A surviving spouse of a decedent who was domiciled in this state is entitled to a homestead allowance of seven thousand five hundred dollars for a decedent who dies before January 1, 2011, twenty thousand dollars for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2011, and before January 1, 2027, and twenty-five thousand dollars for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2027. If there is no surviving spouse, each minor child and each dependent child of the decedent is entitled to a homestead allowance amounting to the amount allowed for a surviving spouse divided by the number of minor and dependent children of the decedent. The homestead allowance is exempt from and has priority over all claims against the estate except for costs and expenses of administration. Homestead allowance is in addition to any share passing to the surviving spouse or minor or dependent child by the will of the decedent unless otherwise provided therein, by intestate succession or by way of elective share.

(1) In addition to the homestead allowance, the surviving spouse of a decedent who was domiciled in this state is entitled from the estate to value not exceeding five thousand dollars for a decedent who dies before January 1, 2011, twelve thousand five hundred dollars for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2011, and before January 1, 2027, and seventeen thousand five hundred dollars for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2027, in excess of any security interests therein in household furniture, automobiles, furnishings, appliances, and personal effects. If there is no surviving spouse, children of the decedent are entitled jointly to the same value unless the decedent has provided in his or her will that one or more of such children shall be disinherited, in which case only those children not so disinherited shall be so entitled. For purposes of this section, disinherited means providing in one's will that a child shall take nothing or a nominal amount of ten dollars or less from the estate.

(2) If encumbered chattels are selected and if the value in excess of security interests, plus that of other exempt property, is less than the amount allowed under subsection (1) of this section, or if there is not that amount worth of exempt property in the estate, the spouse or children are entitled to other assets of the estate, if any, to the extent necessary to make up the amount allowed under subsection (1) of this section. Rights to exempt property and assets needed to make up a deficiency of exempt property have priority over all claims against the estate except for costs and expenses of administration, except for claims filed by the Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 68-919 notwithstanding the order of payment established in section 30-2487, and except that the right to any assets to make up a deficiency of exempt property shall abate as necessary to permit prior payment of homestead allowance and family allowance.

(3) These rights are in addition to any benefit or share passing to the surviving spouse by the will of the decedent unless otherwise provided therein, by intestate succession, or by way of elective share. These rights are in addition to any benefit or share passing to the surviving children by intestate succession and are in addition to any benefit or share passing by the will of the decedent to those surviving children not disinherited unless otherwise provided in the will.

In addition to the right to homestead allowance and exempt property, if the decedent was domiciled in this state, the surviving spouse and minor children whom the decedent was obligated to support and children who were in fact being supported by him are entitled to a reasonable allowance in money out of the estate for their maintenance during the period of administration, which allowance may not continue for longer than one year if the estate is inadequate to discharge allowed claims. The allowance may be paid as a lump sum or in periodic installments. It is payable to the surviving spouse, if living, for the use of the surviving spouse and minor and dependent children; otherwise to the children, or persons having their care and custody; but in case any minor child or dependent child is not living with the surviving spouse, the allowance may be made partially to the child or his guardian or other person having his care and custody, and partially to the spouse, as their needs may appear. The family allowance is exempt from and has priority over all claims except for costs and expenses of administration and the homestead allowance.

The family allowance is not chargeable against any benefit or share passing to the surviving spouse or children by the will of the decedent unless otherwise provided therein, by intestate succession, or by way of elective share. The death of any person entitled to family allowance, other than the surviving spouse, terminates his right to allowances not yet paid.

If the estate is otherwise sufficient, property specifically devised is not used to satisfy rights to homestead and exempt property. Subject to this restriction, the surviving spouse, the guardians of the minor children, or children who are adults may select property of the estate as homestead allowance and exempt property. After giving such notice as the court may require in a proceeding initiated under the provisions of section 30-2405, the personal representative may make these selections if the surviving spouse, the children or the guardians of the minor children are unable or fail to do so within a reasonable time or if there are no guardians of the minor children. The personal representative may execute an instrument or deed of distribution to establish the ownership of property taken as homestead allowance or exempt property. The personal representative may determine the family allowance in a lump sum not exceeding nine thousand dollars for a decedent who dies before January 1, 2011, twenty thousand dollars for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2011, and before January 1, 2027, and twenty-five thousand dollars for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2027, or periodic installments not exceeding seven hundred fifty dollars per month for one year for a decedent who dies before January 1, 2011, one thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents per month for one year for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2011, and before January 1, 2027, and two thousand eighty-three dollars and thirty-three cents per month for one year for a decedent who dies on or after January 1, 2027. The personal representative may disburse funds of the estate in payment of the family allowance and any part of the homestead allowance payable in cash. The personal representative or any interested person aggrieved by any selection, determination, payment, proposed payment, or failure to act under this section may petition the court for appropriate relief, which relief may provide a family allowance larger or smaller than that which the personal representative determined or could have determined.

The homestead allowance, the exempt property, and the family allowance as finally determined by the personal representative or by the court, shall vest in the surviving spouse as of the date of decedent's death, as a vested indefeasible right of property, shall survive as an asset of the surviving spouse's estate if unpaid on the date of death of such surviving spouse, and shall not terminate upon the death or remarriage of the surviving spouse.