Allowance to surviving spouse

1. Unless a personal representative has been appointed for the settlor’s estate, following the death of a settlor of a revocable trust, the trustee of such revocable trust shall mail a written notice to the surviving spouse pursuant to section 633.40, subsection 5, notifying the surviving spouse of the surviving spouse’s right to submit an application to the trustee, within four months of service of the notice, for a support allowance for a period of twelve months following the death of the settlor, and for a support allowance for the settlor’s dependents who reside with the spouse for the same period of time. 2. Upon receipt of an application for a support allowance, the trustee may set off and pay to the surviving spouse a sufficient amount of trust assets the trustee deems reasonable for the proper support of the surviving spouse for the period of twelve months following the death of the settlor. The trustee shall take into consideration the station of life of the settlor’s surviving spouse, the assets and condition of the trust, the probate and nonprobate assets received by the surviving spouse by reason of the settlor’s death, and the income and other resources of the surviving spouse. The allowance may also include such additional amount as the trustee deems reasonable for the proper support, during such period, of the dependents of the settlor who reside with the surviving spouse. If an application for a support allowance has not been filed within four months following service of the notice by or on behalf of the surviving spouse and the dependents of the settlor who reside with the surviving spouse, the surviving spouse and dependents of the settlor shall be deemed to have waived the right to apply for a support allowance during the administration of the trust. 3. A surviving spouse who qualifies for a support allowance under this section may waive the right to such allowance for the surviving spouse and for the dependents of the settlor who reside with the surviving spouse by submitting an affidavit with the trustee acknowledging receipt of notice and irrevocably waiving the right to an allowance under this section. 4. The opening of an estate for the settlor shall terminate the right of the surviving spouse to apply for a spousal allowance from the trustee of the settlor’s revocable trust or to receive additional support payments from the trust unless the personal representative consents to a continuation of the support payments. If a spousal allowance has been paid from trust assets, the trustee or trust beneficiaries shall have a right subject to court approval to be reimbursed from the settlor’s estate for such payment until the final report of the settlor’s estate has been approved.