The $1,000 Pilot Program: Who Gets It?

The federal government deposits $1,000 into Trump Accounts for every U.S. citizen child born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028. This one-time deposit is free money from the government to give your child a financial head start.

Your child must be: (1) a U.S. citizen, (2) born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028, and (3) have a valid Social Security Number. There are no income restrictions. Use our Eligibility Checker to confirm.

No. You must explicitly elect the pilot contribution on IRS Form 4547. If you don't check the box or don't file the form, your child will not receive the $1,000 deposit.

No. The $1,000 federal pilot deposit does not count toward the $5,000 annual contribution limit. You can contribute the full $5,000 in addition to the government's $1,000.

Children born before January 1, 2025 do not qualify for the $1,000 pilot deposit. However, they can still open a Trump Account (if under 18) and receive family and employer contributions of up to $5,000/year.

The pilot program currently covers births through December 31, 2028. Children born after 2028 can still open Trump Accounts but would not receive the $1,000 deposit unless Congress extends the program.

The deposit is made after the IRS processes your Form 4547 election. Contributions begin as of July 4, 2026. The sooner you file, the sooner the deposit starts growing in the market.

It comes from the U.S. Treasury, funded by taxpayer dollars as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed July 4, 2025. It is not a loan — there is nothing to pay back.

The deposit itself is not taxable when it enters the account. Growth is tax-deferred during the growth phase (birth to 18). Withdrawals after age 18 are taxed as ordinary income under traditional IRA rules.

No. The $1,000 pilot deposit must go into a Trump Account. It cannot be received as a direct cash payment. The money is invested in eligible S&P 500 or broad U.S. equity index funds.

Separate from the federal deposit, Michael and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion — $250 each to about 25 million children born 2016–2024 in ZIP codes with Median Family Income of $150,000 or less. This is private philanthropy, not a government program. Confirm at investamerica.org/dell.

Yes, if they meet both sets of criteria. A child born 2025-2028 (for the $1,000) who also lives in an eligible ZIP code and was born 2016–2024 (Dell window) could receive $1,250 in seed funding before any family contributions — but only after the Trump Account is open.

SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell pledged over 2 million shares of SpaceX stock for kids in lower-income areas (similar ZIP-income targeting as Dell, with emphasis near central Texas). Private gift — confirm eligibility when claim instructions are published. See companies & pledges.

Yes. No account, no gift — no matter who is giving. Pilot deposits, Dell $250, Shotwell/SpaceX stock, employer matches, and stranger contributions only land in an existing Trump Account. Open first with Form 4547 or trumpaccounts.gov, then activate. Details: Money & Funding FAQ.

Not exactly. While some call it a "newborn stimulus," Trump Accounts are a permanent investment program under IRC Section 530A — not a one-time stimulus check. The $1,000 pilot deposit is a government-funded grant that goes into an investment account and grows in S&P 500 index funds until age 18. It cannot be taken as cash.

Yes. Parents can file IRS Form 4547 with their 2025 tax return (due April 15, 2026) to open a Trump Account and claim the $1,000 deposit. The trumpaccounts.gov online portal is expected to launch mid-2026 as an additional option.