Liam Payne's Son Bear, 9, Named Sole Beneficiary of $29 Million Estate

Harry Styles Shares How He’s Honoring Liam Payne More Than One Year After Bandmate’s Death

Liam Payne is leaving everything to his child.

More than one year after the One Direction alum's sudden death, his and ex Cheryl Cole's son Bear, 9, was named the sole beneficiary of his estate, according to court documents obtained by People and TMZ.

Bear, born in March 2017, inherited $29,007,998 from his estate, per the May 1 filing obtained by People. Although some of the funds are available for use now, the majority will be held in a trust until he turns 18.

The Girls Aloud star—who was in a relationship with the "Teardrops" singer for more than two years before their 2018 breakup—and attorney Richard Mark Bray were named as administrators of his estate since Payne didn't have a will before his October 2024 death.

Cole, 42, and Bray were given the role, according to May 2025 probate documents obtained by the BBC at the time, noting that the pair held the power "to preserve the deceased's estate until a general grant is made."

Before Payne's tragic death at age 31 from a fatal fall off the balcony of his Argentina hotel room, he shared what he believed made fatherhood beautiful as a working parent.

"I always wanted to be a young dad, but I didn't really expect that I'd ever be in this place," he told People in July 2018. "When I'm at home, I'm a dad. Then when I [work], I see all these crazy things."

The former boyband member, referring to Disney's Hannah Montana, teased, "I've been going by Dada Montana."

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Payne—who was in a relationship with TikToker Kate Cassidy for approximately two years at the time of his death—admitted that it did drive him a little crazy just how fast the night had changed when it came to Bear.

"It just goes by so quickly," he told the outlet. "He was already huge when he was born. I walked past a baby in the park and was like, 'Mine was never that small!' He was always massive."

"I look at him, like, 'Where's my little baby gone already?'" he teased. "He's walking around the house, pretending his teddy's a phone. He's awesome. And a lot of fun. I love spending time with him."

As Payne's loved ones continue to navigate their new normal, keep reading for a closer look at what we know about the singer's unexpected passing.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App