Michael and Susan Dell announced Tuesday a remarkable private commitment to extend the reach of a federal savings initiative, pledging $6.25 billion to establish Trump Accounts for approximately 25 million American children who fell outside the eligibility window for the government program.
The Dell family’s contribution will provide $250 to each qualifying child, targeting those born before the January 1, 2025 cutoff date that determines eligibility for the federally funded accounts. Under the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill, children born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028 receive $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury as an initial investment.
Michael Dell joined President Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday afternoon to formalize the announcement. The President expressed his appreciation on Truth Social, writing that the Dells are “two great people.”
According to the Dell Family Foundation, these private contributions will reach most children age ten and under who were born prior to the federal qualifying date. The foundation indicated that children older than ten may also benefit if funds remain available after initial enrollments are completed.
The scope of this private initiative is substantial. The nonprofit organization Invest America reports that the Dell family gift is expected to reach nearly eighty percent of children age ten and under across seventy-five percent of American zip codes.
The structure of these privately funded accounts mirrors the federal program in important respects. The Trump Accounts can be invested exclusively in low-cost index funds or exchange-traded funds that track the S&P 500 or another American stock index, according to guidelines from the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Withdrawals are prohibited until beneficiaries reach age eighteen.
The federal accounts permit additional contributions of up to $5,000 annually until the child reaches adulthood. Charles Schwab tax planning director Hayden Adams recently analyzed the potential value of these accounts, calculating that maximum annual contributions of $5,000, combined with a conservative six percent growth rate, could yield approximately $191,000 by the time a child turns eighteen.
Upon reaching adulthood, account holders may convert their Trump Accounts into traditional individual retirement accounts, allowing continued tax-advantaged growth over decades.
The Dell family characterized the accounts as practical instruments for building family savings and harnessing compound growth for young Americans. In their statement, they expressed confidence that the initiative will expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and enable more children to take ownership of their financial futures.
The Dell family ranks among America’s wealthiest, with assets approaching $150 billion according to Bloomberg Billionaires. Their fortune derives primarily from Dell Technologies, the computer company Michael Dell founded in 1984. The recent surge in artificial intelligence applications has substantially increased the value of Dell Technologies shares, contributing to the family’s capacity for this historic philanthropic commitment.
This private sector expansion of a federal program represents an unusual partnership between government policy and individual philanthropy, extending the benefits of a savings initiative to millions of children who would otherwise have been excluded by the program’s eligibility requirements.
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