Good question. The simple answer is that unless the deceased told them about it before their death, they won't know. When the will is being probated by the executor, sometime within the first year the executor will contact all beneficiaries and inform them of the bequest and look for certain information for tax purposes. A will does not become a public document until it has been probated which will take a year or so ( more in complicated cases, less in straight forward matters) after death, and only after this can you obtain a copy in the probate office. It is possible that someone could die, having made a will, and it would never be dealt with. However in practical terms, if someone dies and leaves assets behind, their relatives will generally make enquiries as to the division of same.