Exhibit 10.18
Amendment dated January 28, 2002 to Death Benefits Agreement between NBT Bancorp
     Inc.,  NBT Bank, National Association and Daryl R. Forsythe made August 22,
     1995.


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                      AMENDMENT TO DEATH BENEFITS AGREEMENT

     THIS  AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made and entered into effective as of
the  28  day  of  January,  2002,  by  and  among  NBT  BANCORP INC., a Delaware
corporation,  and NBT Bank, N.A., a national banking association organized under
the  laws  of  the  United  States  (hereinafter referred to collectively as the
"Bank"),  Daryl  R.  Forsythe  (the  "Employee").

               WHEREAS,  the  Bank and the Employee have entered to that certain
Death  Benefits  Agreement  dated  as of August 22, 1995 (the "1995 Agreement");

               WHEREAS,  the  1995  Agreement  may  be  amended  by  a  written
instrument  signed  by  the  Bank  and  the  Employee;  and

               WHEREAS,  the  Bank  and  the  Employee  desire to amend the 1995
Agreement  as  set  out  in  this  Agreement.

               NOW,  THEREFORE,  the  parties  agree  as  follows:

               1.   Section  1 of Article IX of the 1995 Agreement is amended to
                    read  in  its  entirety  as  follows:

     1.     THIS  AGREEMENT  MAY BE TERMINATED AT ANY TIME WHILE THE EMPLOYEE IS
LIVING  BY  A  WRITTEN INSTRUMENT SIGNED BY THE BANK AND THE EMPLOYEE, PROVIDED,
THAT  THE BANK MAY TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT BY WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE EMPLOYEE AT
ANY TIME AFTER THE EMPLOYEE HAS CEASED TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BANK OTHER THAN
BECAUSE  OF  HIS  DEATH;  AND,  IN ANY EVENT, THIS AGREEMENT WILL TERMINATE UPON
TERMINATION OF THE EMPLOYEE'S EMPLOYMENT WITH THE BANK FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN
HIS  DEATH.

               2.   The  following new sentence is added to the end of Article X
                    of  the  1995  Agreement:

     WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, FOLLOWING TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT, TO
THE  EXTENT PERMITTED BY THE POLICY, THE BANK MAY DESIGNATE ANY OFFICER OR OTHER
EMPLOYEE  OF  THE  BANK  AS  THE  INSURED UNDER THE POLICY AND MAY CONTINUE THIS
AGREEMENT  WITH  SUCH  OFFICER  OR  EMPLOYEE.

               3.   The foregoing amendments shall be effective upon the date of
                    this  Agreement.

     4.   In  other  respects,  the  1995 Agreement shall continue in full force
and  effect.
The  parties  hereby  execute  this  Agreement  as  follows:

                                NBT BANCORP INC.



                                By: /s/ Andrew Kowalczyk Jr.

Date:  1/28/02                          Its:  Chairman  Compensation  Committee


                                NBT BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION



                                By: /s/ Michael J. Chewens

Date:  1/28/02                          Its:  Secretary



Date:  1/28/02                  /s/  Daryl  R.  Forsythe
                                DARYL R. FORSYTHE


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