Who qualifies
The pilot program pays $1,000 into the Trump Account of an eligible child. According to IRS Notice 2025-68, the child must meet all of these conditions.
- Born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029.
- A U.S. citizen.
- A qualifying child of the person making the election.
- Has a Social Security number that is included with the election.
- Has no earlier pilot election.
How to claim it
The IRS says the pilot election can be made on Form 4547, filed with a tax return or on its own, or online through trumpaccounts.gov. Making the election also opens the child's Trump Account if one does not exist yet. Keep a copy of what you file and when.
How it is treated
The $1,000 does not count toward the $5,000 yearly limit and does not create basis. That means it is not taxed when it goes in, but it, and what it earns, is taxed as income when it is eventually withdrawn. The IRS also says the deposit is protected from reduction or offset.
Children born before 2025
Older children can still have a Trump Account if they are under 18 and have a Social Security number, but they do not get the federal $1,000. Some may receive private or state deposits. The best known is the Dell pledge of $250 per child for children age 10 and under born before 2025 in ZIP codes with a median income below $150,000, as announced in December 2025.
What $1,000 can become
Left invested from 2026 to age 18, $1,000 at an assumed 7% a year before 0.05% fees grows to roughly $3,241. That is an illustration, not a promise; the calculator on the home page lets you try other returns.
Sources and further reading
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