Liam Payne’s Son Will Inherit His $29 Million Estate

Liam Payne’s $29 million estate will go to his 9-year-old son, Bear, according to a court filing, obtained by People. Per the report, Bear is the sole beneficiary and will inherit $29,007,998 from his dad’s estate. Most of the money will be held in a trust until he is 18, although some funds can be accessed now.

Payne tragically passed away in October 2024 after falling from the third floor of a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the time of his death, the One Direction singer had no will. In May 2025, Cheryl Cole (his ex and Bear’s mother) and attorney Richard Bray were named as administrators of his estate. At the time, the BBC reported that the duo would “manage the money, but they currently have limited authority and cannot distribute it.” Per the outlet, when an unmarried person dies in the U.K. without a will, their estate typically goes to their children (or closest blood relative).

Payne and Cole welcomed Bear in 2017. They first met on The X Factor in 2008 (when Payne was a contestant and Cole was a judge), and they eventually dated from 2016 to 2018.

Following Payne’s death, Cole spoke out against “media exploitation” of the tragedy. At the time, she posted a candid message on Instagram. “As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to remind everyone that we have lost a human being,” she wrote. “Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”

She continued, “What is troubling my spirit the most is that one day Bear will have access to the abhorrent reports and media exploitation we have seen in the past two days. It is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in his future.”