Probate is the court-supervised public proceeding used to change title to assets from the name of an individual who has passed away into the name of the living beneficiaries. It is also the process by which creditors of a decedent file claims to collect their debts and where interested parties who have a complaint regarding the deceased can file a complaint (a will contest). Even without a contest, probate can be costly and time consuming. A Will provides written instructions to the court as to how you want the probate estate to be distributed (your beneficiaries), who you want to handle the probate process (your Executor) and, if you have minor children, who you want to raise those children (your Guardians) and who you want to be in control of the money for those children (your Trustee).