Any account which had a stated beneficiary, is not covered by the will.Typically, this includes  life insurance, bank accounts if they were POD accounts, CDs, Money Market accounts, stocks and bonds with stated beneficiaries, retirement accounts, 401Ks and similar accounts, residences with title held as joint tenancies with right of survivorship, items already placed in trust funds.If there were no stated beneficiaries (or they predeceased the testator), then the above assets would be distributed according to the will (they will comprise the 'residual estate' after bequests are allocated). If there was no will, the assets will be distributed according to the statute governing intestate (inheritance) distribution.