Dell Family Announces $6.25 Billion Boost To Trump Accounts For Kids — Here's What To Know

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, brought big changes to Social Security and the broader tax code, but it also created new tools for families to build wealth for their children. Tucked into Section 110116 of the OBBBA is the Trump Accounts Contribution Pilot Program, which entails the creation of investment accounts aimed at giving kids a financial head start. Recently, the CEO and founder of Dell Technologies, Michael Dell, and his wife, Susan, announced a $6.25 billion contribution to these accounts.

The Trump accounts in question work as tax-advantaged savings and investment accounts. Parents and guardians can make contributions of up to $5,000 per year, (their employers can contribute up to half of that amount annually). These funds can then be invested in ETFs and mutual fund options that track major U.S. stock indexes. Children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, get a head start thanks to a one-time $1,000 seed deposit from the government. The idea is to lock these funds and the proceeds of the investments into the account until the child turns 18. After that, the balance can be withdrawn and used for goals like education or starting a business.

The Dell family's contribution adds another layer to this benefit for children from lower-income families who would otherwise not qualify for a Trump account. The $1,000 government deposit is only intended for babies born between 2025 and 2028, but the Dells' contribution expands the program to children 10 and under from ZIP codes where the median family income is less than or equal to $150,000. Roughly 25 million children who meet these criteria will be eligible for the $250 deposit in their Trump accounts, thanks to Dell's donation, according to a White House press release.

Under the OBBBA, Trump accounts will become available to all American children under 18 with Social Security numbers in 2026. Eligibility for the money is split into two buckets. The child must either have been born between January 2025 and December 2028 (to get the $1,000 seed money) or be 10 and under and living in a qualifying zip code (for the $250 Dell boost). A child qualifying for the $1,000 deposit cannot receive the $250 Dell boost, and vice versa. In either case, to receive the deposit, a parent or guardian needs to open a Trump account in the name of the eligible child. 

The process for electing a Trump account starts with the filing of an IRS Form 4547, which (when available) will open the account for the eligible child. The best and fastest way to file the form is electronically alongside your annual e-filed tax return, but you can also file it on paper and mail it to the specified IRS Paper Returns Address. In any case, there's no rush for filing this form, since there's no deadline. If you decide to wait till next year to file, you may also be able to make the election online via the trumpaccounts.gov website, starting mid-2026. 

Once the account is opened, the U.S. Treasury will send you instructions on how to activate the account, the available investment options, and how to begin making your contributions. Before then, just make sure that your child has a Social Security number and wait for the initial contribution to be deposited into the account.