Court reports indicate that Bear, just nine years old, will inherit the exact amount of US$29,007,998 from the estate of the artist known for “Story of My Life”. Although a portion of the resources can be accessed immediately, the majority will remain in a trust fund until the young person turns eighteen, as stipulated in the court documents.
Singer Payne died on October 16, 2024, as a result of a fall from a hotel balcony in Argentina, where he was staying. He had his son with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Tweedy in 2017. In May 2025, it became public that Cheryl, a former member of the group Girls Aloud, and lawyer Richard Mark Bray were appointed as administrators of Payne’s estate, as he did not leave a will.
At the time, it was announced that Bray and Cheryl’s duties focus on managing Payne’s fortune, although with restricted authority for its immediate distribution. British regulations indicate that, in the absence of a will or spouse, children are the natural heirs of the assets.
Payne himself celebrated Bear’s arrival in a 2017 Instagram post, expressing his joy: “I’m incredibly happy to welcome our new baby into the world. It’s a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favorite memory so far,” he wrote at the time. “I am completely in awe of his incredible mother and the way she handled herself throughout this entire process. She truly made my dreams come true.”
After his passing, Payne made a posthumous appearance as a judge on the Netflix music competition show “Building the Band.” The series paid tribute to the artist in the premiere episode, through an emotional statement from presenter AJ McLean.
“As we gathered together to film Building the Band, we never imagined that we would soon have to say goodbye to our friend, Liam Payne,” said McLean. “Liam serves as a guest judge on subsequent episodes, and through his presence we see his deep love for music and his unwavering commitment to helping others discover their voices.”
The Backstreet Boys member added, “It is with that sentiment that we dedicate this series to Liam and his entire family.”
Payne’s former One Direction bandmates also commented on the loss of their friend, with Harry Styles revealing he faced “a lot of difficulty” when considering publicly mourning his death.
“I have very intense feelings about my friend’s passing,” he said. “And suddenly, you notice a desire for people to express this in some way, or else it implies that you’re not feeling what you should, you know?”
He added: “It’s so hard to lose a friend. It’s hard to lose any friend, but it’s much more challenging to lose a friend who is so similar to you in so many ways. It’s like I’ve witnessed someone with the kindest soul, who just aspires to be an amazing person.”