One star we can confidently say will not be passing down his massive fortune to his kids is English rocker Sting.
The former Police frontman, 74, has stated several times over the years that he won't be passing down his wealth to his six kids as an inheritance, instead hoping to encourage them to rely on their own skills and work ethic.
© InstagramBut just how much are we talking here?
Sting's net worth
While exact figures on his wealth differ, per multiple reports, Sting is worth a whopping $550 million, making him one of the richest musicians alive, especially one to earn mostly from his work in the entertainment industry.
He was the frontman for the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986, although has reunited with them since. From 1985 onwards, he branched out into a highly successful solo career, and has sold over 100 million records worldwide combined.
Much of his revenue also comes from touring, with more than 20 headlining tours to his name so far, including the current one named 3.0, which began in 2024 and will run through 2026, including a six-date residency in New York City this November.
In 2022, he was ranked as the highest paid solo musician by Forbes with an estimated $210 million earned, and in 2008, the members of the Police were the highest paid musicians worldwide, earning $115 million at the time.
© Getty ImagesHis wealth also stems from his work as an actor and songwriter for stage musicals, most notably The Last Ship, which debuted in 2014 and has been revived multiple times since.
Why he won't be passing it down to his kids
Back in 2014, he first told the Mail on Sunday of his kids: "I certainly don't want to leave them trust funds that are albatrosses round their necks. They have to work. All my kids know that and they rarely ask me for anything, which I really respect and appreciate."
"Obviously, if they were in trouble I would help them, but I've never really had to do that. They have the work ethic that makes them want to succeed on their own merit."
© Getty Images12 years later, in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the "Desert Rose" hitmaker reiterated that telling kids they "don't have to work" is, in his eyes, "a form of abuse that I hope I'm never guilty of."
He continued: "All of my kids have been blessed with this extraordinary work ethic, whether it's the DNA of it or whether I've said to them, 'Guys, you've got to work. I'm spending our money.'"
"'I'm paying for your education. You've got shoes on your feet. Go to work.'," adding: "That's not cruel. I think that there's a kindness there and a trust in them that they will make their own way. They're tough, my kids."
Sting's family
© Getty ImagesWith his first wife Frances Tomelty (they were married from 1976 to 1984), he welcomed son Joseph, 49, and daughter Fuschia Katherine "Kate," 44.
In 1992, he married actress Trudie Styler, and they've welcomed four kids together: Brigitte Michael "Mickey," 42, Jake, 40, Eliot Paulina "Coco," 35, and Giacomo Luke, 30.
