterCredit card.Fees are paid by credit card through NYSCEF or at the court. A filing paid at the court is deleted if payment is not received within two business days of e-filing.
County forms
9th JD Surrogate's Court Forms and E-FilingForms by proceeding type, the voluntary administration checklist, sample wrongful death petitions and the county e-filing protocols.
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 Orange County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at 30 Park Place, Goshen. The court sits in the 9th Judicial District. The same 9th Judicial District also serves Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester.
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 Orange County
What probate costs in Orange 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 30 Park Place, Goshen. The court is part of the 9th 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 Orange County, New York are filed at the Surrogate's Court. The court sits in the 9th 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.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Document Requirements
Death certificate and original will within two business days
After e-filing, a hard copy of the death certificate (certified if required) and the original will, staples intact, are filed within two business days with a copy of the e-filing receipt attached. A pre-paid self-addressed envelope sent with the death certificate speeds the return of requested documents.
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 Orange County
In Orange 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
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
Mail
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
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 Orange County are recorded with the County Clerk at 255 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924. Phone: 1-845-291-2690. Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Clerk charges $45 per document plus $5 for every page.
Orange County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
New York uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Orange 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 an Orange 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.
Goshen (Orange County) firm with a second office in Monticello, in Sullivan County. Its wealth-preservation group sees that a decedent's assets are distributed correctly and on time through probate for individually owned property and trust administration for assets passing under a trust instrument, and takes on guardianships; its litigation group handles estate and trust disputes among heirs. Most of its attorneys have been named to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more
New Windsor (Orange County) firm whose estate group handles the probate and administration of a loved one's estate, simple or complex, including the tasks that come with it such as selling estate real property and filing any estate tax returns. Also advises on wills, trusts, health care proxies and powers of attorney, elder law and Medicaid and nursing-home planning, guardianship proceedings and special needs trusts. The group includes members of the Hudson Valley Estate Planning Council.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawGuardianshipand 2 more
Office
555 Hudson Valley Avenue, Suite 100New Windsor, NY 12553
Orangeburg firm representing Rockland and Orange County executors and administrators through the Surrogate's Court, with a second office in Suffern. Handles heirship searches, the inventory of assets, liquidating a decedent's house, distributing to heirs and filing the estate accounting, and defends fiduciaries accused of breach of duty. Consultations are free and the office has Spanish-speaking staff.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 7 more
Office
100 Dutch Hill Road, Suite 380Orangeburg, NY 10962
Millbrook and Poughkeepsie offices appearing before the Dutchess County Surrogate's Court. Advises trustees and executors on their fiduciary duties and walks administrators through probate and intestate administration, then litigates the estates that go wrong — will and trust contests, accounting proceedings and missing-asset claims. A twenty-attorney bench spanning New York and Connecticut.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more
Middletown firm in Orange County handling estate planning and administration alongside its litigation and real estate work. Prepares trusts, powers of attorney, living wills and health care proxies, and takes on contested matters including will contests, estate litigation and guardianship proceedings. One of the oldest firms in the Hudson Valley, tracing its roots to 1885.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 3 more
Goshen solo practice a few minutes from the Orange County Surrogate's Court, also serving Ulster, Sullivan and Rockland. Walks a surviving spouse or child through being appointed executor or administrator, marshaling scattered accounts, filing the inventory, paying creditors and taxes, filing the decedent's final return and the estate return, and filing the final account with the court. Former chairman of the Orange County Bar Association Elder Law Committee.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawTax Planningand 2 more
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.
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.
Enter the estate value to see New York attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether New York lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
