In Summary:
Treasury has automatically created Trump Accounts for more than 60 million children, but parents and guardians must still claim an account before they can manage it, receive the $1,000 Treasury seed contribution if eligible, or invite family contributions. Learn how to claim an account, who qualifies for the seed contribution, and how new stock donation rules, which apply to governments and charities rather than families, may fit into your planning.
Written by Ashley Barnes, BMSS Member
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has now automatically opened Trump Accounts on behalf of more than 60 million additional children, but for most families the work of putting those accounts to use is still ahead. An automatically created account stays unclaimed until a parent or legal guardian claims it, and the $1,000 Treasury seed contribution and contributions from family, friends and employers all depend on that step.
Trump Account Auto-Enrollment: What Has Changed?
On October 1, 2026, the Treasury Department announced that automatic enrollment is complete for Section 530A accounts, commonly known as Trump Accounts. The accounts were created under temporary regulations published at the end of September. Before this step, roughly seven million children had been enrolled by their families, based on the administration’s report of more than seven million sign-ups as of late July. Treasury now says more than 60 million additional eligible children have an account established on their behalf. Treasury has indicated that an opt-in-only approach would likely have stalled at around half of eligible children.
What Auto-Enrollment Does, and Does Not Do
Auto-enrollment removes one hurdle: creating the account. It does not remove the next one. Until a parent or guardian claims it, an automatically created account is administered by Treasury, and the family cannot manage it or accept contributions from relatives, friends or employers. An eligible child’s $1,000 seed contribution is also tied to the account being claimed. Whether auto-enrollment leads to meaningful savings will depend largely on how many families take the additional step of claiming and then funding their child’s account.
Early Investing Can Support Long-Term Savings
Time in the market matters. Starting earlier gives a child more years of potential compounding, though returns are never guaranteed. That benefit only begins once an account is claimed and funded, so an unclaimed account is a starting point rather than a savings plan.
Who Is Eligible for a Trump Account?
Every child under the age of 18 with a valid Social Security number is eligible for a Trump Account, and Treasury reports that each of these children now has one. A parent or legal guardian must still claim the account to manage it and to allow family members, friends and employers to contribute.
The one-time $1,000 Treasury seed contribution is narrower. It is available only to eligible children born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028.
How to Claim Your Child’s Trump Account
Parents and guardians can claim an account by downloading the official Trump Accounts app for iOS or Android. During the claim process, you will verify your identity, confirm your relationship to your child, review your child’s information and accept the account terms. If your child is eligible for the $1,000 seed contribution, claiming the account is also what allows you to receive it.
Stock Donations: Who Can Give, and Who Can’t
Separate from auto-enrollment, the same September regulations include rules for large philanthropic contributions, including contributions of publicly traded stock. The rules are currently in effect as temporary regulations, with companion proposed regulations open for public comment through November 30, 2026.
These contributions are not something families can make. Eligible donors are limited to governments and tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, which can include donor-advised fund sponsors. The contribution is made through the Treasury and must go in equal amounts to every child in a defined class, such as all children in a state, in a qualified geographic area, or born in a particular year. A qualified geographic area or “approved class” must include at least 5,000 children. The stock must be publicly traded and issued by a domestic corporation, and press reports indicate it must be held in the accounts for at least five years before it can be sold. These contributions do not count toward the $5,000 annual limit that applies to family and employer contributions.
According to the Council on Foundations, nonprofit and government contributions of this kind can reach automatically created accounts without a parent first claiming them. Financial professionals have discussed how this opportunity for charitable giving fits with sound investment principles for children’s long-term savings, particularly because the donor does not choose the individual children who receive the stock.
Planning Considerations
Families still have several planning questions to work through, including contribution strategies (up to $5,000 per year from family and friends combined, with employer contributions of up to $2,500 counting toward that limit), gift tax implications, and how Trump Accounts fit with existing college savings and estate planning. The BMSS tax team is closely monitoring these developments and can help families claim an account, confirm eligibility for the $1,000 seed contribution, understand contribution limits, and build a strategy that fits their broader financial goals. Contact us at (833) CPA-BMSS to discuss how Trump Accounts fit into your family’s financial future.
