New York Legal Calculators

New York executor commissions are set by statute under SCPA § 2307: 5% on the first $100,000, 4% on the next $200,000, 3% on the next $700,000, 2.5% on the next $4M, and 2% above $5M. Unlike most statutory-fee states, New York adds a wrinkle: if the same person acts as sole executor and sole beneficiary, the commission may be waived entirely. Attorney fees are "reasonable" under SCPA § 2110—typically separately billed—so total estate administration costs often exceed what the statutory executor commission suggests.

New York imposes its own estate tax with a 2024 exemption of approximately $7.16M—well below the federal $13.61M exemption. The "cliff" provision is the trap: if a New York estate exceeds 105% of the exemption, the entire estate (not just the excess) becomes taxable, potentially creating an effective marginal rate above 100% on dollars just over the threshold. Careful estate planning around this cliff can save six figures on estates in the $7M–$8M range.

New York is an equitable distribution state. Divorce filing fees run $210–$335 by county, among the lowest in this group—but contested divorce litigation costs are notoriously high in the state's metropolitan courts. The state's personal injury statute of limitations is 3 years under N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5), one year longer than California or Texas, but medical malpractice claims must be filed within 2.5 years under § 214-a.