Gayle Benson does not have any biological children or direct heirs. Following the death of her husband, Tom Benson, in 2018, she became the principal owner of both the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans after navigating a complex legal settlement with members of her late husband's family. Because she has no direct heirs, she has structured long-term plans to ensure her legacy and philanthropic footprint endure. Through mechanisms such as the Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation, provisions have been put in place to provide perpetual annual funding to the city of New Orleans and various civic institutions after the sports franchises are eventually sold following her lifetime.