The Dell Foundation Just Made Trump Accounts a Lot More Interesting
Your child may get an extra $250 but don't delay
If you have young children or grandchildren, there’s a good chance a check is landing in their Trump Account courtesy of Michael and Susan Dell — and the way it’s structured is worth understanding, because it sidesteps the normal contribution cap entirely.
Here’s the short version. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has pledged about $6.25 billion, structured as $250 per child for as many as 25 million kids. Eligibility is set by class, not by application: children born in 2016 through 2024 who live in a ZIP code with median family income of $150,000 or less. The deposits started going out around July 4, 2026.
Why the $250 doesn’t count against the $5,000 limit
This is the part that matters for planning. A Trump Account normally takes up to $5,000 a year in contributions from all sources on behalf of the child. If the Dell money counted against that cap, it wouldn’t be much of a gift — it would just crowd out what the family could put in.
