Probate assets are assets in the sole name/ownership of a deceased individual and require a court (with some limited exceptions) to transfer title. Non-probate assets have beneficiary designations or some other non-court related method for transferring such as a pay-on-death designation or asset held in joint tenancy. It is important to note that a will generally covers only probate assets. Again, with some limited exceptions, a non-probate designation will trump provisions in a will.
