What is probate and what does it involve?

Probate is the process provided for by state law for settling the affairs of a deceased person. It includes having the will (if there is one) accepted by the court, identifying the deceased person's probate assets, gathering those assets, paying the deceased person's debts, paying the deceased person's taxes and finally distributing those assets to the beneficiaries of the will or if there is no will according to the state's laws of intestacy.