Daily AncestorAdvancement
An advancement is money or property a parent gave a child during life as an early share of inheritance, to be subtracted from that child's share of the estate.
An advancement is not a loan or an ordinary gift. A parent gave it ahead of time, for example to set a son up in business or on a daughter's marriage, intending it to count toward the child's future share.
When the estate was divided, the value of the advancement was counted against that child's share, so that the heirs were treated equally. A child who had been well advanced could receive less at the final division.
As seen in a recordDivision of an intestate estate, 1800s
To amount advanced to son Wm. Bell in the lifetime of the intestate, one horse, $40.00
Sources
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Daily Ancestor. "Advancement." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/advancement. Last checked 2026-10-10.