Updates · July 4, 2026

Born before 2025? What your child still gets — including the $250 Dell deposit

The question every parent of an older kid asks: "So my child gets nothing?" Not quite. Here's the honest breakdown — what pre-2025 kids don't get, what they absolutely still get, and a private $250 that many families haven't heard of.

The straight answer first

No $1,000 from the government. The federal seed deposit is strictly for children born January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2028. There is no government catch-up program for older kids — anyone telling you otherwise is misinformed or running a scam.
The account itself? Still yours to open. Any child under 18 with a Social Security number can have a Trump Account — same IRS Form 4547, same U.S. stock-index investing, same $5,000/year contribution room (including up to $2,500 from an employer), starting July 4, 2026. It just starts at $0 instead of $1,000.
Many kids 10 and under can get a one-time $250 — from private philanthropy, not the government. Details below.

The $250: the Dell Foundation gift, explained honestly

On December 2, 2025, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation pledged $6.25 billion to seed Trump Accounts for older children. The White House announcement puts it precisely: "the first 25 million American children age 10 and under living in ZIP codes with median incomes below $150,000 will receive an additional $250."

Your child may qualify if all of these are true:

Age 10 or under, born before January 1, 2025
U.S. citizen with a Social Security number
Lives in a ZIP code with median household income under $150,000 — that's most American ZIP codes; check yours at investamerica.org/dell
Among the first 25 million eligible children (so earlier is better)

How to claim it: you don't apply anywhere special. You simply open your child's Trump Account through the normal official process — online via your IRS Individual Online Account or Form 4547 — and qualifying accounts receive the deposit through the Invest America program. Deposits into any Trump Account only became legally possible on July 4, 2026, so this is rolling out now; Invest America notes that Treasury hasn't issued final administrative rules yet, so treat timing details as evolving.

Keep the labels straight: the $1,000 (born 2025–2028) is a federal deposit created by law. The $250 (age 10 and under) is a charitable gift — generous, real, but capped and conditional, and not something the government owes your child. This site tells you which is which because plenty of social-media posts don't.

Is it worth opening an account with no $1,000?

Run your own numbers on our calculator, but the shape of it: a possible $250 head start plus, say, $100/month at a 7% average return still compounds into serious money by 18 — and the employer-contribution feature (up to $2,500/year of the cap) is available at any age. For education-specific savings, compare with a 529 first: our honest comparison.

Scam alert — this topic is a magnet for them. Nobody legitimate will call, text, or email asking for your child's Social Security number or a "processing fee" to unlock the $1,000 or the $250. There is no fee. Ever. The only official channels are irs.gov and trumpaccounts.gov.

Have a 2025–2028 baby in the family too? Check their $1,000 eligibility in 60 seconds → · Print the claim checklist →

TrumpHealthcare.us is an independent educational resource, not affiliated with the U.S. government, the IRS, the Dell Foundation, or Invest America. Not legal, tax, or investment advice. Program details evolve — verify at irs.gov/trumpaccounts and investamerica.org/dell. Last reviewed: July 4, 2026.