Elon Musk is currently the world’s richest person, but when it comes to his growing roster of children—which now stands at 14 as of early 2026—the question of "support" isn't as simple as a bank transfer.
People wonder if he’s a doting dad or just a donor with a checkbook. Honestly, it’s a bit of both, mixed with some heavy legal maneuvering and a very specific philosophy on how kids should be raised. He doesn't just pay; he manages.
The Financial Reality of Child Support
You might think the man with hundreds of billions would be paying record-breaking child support. Paradoxically, the numbers that hit the headlines are often surprisingly low. Why? Because Musk is a big fan of Texas.
In late 2024, Musk and the musician Grimes (Claire Boucher) settled their long-running custody battle over their three children: X, Y, and Tau. Because the case was finalized in Texas, state law applied a "cap" on monthly payments. In Texas, child support is generally calculated based on "reasonable needs" rather than a straight percentage of the parent's massive wealth. This reportedly brought the monthly cash payment for three kids down to roughly $2,760.
That sounds like pocket change for a billionaire, right?
But there’s a catch. Musk usually covers "direct" costs. This means instead of handing over a giant pile of cash to the mothers, he pays for:
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- 24/7 private security (which is non-negotiable for his family).
- Private schooling and specialized tutors.
- Nannies and household staff.
- Medical expenses and private travel.
Basically, he supports the lifestyle directly rather than through traditional alimony-style transfers. He’s gone on record saying the current family court system "punishes family formation," so he prefers to provide on his own terms.
The Drama with Ashley St. Clair
Things got way more complicated in early 2025 and 2026. Conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair revealed she had a son with Musk, named Romulus, born in late 2024.
The legal filings from this case gave us a rare peek into Musk's "private" support deals. St. Clair alleged that Musk’s team—specifically his right-hand man Jared Birchall—initially offered a massive $15 million one-time payment plus $100,000 a month in exchange for a strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
When she refused to sign, things turned cold.
St. Clair claimed Musk "financially retaliated" by slashing those payments. By April 2025, she reported the support had dropped to $20,000 or $40,000 a month. Just recently, in January 2026, Musk announced he is filing for full custody of Romulus. His reasoning? He claims she’s "unfit" following some public comments she made about gender identity, which brings us to the most strained part of his support system.
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Support Isn’t Just About Money
If you ask his eldest daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, support is non-existent.
Vivian, who is now 21, legally changed her name and severed all ties with Musk in 2022. She’s been very vocal on Threads and in interviews (like her 2025 Teen Vogue cover story), calling him a "pathetic man-child." Musk, meanwhile, has claimed he was "tricked" into supporting her transition when she was 16—a claim she vehemently denies as a lie.
Musk’s version of "support" for his older kids seems to be: "I’ll pay for your life if you follow my worldview."
For his younger kids, he’s much more hands-on. You’ve probably seen his son X Æ A-12 (now 5) at SpaceX launches or sitting on his lap during major interviews. He’s trying to "build a legion," as the Wall Street Journal put it, and he clearly favors the children who are being raised in his immediate orbit in Texas.
How He Handles the "Neuralink" Kids
Then there’s Shivon Zilis, an executive at Neuralink. She has four children with Musk (twins Strider and Azure, plus two younger ones born in 2024 and 2025).
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Unlike Grimes or St. Clair, there hasn't been a public legal war here. Zilis and Musk appear to have a functional, semi-collaborative arrangement. He supports them by keeping them close; they reportedly live in the Austin area where Musk spends most of his time.
He recently admitted on the WTF Is podcast that it's "humanly impossible" to spend quality time with all 14 kids, but he tries to see the younger ones before bedtime.
The Musk Support Philosophy:
- Direct Provision: He pays the bills, not the ex-partners.
- Jurisdiction Matters: He fights tooth and nail to keep cases in Texas to avoid California’s "percentage of wealth" rules.
- Ideological Alignment: Support often feels conditional on the parent (and the child) agreeing with his vision for the future.
What This Means for the Future
If you’re looking for a takeaway, it’s this: Elon Musk supports his children financially to an extreme degree, but he does it in a way that maintains control.
He isn't going to "automatically" leave his empire to them, either. He told the Wall Street Journal CEO Council that he won't give his kids shares in his companies if they don't show the ability to manage them. For Musk, support is an investment in "civilization," not just a parental duty.
If you’re following this saga, keep an eye on the St. Clair custody trial set for later in 2026. It will likely set a new precedent for how the world’s wealthiest men handle "private" family agreements in the public eye.
Next Steps for Readers:
- Check the latest court dockets in Travis County, Texas, if you want to see the actual filings for the Grimes or Zilis arrangements.
- Read Walter Isaacson’s biography for the deep-dive background on how the first five children were raised at the Ad Astra school.