Trump Accounts for Kids, Eligibility, the $1,000 Government Deposit, Michael and Susan Dell’s $250 Gift and Every Law Explained

If your child is under 18 and has a valid Social Security number, the U.S. Treasury has probably already created a Trump Account in your child’s name. On October 1, 2026, Treasury announced that automatic enrollment was complete and that over 60 million more eligible children now have an account ready to be claimed.

An automatically created account is not the same as an account you have claimed. A parent or guardian must claim the account to manage it and to let family, friends and employers contribute. For children who qualify for the federal one-time $1,000 seed deposit, the account must also be claimed to receive it.

Official website: trumpaccounts.gov Claim your child’s account: the official Trump Accounts app (iOS and Android), linked from trumpaccounts.gov IRS information page: irs.gov/trumpaccounts

This is a federal tax-advantaged savings program created by Congress. It is not a lawsuit or class-action settlement, so there is no settlement claim form. “Claiming” an account here means verifying your identity and authority over the child’s account. Use only the official government website and app, never a link from an ad, text message or social-media post.

Trump Accounts for Kids: Quick Facts

Question	Current answer
Official name	Trump Account (Internal Revenue Code § 530A)
Official website	trumpaccounts.gov
Claim form / how to claim	Official Trump Accounts app (iOS and Android) or the official website; IRS Form 4547 for the election process
Created by	Public Law 119-21, § 70204 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025)
What it is	A special type of traditional IRA for a child
Who is eligible	A child who has not turned 18 before the end of the year the account is established and who has a Social Security number
Automatic enrollment	Completed by Treasury on October 1, 2026 for eligible children without an account
Do I still need to act?	Yes. A parent or guardian must claim the account to manage it and allow contributions
Federal $1,000 seed	One-time payment for U.S. citizen children born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 who meet the other requirements
Dell $250 gift	Children born 2016 through 2024 in ZIP codes with median family income of $115,000 or less, plus eligible children on military bases
Total Dell commitment	$6.25 billion for 25 million children
Annual contribution limit	$5,000 (counting family, friends and most employer money), with several exceptions
Employer tax exclusion	Up to $2,500 per employee for 2026 and 2027
Investments before the growth period ends	Low-cost mutual funds or ETFs tracking broad U.S. equity indexes, with fees of 0.1% or less
Withdrawals before the year the child turns 18	Generally not allowed
After the growth period	Traditional IRA rules generally apply
Is it a 529 plan or Roth IRA?	No
Cost to claim	Free

What Is a Trump Account?

A Trump Account is an individual retirement account under 26 U.S.C. § 530A that is not a Roth IRA. The child is the account beneficiary. While the child is a minor, a parent, guardian or other authorized “responsible party” manages it. The money belongs to the child, not to the parent.

During the child’s first 18 years, special rules apply to contributions, investments, withdrawals and reporting. This period is called the growth period. After it ends, most of those special rules fall away and the account is generally governed by the ordinary traditional IRA rules.

Trump Accounts are not savings accounts. They are invested in the stock market, so their value can fall as well as rise. Neither the federal $1,000 nor the Dell $250 comes with a guaranteed return.

Why Is Everyone Talking About Trump Accounts Now?

Accounts opened for contributions on July 4, 2026, but the program was initially opt-in. On September 30, 2026, Treasury and the IRS issued temporary regulations (T.D. 10056) allowing the Treasury Secretary to enroll eligible children automatically. Treasury then announced on October 1 that enrollment was complete.

Treasury’s own regulatory analysis estimates about 73 million eligible children in 44 million families. It expects the rules to add more than 60 million accounts in 2026. Before automatic enrollment, only about 5.6 million electronic Forms 4547 had been processed as of July 30, 2026.

Who Is Eligible for a Trump Account?

Under § 530A(b)(2), an eligible individual is someone who:

1. has not turned 18 before the end of the calendar year in which the election to establish the account is made;
2. has a Social Security number issued before the election (as defined in § 24(h)(7)); and
3. has an election made either by the Treasury Secretary (automatic enrollment) or by another person under Treasury’s procedures (for example, a parent using Form 4547 or the official app).

A child does not need to be born during any particular presidency. A teenager can have a Trump Account. The narrower birth-year windows apply only to the $1,000 federal deposit and to the Dell gift.

What Is the $1,000 Federal Deposit?

Congress created the Trump Accounts contribution pilot program in 26 U.S.C. § 6434. Under it, Treasury pays $1,000 into the account of an eligible child.

A child qualifies if the child:

• is a U.S. citizen;
• was born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029 (born in 2025, 2026, 2027 or 2028);
• has been issued a Social Security number;
• is the qualifying child (under § 152(c)) of the person making the pilot-program election; and
• has not previously been the subject of a processed pilot-program request.

Important points parents often miss:

• Having an account does not mean getting the $1,000. Many children with accounts are too old for the pilot program.
• Treasury cannot make the pilot election for you. A parent or authorized person must make the pilot-program election. Treasury also says the account must be claimed for an eligible child to receive the seed contribution.
• You do not have to deposit anything to receive the $1,000. It is not a matching program.
• The $1,000 does not count toward the $5,000 annual contribution limit.

What Are Michael and Susan Dell Giving?

Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, and his wife Susan committed $6.25 billion to put $250 into the Trump Accounts of 25 million children (25 million × $250 = $6.25 billion). This is separate from the federal $1,000.

According to the Dells’ October 2026 update, over 10 million children already had the $250 invested, with millions more expected by the end of that week.

Who Gets the Dell $250?

According to the Dells, eligible children are those:

• born between 2016 and 2024; and
• living in ZIP codes with a median family income of $115,000 or less, or living on a military base.

The ZIP-code threshold was originally announced at $150,000, and some older articles still say so. The Dells’ current page uses $115,000 and links to an explanation of why it changed. It also says some children in ZIP codes above $118,000 received the gift because their families signed up before automatic enrollment began. Funds are reserved for children in foster care, with details still being determined and those contributions expected next year.

Do Parents Have to Apply for the Dell $250?

No. The Dells say eligible children receive it automatically, and parents can then view the investment through the official Trump Accounts website or app. You can check your ZIP code through the eligibility tool linked from the Dells’ page.

How Does the Dell Gift Work Legally?

The Dell gift is the kind of class contribution Congress created in § 530A(f). A tax-exempt organization or government (an “eligible donor”) makes a general funding contribution to Treasury, specifying a qualified class of children. Treasury then makes an equal-amount qualified general contribution to each child’s account in that class.

Qualified classes can be defined by:

• all account beneficiaries under 18;
• residence in specified states or qualified geographic areas (areas with at least 5,000 account beneficiaries designated by Treasury); or
• birth years.

The temporary regulations also allow an approved class that combines geography and birth years, with at least 5,000 beneficiaries. Under § 139J, qualified general contributions are not taxable income to the child when made. They are, however, generally taxable when later withdrawn, because they do not count as the child’s “investment in the contract” under § 530A(d)(2).

How Do Parents Claim an Automatically Created Account?

Treasury’s temporary regulations describe the following process:

1. Use the official app or website. Download the official Trump Accounts app (iOS or Android) or use trumpaccounts.gov.
2. Prove who you are. You must authenticate your identity and establish your legal authority over the child’s account. Because the account’s existence is protected tax-return information under 26 U.S.C. § 6103, claiming requires more verification than Form 4547.
3. Consent to disclosures. You must give any consent needed to process the claim and move the balance.
4. Activate the receiving account. A claim alone does not complete the process. The account must be activated by signing the account agreement with the trustee.
5. The balance moves by rollover. During the growth period, the auto account balance is transferred in a qualified rollover to a “claimed initial Trump account” (held with the trustee Treasury selected) or to a “rollover Trump account” at a different trustee.

Who can claim: a guardian or legal custodian with authority under applicable law over the child’s property or finances, or the beneficiary once they have legal capacity (for example, reaching the age of majority). If several people file claims, the first person to activate the receiving account becomes the responsible party. A child can have only one funded Trump account at a time.

What Can an Unclaimed (Auto) Account Do?

Until claimed, an auto account can receive only qualified general contributions (such as the Dell gift) and the $1,000 pilot contribution (if a pilot election was made). It cannot receive contributions from family, friends or employers. The Treasury Secretary is the responsible party, and auto-account money is invested collectively through a Treasury-run master group trust (as described in Rev. Rul. 81-100).

What If Nobody Ever Claims the Account?

The account still exists, and qualified general contributions can still arrive. But you cannot manage it or add family or employer money, and an eligible child may not receive the $1,000 seed contribution. After the growth period, the person claiming an auto account has its balance transferred to a traditional IRA for the beneficiary.

Can Parents Opt Out?

The statute and regulations authorize Treasury to establish the account, and they do not describe a simple parental opt-out of the automatic account itself. Parents with concerns should follow Treasury’s official instructions rather than assume that ignoring the account closes it.

How Much Can Families Contribute?

During the growth period, total contributions are limited to $5,000 per year under § 530A(c)(2). The limit is adjusted for inflation for taxable years after 2027 and rounded down to a multiple of $100.

These “exempt contributions” do not count toward the $5,000:

• qualified rollover contributions;
• qualified general contributions (such as the Dell gift); and
• the federal $1,000 under § 6434.

These do count: contributions from parents, grandparents, relatives and friends; employer contributions under § 128; and certain government or nonprofit contributions not facilitated through Treasury as qualified general contributions.

Other contribution rules:

• Cash only. Non-rollover contributions must be cash, except for “qualified stock” received through a qualified stock contribution.
• No deduction. Under § 530A(c)(1), no § 219 IRA deduction is allowed for contributions made before the year the child turns 18. These contributions create “basis” for purposes of § 72.
• No effect on other IRAs. Under § 530A(h)(3), Trump Account contributions do not count against the contribution limits for other IRAs.
• No SEP or SIMPLE contributions. Section 530A(h)(1) bars contributions under § 408(k) SEP arrangements and § 408(p) SIMPLE IRA plans.
• Grandparents and others may contribute (after the account is claimed), subject to the limit.

Can Employers Contribute?

Yes. 26 U.S.C. § 128 lets an employer contribute to the Trump Account of an employee or the employee’s dependent. Up to $2,500 per employee per year (for 2026 and 2027, inflation-adjusted afterward) is excluded from the employee’s income, subject to program requirements. These contributions count toward the $5,000 annual limit.

Employer programs must meet nondiscrimination requirements. Treasury and the IRS proposed regulations in August 2026 (§§ 1.128-1 through 1.128-3 and 1.129-1 and 1.129-2), which also address nondiscrimination rules for dependent care assistance programs under § 129. The $2,500 exclusion is an employee-level cap, not a per-employer allowance that can simply be stacked.

What Can the Money Be Invested In?

During the growth period, 26 U.S.C. § 530A(b)(3) limits investments to a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund that:

• tracks a qualified index (the S&P 500, or another index of primarily U.S. companies for which regulated futures contracts trade on a qualified exchange, excluding industry- or sector-specific indexes but allowing market-cap-based indexes);
• does not use leverage;
• has annual fees and expenses of no more than 0.1% of the investment balance; and
• meets other criteria Treasury sets.

Treasury proposed regulations on eligible investments (§ 1.530A-3) in August 2026.

Can a Child’s Account Hold Individual Stocks?

Only in one situation. The temporary regulations (§ 1.530A-7T) allow qualified stock contributions, where an eligible donor gives publicly traded stock of a domestic corporation (with no pre-existing transfer restrictions such as restricted-security status under 17 CFR 230.144(a)(3)).

• The stock generally cannot be sold for five years or until the growth period ends, whichever is earlier.
• If it is improperly sold, the trustee must repurchase the same number of shares of the same class.
• Narrow exceptions apply: ABLE rollovers, fractional shares in a rollover, tender offers, and cash acquisitions of the issuer.
• Successor stock, delisting and corporate-distribution rules also apply, and the trustee must sell and reinvest proceeds in eligible investments in specified situations.

Can Money Be Withdrawn Before Age 18?

Generally no. Under § 530A(b)(1)(C)(ii) and (d)(1), no distribution is allowed before the first day of the calendar year in which the child turns 18. The exceptions are:

• a qualified rollover to another Trump Account for the same child;
• a qualified ABLE rollover (see below);
• a distribution of excess contributions; and
• special treatment on the child’s death.

What Is the “Growth Period”?

The growth period begins when the initial account is established and ends December 31 of the calendar year in which the child turns 17. For example, a child who turns 17 on October 1, 2042 has a growth period ending December 31, 2042. For these rules, a person attains an age on their birthday, not the day before. For example, a child born January 1, 2009 turns 18 on January 1, 2027.

Distributions and the special investment rules therefore end tied to the calendar year, not the exact 18th birthday.

What Happens When the Child Turns 18?

Once the growth period ends, most special Trump Account rules stop, and the account is generally subject to the traditional IRA rules in § 408. The special rules that cease include the $5,000 limit, the investment restrictions and the distribution bar. The prohibition on SEP and SIMPLE contributions continues.

Some account agreements provide for an automatic transfer to a regular traditional IRA at the end of the growth period. That is a contractual choice, not a requirement of the tax law.

Is the Money Tax-Free at 18? No.

A Trump Account is not a tax-free checking account. After the growth period:

• Withdrawals are generally taxable under § 72 to the extent they exceed the child’s “investment in the contract” (basis).
• No basis exists for qualified general contributions (such as the Dell gift), the federal $1,000 or § 128 employer contributions excluded from income. Those amounts, and the earnings, are generally fully taxable when withdrawn. Family contributions create basis.
• An additional 10% tax under § 72(t) can apply to early distributions unless an exception applies. Exceptions available under ordinary IRA rules include certain distributions for qualified higher-education expenses and first-time home purchases (subject to limits and conditions), and distributions after age 59½.

A Trump Account is therefore not a replacement for a 529 plan, which has different tax rules.

Can It Be Converted to a Roth IRA?

Possibly. Once traditional IRA rules apply, a Roth conversion may be available. The taxable portion of a conversion is included in income, so timing and the young adult’s other income matter. The Trump Account “qualified rollover” under § 530A(e) is unrelated to a Roth IRA rollover under § 408A.

Rollovers: Trump Account to Trump Account and to an ABLE Account

Trump Account to Trump Account. A qualified rollover contribution under § 530A(e) is a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer of the entire balance to another Trump Account for the same beneficiary, during the growth period. It is not a taxable distribution.

Trump Account to ABLE account. During the calendar year the child turns 17, the entire balance may be moved by direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to an ABLE account (under § 529A) for the same beneficiary. This can matter for families planning for a child with a disability.

Excess Contributions

Contributing more than the annual limit is not harmless. Under § 530A(d)(5), the excess can be distributed without being included in the child’s income, but the distributee’s tax is increased by 100% of the net income attributable to the excess. Under § 530A(h)(5), excess amounts carry forward for purposes of the § 4973(b) excise tax, reduced by timely corrective distributions (by the due date, including extensions, of the beneficiary’s return). Correct an excess promptly.

What Happens If the Child Dies Before Age 18?

Under § 530A(d)(6), if the beneficiary dies before the year they would turn 18, the account stops being a Trump Account on the date of death. The fair market value of the assets, reduced by the investment in the contract, is included in the gross income of the person who acquires the interest. If that person is the child’s estate, it is included in the child’s last taxable year. A special rule applies to a funded auto account where the child dies before it was claimed: it remains an IRA, the estate is the beneficiary, and an authorized person can claim it, subject to § 6103 requirements.

Reporting, Trustees and Privacy

• Reporting (§ 530A(i)). Trustees report to Treasury and the beneficiary on contributions (including the amount and source of any contribution over $25 from someone other than Treasury, the child or the child’s parent or guardian), distributions, fair market value and investment in the contract. A qualified rollover must be reported to Treasury within 30 days. This special reporting applies through the calendar year the beneficiary turns 17.
• Trustee selection (§ 530A(g)). For Treasury-created accounts, Treasury must consider the trustee’s history of reliability and regulatory compliance, customer service and costs. Any nonbank trustee already approved by the IRS as an IRA trustee as of December 31, 2025 is automatically approved for Trump Accounts.
• Confidentiality (§ 6103). The existence of an auto account is protected return information. That is why claiming requires identity and authority checks.
• Prohibited transactions. Because a Trump Account is generally treated like an IRA, the IRA prohibited-transaction rules (including §§ 408(e)(2) and 4975) generally apply. It is not an account a parent can borrow from or use for family expenses.

Donations and Taxes for Donors

Under the temporary regulations:

• A gift to a § 501(c)(3) “eligible donor” that makes a general funding contribution is deductible under § 170, subject to that section’s rules, and qualifies as a gift to an organization described in § 2522 for gift-tax purposes.
• A general funding contribution furthers the charity’s exempt purposes (including through a donor-advised fund). It is neither a grant to an individual under § 4945 nor a distribution to a natural person under § 4966, and expenditure responsibility is treated as satisfied where those sections would otherwise require it.
• Rev. Proc. 2026-25 provides a transfer-tax safe harbor for certain individual donors who contribute to Trump Accounts.

State Taxes

The federal regulations do not decide state or local tax treatment. Treasury anticipates that states that follow § 408(e) will generally treat a Trump Account similarly, but treatment depends on each state’s law. Check your state’s rules or consult a tax professional.

Trump Account vs. 529 Plan

	Trump Account	529 plan
Legal basis	IRC § 530A (special traditional IRA)	IRC § 529
Main purpose	Long-term investing for the child	Education savings
Contribution limit	$5,000 per year during the growth period (with exceptions)	Set by plan and gift-tax rules
Parent deduction	None under § 219 during the growth period	Depends on state
Government seed money	$1,000 pilot for eligible births 2025-2028	Generally none
Investments	Restricted to qualifying broad U.S. index funds (plus limited donated stock)	Plan-specific menu
Withdrawals before 18	Generally not allowed	Allowed for qualified expenses
After the growth period	Traditional IRA rules	Qualified education expenses are tax-free

A Trump Account can be valuable, especially because of government and philanthropic money, but it is not automatically the best choice for every family or goal.

Laws, Rules and Guidance at a Glance

Source	What it does
Public Law 119-21, § 70204	Added IRC §§ 530A, 128, 139J and 6434 (enacted July 4, 2025)
IRC § 530A	Core Trump Account rules: eligibility, investments, contributions, distributions, rollovers, qualified general contributions, trustee selection, IRA coordination, reporting
IRC § 530A(b)	Defines Trump Account, eligible individual, eligible investment, qualified index
IRC § 530A(c)	No § 219 deduction; $5,000 limit; exempt contributions; inflation adjustment after 2027
IRC § 530A(d)	Distribution bar, tax treatment, ABLE rollover, excess contributions, death rule
IRC § 530A(e)	Qualified rollover contributions
IRC § 530A(f)	Qualified general contributions, general funding contributions, qualified classes
IRC § 530A(g)	Treasury’s trustee-selection criteria
IRC § 530A(h)	Coordination with IRA rules; SEP/SIMPLE bar; excess-contribution rule under § 4973(b)
IRC § 530A(i)	Reporting by trustees
IRC § 128	Employer contributions to Trump Accounts; $2,500 exclusion
IRC § 129	Dependent care assistance programs; nondiscrimination rules addressed in proposed regulations
IRC § 139J	Qualified general contributions excluded from the child’s income when made
IRC § 6434	$1,000 pilot program for children born 2025-2028
IRC § 152(c)	Qualifying-child definition used by § 6434
IRC § 24(h)(7)	Social Security number definition used for eligibility
IRC § 408	Traditional IRA rules (account, custodial accounts, distributions, exemptions) that apply except as § 530A modifies
IRC § 408(e)(2) and § 4975	Prohibited-transaction rules generally applicable to IRAs
IRC § 408A	Roth IRA rules (relevant to later conversions)
IRC § 219	IRA deduction (denied for Trump Account contributions before the year the child turns 18)
IRC § 72 and § 72(t)	Taxation of distributions; 10% additional tax and exceptions
IRC § 4973	Excise tax on excess contributions
IRC § 529A	ABLE accounts (special rollover at age 17)
IRC § 501(c)(3), § 170, § 2522, § 4945, § 4966	Rules for charitable donors funding class contributions
IRC § 6103	Confidentiality of tax return information (why claiming needs verification)
26 CFR §§ 1.530A-1T and 1.530A-7T (T.D. 10056)	Temporary regulations on automatic enrollment, auto accounts, claiming, qualified general contributions and qualified stock (91 FR 61705, effective September 30, 2026, expire September 30, 2029)
Proposed regulations	§ 1.530A-3 (eligible investments); § 301.6434-1 ($1,000 pilot program); §§ 1.128-1 to 1.128-3 and 1.129-1, 1.129-2 (employer contributions)
Notice 2025-68	Initial IRS guidance on Trump Accounts
Rev. Proc. 2026-25	Transfer-tax safe harbor for certain individual donors
Rev. Rul. 81-100	Group trust structure used for Treasury’s master group trust
IRS Form 4547	Trump Account election form
Administrative law	Temporary regulations issued under 5 U.S.C. § 553 “good cause”; designated a major rule under the Congressional Review Act; paperwork collections under the Paperwork Reduction Act
State law	Controls state and local tax treatment

Common Mistakes Parents Should Avoid

1. Assuming every child gets $1,000. It applies only to eligible U.S. citizen children born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 who meet the other requirements.
2. Assuming an existing account means the $1,000 is already invested. Treasury says eligible children must have the account claimed to receive the seed deposit.
3. Mixing up the Dell $250 with the federal $1,000. They have different eligibility rules and different legal sources.
4. Using an old Dell eligibility threshold. The current Dell page uses a $115,000 median family income, not the $150,000 originally announced.
5. Treating it as a savings account. It is invested and can lose value.
6. Assuming the parent owns the money. The account belongs to the child.
7. Expecting a tax deduction. No § 219 deduction is allowed for contributions during the growth period.
8. Planning to withdraw everything tax-free at 18. Traditional IRA tax rules apply, including possible income tax and the 10% additional tax.
9. Over-contributing. Excess contributions can trigger a 100%-of-earnings tax and a cumulative excise tax.
10. Giving a child’s Social Security number to an unofficial site. Use only trumpaccounts.gov and the official app.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Trump Account?

A special type of traditional IRA for a child, created under IRC § 530A, with its own rules on contributions, investments and withdrawals during childhood.

Does my child already have a Trump Account?

If your child is under 18 and has a valid Social Security number, Treasury says the child now has an account that is ready to be claimed.

Do I have to claim the account?

You must claim it to manage it and to allow family, friends and employers to contribute. For eligible children, claiming is also required to receive the $1,000 seed deposit.

Who qualifies for the $1,000?

U.S. citizen children born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 who meet the § 6434 requirements, including an election by a parent or other authorized person.

Who qualifies for the Dell $250?

Eligible children born 2016 through 2024 in ZIP codes with a median family income of $115,000 or less, plus eligible children on military bases. Parents do not apply for it.

Is the Dell $250 on top of the $1,000?

Yes, they are separate, and a child could receive both if the child meets both sets of requirements.

How much can I contribute each year?

Up to $5,000 per year, with exceptions for rollovers, qualified general contributions and the federal $1,000. Employer contributions count toward the limit.

Can I deduct my contributions?

No. Section 530A(c)(1) bars a § 219 deduction for contributions made before the year the child turns 18.

Can my employer contribute?

Yes, under § 128, up to $2,500 per employee per year (2026 and 2027) is excluded from income, subject to program requirements.

What can the money be invested in?

Mutual funds or ETFs that track the S&P 500 or another broad U.S. equity index, use no leverage and charge 0.1% or less. Donated qualified stock is a narrow exception.

Can I take money out before my child turns 18?

Generally no, except for a rollover, an ABLE rollover, a correcting distribution of excess contributions, or on the child’s death.

What happens at 18?

The growth period ends and traditional IRA rules generally apply. Withdrawals can be taxable, and a 10% additional tax can apply unless an exception fits.

Is a Trump Account the same as a 529 plan or a Roth IRA?

No. It is a traditional IRA with special rules.

Can the account be moved?

Yes. The entire balance can be rolled over trustee-to-trustee to another Trump Account for the same child, or, in the year the child turns 17, to an ABLE account.

Is this a lawsuit or settlement?

No. It is a government program. There is no class-action claim form.

Is the stock market guaranteed to grow the account?

No. The account can lose value, and projections are illustrations, not promises.

Bottom Line

Trump Accounts are now much bigger than the original headlines about a “$1,000 account for babies.” Treasury has created accounts for eligible children under 18 with Social Security numbers, but parents must claim them to manage them, to allow contributions, and, for eligible children born 2025 through 2028, to receive the federal $1,000. Separately, Michael and Susan Dell’s $250 gift is going automatically to eligible children born 2016 through 2024 in qualifying ZIP codes and on military bases.

Legally, the program rests on IRC § 530A and related provisions. During childhood it has strict contribution, investment and withdrawal rules. After the growth period, traditional IRA rules generally take over, and withdrawals are not automatically tax-free.

What to do now: if your child is under 18, go to trumpaccounts.gov or the official app, claim the account, and check whether your child qualifies for the $1,000 or the Dell $250.

Related Reading on AllAboutLawyer

• One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Complete Tax Breakdown by Category 2026

Sources

• U.S. Department of the Treasury, “Treasury Announces the Completion of Automatic Enrollment Today for Trump Accounts” (October 1, 2026): https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0642
• Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 188 (September 30, 2026), T.D. 10056, “Trump Accounts,” 91 FR 61705-61727: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-30/html/2026-20026.htm
• 26 U.S.C. § 530A, Trump accounts: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/530A
• 26 U.S.C. § 6434, Trump accounts contribution pilot program: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6434
• 26 U.S.C. § 128, Employer contributions to Trump accounts: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/128
• Public Law 119-21, § 70204 (July 4, 2025)
• Michael and Susan Dell, “25 Million Children to Receive $250 in Trump Accounts”: https://www.onedell.com/25-million-children-trump-accounts-dell-contribution/
• Invest America, Dell $250 eligibility checker: https://investamerica.org/check-dell-250-eligibility/
• IRS, Instructions for Form 4547: https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i4547
• IRS, Trump Accounts information: https://www.irs.gov/trumpaccounts
• IRS, proposed regulations on employer contributions to Trump Accounts: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/treasury-irs-issue-proposed-regulations-on-employer-contributions-to-trump-accounts-under-the-working-families-tax-cuts
• Internal Revenue Bulletin 2026-37: https://www.irs.gov/irb/2026-37_irb
• U.S. Department of Labor, Technical Release 2026-02: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/employers-and-advisers/guidance/technical-releases/26-02
• Investor.gov, Trump Accounts: https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/investment-accounts/tax-advantaged-accounts/trump-accounts
• Fidelity, “Should you convert a Trump Account to a Roth IRA?”: https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/trump-account-to-roth-ira-conversion
• Notice 2025-68; Rev. Proc. 2026-25; Rev. Rul. 81-100

This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is a consumer legal information site, not a law firm or financial advisor. Program rules, eligibility thresholds and IRS guidance can change, and the temporary regulations are subject to later final regulations. Tax consequences depend on the child’s age, income, account basis, contribution history and other facts. Consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor about your situation, and rely on Treasury and IRS resources for the current official rules.