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Federal savings program

Trump Accounts app launches for children’s investment accounts

Parents and guardians can use the new app to manage tax-preferred accounts for children, with a $1,000 federal contribution for eligible kids starting July 4

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Trump Accounts app launches for children’s investment accounts
Location
Washington
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
The Trump Accounts app is now available, letting families manage new tax-preferred investment accounts for children ahead of July 4 contributions.

The Trump Accounts app is now available, opening a new phase in a federal savings program that lets parents and guardians manage tax-preferred investment accounts for children.

The program’s main benefit begins July 4, when the U.S. government is set to make a $1,000 contribution to accounts for eligible children. Families and other approved contributors will also be able to begin making personal contributions that day, with the money invested in the stock market.

The rollout matters for families weighing whether to open accounts for young children and for parents who have already signed up and are waiting for activation instructions. It also creates a near-term security concern: Treasury says activation emails will arrive in phases and has warned families not to respond to calls or texts claiming to be about account activation.

Who can get the $1,000 contribution

Children must have been born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, to qualify for the $1,000 federal contribution. Children also need a valid Social Security number to qualify for a Trump Account.

Families may open Trump Accounts for children under 18 even if they do not qualify for the federal contribution. Those accounts are still tax-preferred, but they will not receive the $1,000 government deposit unless the child meets the birth-date eligibility window.

The accounts must be set up and managed by a parent or guardian until the child turns 18. After that, the funds can be used for qualified expenses, including education, buying a home or starting a business. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described the accounts as a long-term financial cushion for children entering adulthood.

How activation works

Parents who have signed up should receive an email with instructions for setting up the app. The app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, Google Play or TrumpAccounts.gov.

The Treasury Department says activation messages will be sent in phases between now and July 4 from no-reply@TrumpAccounts.Treasury.gov. The agency cautioned that it will not contact families by text message or phone call about activation. “If you receive a call or text about a Trump Account, do not respond, it is likely a scam,” Treasury said.

Families that still want to enroll must log in to an individual IRS account and complete Form 4547, the tax form used to open a Trump Account. The accounts are free to set up. The Treasury Department says millions of Americans have already signed up.

Contribution limits and withdrawals

Parents, employers, charitable organizations and other parties may contribute to a child’s account. Excluding the federal contribution, annual contributions are capped at $5,000 per child, with certain exceptions.

Families generally cannot withdraw money from a Trump Account before the child turns 18. The listed exceptions include rolling the entire account into another Trump Account with a brokerage, certain rollovers to an Achieving a Better Life Experience account in the year the child turns 17, or a distribution after the account holder dies.

After the child turns 18, standard IRA withdrawal rules apply. For families considering whether to participate, the next key date is July 4, when federal contributions and personal contributions are scheduled to begin.

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