Many people feel that having a Will when they die will protect them and their heirs from costly fees.  This may or may not be true. It depends upon how many assets are involved and whether anyone wants to contest or challenge this document.  The legal process of proving that a last Will and Testament is valid and stated according to the deceased wishes is called Probate.  As with any legal process, this can become costly the longer it takes. Working with a good financial planner and his or her legal contacts, before the process of probate, can save thousands of dollars or even avoid probate altogether.