Liam Payne’s son named sole beneficiary of his $29 million estate

Liam Payne’s 9-year-old son Bear will be the sole inheritor of his father’s $29 million estate, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The former One Direction vocalist died at age 31 in October 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. Payne fathered Bear with former X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole, and the two called off their once-controversial relationship in 2018 but continued to co-parent. Cole was named the administrator of Payne’s estate, alongside music attorney Richard Bray, in May 2025. At the time of Payne’s death, his estate was worth about $38 million.

Payne did not have a will at the time of his death. Per UK law, a deceased person’s estate is to be transferred to a spouse. In the absence of a spouse, the estate goes to the nearest blood relative. In this case, that is Payne’s son, Bear. The majority of Payne’s estate will be held in a trust until Bear turns 18. Until then, Cole can “manage” the sum but “cannot distribute it.” In a 2020 interview, Payne said of becoming a father, “I had my son at a young age, and you think it will be a magical thing, that you’re going to grow up one day into the person you’re supposed to be. But it took a lot to find my footing. I figured, Dad takes care of everyone, that’s what he does, so my thing was to cook.”

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