Liam Payne’s little boy, Bear, stands to inherit his late father’s huge fortune after his tragic passing.
The singer, who passed away aged 31 in October 2024, became a dad at the young age of 23 and instantly fell head over heels in love with their little man, Bear.
Per documents obtained by PEOPLE, nine-year-old Bear has been named the sole beneficiary of Liam’s $29million (€25.4million) estate.
While some of the money can be used now, the majority will be held in a trust until Bear turns 18 years old, per the filing. This falls under the UK rules of intestacy, which come into play when a person doesn’t have a will.
Court documents issued on May 1 officially named Cheryl and music lawyer Richard Mark Bray as the administrators of Liam’s estate.
The BBC has reported that Cheryl and Bray will ‘manage the money, but they currently have limited authority and cannot distribute it’.
Pic: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Universal Music
It’s now been surmised that Bear mightn’t see his inheritance for some time as Cheryl wants to put the money aside until her son is old enough to make ‘informed’ financial decisions.
A source close to the Girls Aloud star previously said she wants to ‘protect Bear’, with her reported decision being to stop him receiving the sum of wealth until he’s 25, or perhaps even older.
‘She feels she wants Bear to be of an age where he can make informed decisions about the money,’ the source told The Sun.
As well as accumulating a €33.6million fortune throughout his career, Liam is also believed to have invested in property, helping buy Cheryl and Bear a €4.6million mansion in Buckinghamshire.
He later bought himself a property nearby. The late singer is also said to have had a €6million ‘bachelor pad’ in Woking, Surrey.
According to friends, the former One Direction star made arrangements for his money to go to Bear in the event of his death, with a source saying: ‘Liam had some very sensible people around him for a time and he adored Bear so much. He always wanted to do the right thing by him financially.
‘It is a small consolation that Bear will never want for anything, that he will at least benefit from that,’ the source continued.
Breaking her silence on Liam’s tragic passing in the wake of his death, Cheryl stated that her heart breaks for their son who in the coming years will be exposed to the media frenzy surrounding Liam’s death.
In a statement, the Girls Aloud star wrote: ‘As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.’
‘Liam was not only a popstar and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our seven-year-old son,’ Cheryl said, before adding: ‘A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.’
‘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,’ Cheryl admitted as she urged fans: ‘I am begging you to consider what use some of these reports are serving, other than to cause further harm to everyone left behind picking up the pieces.
‘Before you leave comments or make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them. Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last,’ she poignantly concluded.
