You just got a letter that says a relative's will "pours over" any remaining assets into a trust. That means the will acts as a backstop: property still in the person's name at death gets transferred through probate and then moved into a trust, usually a revocable living trust, to be managed or distributed under the trust's terms.

A pour-over will matters because it catches assets that were never retitled into the trust during life. That can include a bank account, a car, or a legal claim that was still pending. The goal is usually simplicity and consistency, so one trust document controls how the estate is handled instead of scattering assets under different rules. In New York, this setup is recognized under Estates, Powers and Trusts Law § 3-3.7 (2024), which allows a will to leave property to a trust that already exists or is created at the same time.

For an injury claim, a pour-over will can affect who receives settlement funds or wrongful death proceeds after someone dies. It may also shape who manages money for children, a disabled beneficiary, or anyone who should not receive a lump sum outright. It does not avoid probate for assets left in the person's individual name, but it can make final distribution more orderly once the executor gathers those assets and pays debts.