Legal Definitions - inchoate dower

Definition: Inchoate dower is a legal term that refers to a wife's right to a life estate in one-third of the land that her husband owned in fee upon his death. This right cannot be taken away by any transfer made by the husband during his lifetime.

For example, if a husband owns a piece of land worth $300,000 and he dies, his wife has the right to a life estate in one-third of that land, which would be worth $100,000. This means that she has the right to use and enjoy the land for the rest of her life, but she cannot sell it or pass it on to anyone else.

Although most states have abolished the concept of dower, some states still retain it and have expanded the wife's share to a life estate in all the land that her husband owned in fee.

Overall, inchoate dower is a legal protection for wives that ensures they have a right to a portion of their husband's property after his death.