Probate is not a frightening process. It’s part of the normal administration of a loved one’s final affairs. Probate is the process by which you submit your will to court and have an executor appointed. As long as there are no family disputes, it’s pretty straightforward. If your estate is small — less than thirty thousand dollars — then there’s a small estate proceeding that is less than a full probate, but still allows you to collect the assets and pay for the final expenses.
Once you collect the assets you can pay for things like funeral expenses and other bills without having to go through the full probate process.