§ 28A-15-5.  Order in which assets appropriated; abatement.

(a) General Rules. - In the absence of testamentary indication as to the order of abatement, or some other controlling statute, shares of devisees and of heirs abate, without any preference or priority as between real and personal property, in the following order:

(1) Property not disposed of by the will;

(2) Residuary devises;

(3) General devises;

(4) Specific devises.

For purposes of abatement, a demonstrative devise of money or property payable out of or charged on a particular fund or other property is treated as a specific devise; but if the particular fund or property out of which the demonstrative devise is to be paid is nonexistent or  insufficient at the death of the testator, the deficiency is to be payable out of the general estate of the decedent and is to be regarded as a general devise and must abate pro rata with other general devises. Abatement within each classification is in proportion to the amounts of property each of the beneficiaries would have received, had full distribution of the property been made in accordance with the terms of the will.

(b) Abatement; Sales; Contribution. - When property which has been specifically devised is sold, leased, or mortgaged, or a security therein is created, by the personal representative, abatement shall be achieved by ratable adjustments in, or contributions from other interest in the remaining assets. The clerk of superior court shall, at the time of the hearing on the petition for final distribution, determine the amounts of the respective contributions and whether the same shall be made before distribution or shall constitute a lien on specific property which is distributed. (1973, c. 1329, s. 3.)