I was the executor on my parents' estate. They kept their business very simple, and I had been a check signer on all of their accounts for years. Their individual wills were mirror images of each other, with the real estate going to the surviving spouse.
My mother was the last survivor, and I paid all hospital bills, hospital bills. income taxes etc. All life insurance and retirement accounts had my sister and I as 50-50 beneficiaries.
In many states, a will doesn't have to be probated unless there is real estate or other assets to be transferred/sold. The probate judge is essentially giving the executor the authority to sign for the estate liquidating those assets. If my mother had earlier sold her house, I wouldn't have to have gone through probate even.
But any way it goes, you want any asset, including cars and real estate, titled in 2 names with rights of survivorship.
Those with more complicated and substantial estates need to get legal advice from an attorney very experienced in estates. Not all attorneys are capable of giving such advice.