Are there some assets in my estate that would not be distributed through my will?

There are a number of assets that would normally pass outside of the estate. For example, if your residence is held in joint tenancy with another person, that asset will not be included in your estate, but will go directly to the other person on title. Similarly, if you have an RRSP and you have designated your spouse as the beneficiary, the RRSP will pass to the spouse directly. The same applies to life insurance policies where you have designated a beneficiary.