A Will is a formal document signed by you during your lifetime directing how your property will be distributed on your death, who will administer your estate, who will take care of your children, and how your debts are paid.

Having a Will ensures that your wishes will be carried out after your death. It also ensures your estate will be probated. When you probate a Will, it becomes a public document as it is filed with the court for probate. It lists all your assets and beneficiaries. Public records that anyone can see and review.

If privacy is a concern to you, then you should consider an estate plan which distributes your property through a Trust. While you will still need a "pour-over" Will to distribute any property not in the Trust, this type of Will does not list all your assets for the public to see.

Also, probate is not all bad. One advantage of going through probate is it sets a time period for creditors to make claims. In Mississippi, probate does not have to be expensive, assuming your Will was properly done as part of a comprehensive estate plan. Therefore, a Will should be seen as a tool in the estate plan arsenal, but not the only tool you should use.