When probate is filed, a notice has to be put into the newspaper for creditors. IF any creditors do come forward in response to the public notice those yes have to be paid. IF they do not come forward then everything is null and invalid. My mother in law had a life insurance policy that barely covered her burial. She has $5,000 in the bank that we cannot touch until probate is taken care of. At that time the money will be taken out and put into a different account. At minimum half of that money will go to the atty fees. The only think left are 30 acres in a Podunk town in the middle of nowhere. Once that is sold there is nothing left.