The world continues to mourn Liam Payne, seven months after the former One Direction singer tragically fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina. He was just 31 years old. Initially, five individuals were charged with manslaughter in connection to his death, but in February, three of those charges were dropped following a hearing in Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Court.

Following the court’s decision, Liam’s family released a statement to the BBC. “Liam’s death was an unspeakable tragedy,” the family said. “This remains a time of immense grief and pain for everyone who knew and loved him.” The statement continued: “We understand that a thorough investigation into Liam’s death was necessary, and we acknowledge the efforts of the Argentinian authorities. Ultimately, the family respects the Court of Appeal’s decision to dismiss the remaining charges.”

Now, there’s an update on who’s inheriting his property — it’s Liam’s ex, former Girls Aloud member Cheryl Tweedy. Why is Cheryl an administrator of Liam Payne’s estate? Here’s a breakdown of the legal decision.

Liam Payne Will Details: Cheryl, Estate

Did Liam Payne Have A Will?

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No, Liam died without leaving a will. In the U.K., when someone passes away without a will, their estate typically goes to their spouse or civil partner. But Liam wasn’t married or in a civil partnership at the time of his death. His child would be next in line, but Liam’s son, Bear, is only 8 years old — not quite estate manager age.

Court documents obtained by People show that Cheryl and music industry lawyer Richard Mark Bray have now been named administrators of Liam’s $38 million estate. (After debts and expenses, the estate’s net worth stands at around $32.2 million.) According to the BBC, Cheryl and Richard will “manage the money, but they currently have limited authority and cannot distribute it.” They can basically “preserve the deceased’s estate until a general grant is made.”

Were Liam Payne And Cheryl Engaged Or Married?

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Liam and Cheryl never get engaged or tied the knot, but they dated from 2016 to 2018 and welcomed Bear together in 2017. (At the time of Liam’s death, he was dating American influencer Kate Cassidy.) After Liam died, the former X Factor judge shared a sweet photo of him and Bear alongside a statement about the devastating loss. “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,” Cheryl wrote on Instagram.

Her statement continued, “Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”