Statutory share refers to the portion of an estate that is legally mandated to be granted to a surviving spouse or child. Synonyms for this term include "forced share," "elective share," and "legitim." A forced share is a legal provision that provides a minimum share of an estate to a surviving spouse or child regardless of the terms of the will. An elective share, on the other hand, allows a surviving spouse to choose between accepting the provisions of the will or taking a statutorily predetermined share. Finally, legitim is a term used in civil law jurisdictions to refer to the portion of an estate that must be granted to a surviving child.