Some states require notification of certain family members during the probate process. Other states have laws that allow a portion of an estate to go to certain family members (like minor children) even if those family members are not listed in the will (for example, a will is made before a child is born and is not updated after the birth). Because of this, it is important to create a list of family members along with their contact information and store it in a safe place. This list will come in handy for your executor and also can be helpful for making funeral arrangement notifications, etc.