Trump Announces Automatic Enrollment of About 70 Million Youth Investment Accounts

The Treasury Department said that every U.S. child under 18 with a valid Social Security number has been automatically enrolled in a new tax-advantaged brokerage account, bringing the total to about 70 million accounts, according to the White House. Parents or guardians must claim the accounts before they can manage them or receive contributions.

"If all goes well, which I think it will, they'll end up being quite rich by the time they're 18, and then 21," President Donald Trump said at a press conference in the Oval Office.

A White House official told reporters that roughly 80% of the accounts are linked to families earning less than $200,000 annually, and that automatic enrollment expands access to philanthropic contributions. The administration noted that private donors, including Michael and Susan Dell, have pledged about $6.25 billion, which would provide $250 to 25 million account holders. Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, said the funds would be deposited by the end of the week.

"We believe in you, and we want you to dream big because we know you can make your dreams come true," Susan Dell said.

The federal government also provides a one-time $1,000 contribution to certain account holders, separate from the annual $5,000 contribution limit for 2026 and 2027, with inflation adjustments thereafter. Contributions from family members may reach $5,000 per year, and employers may contribute up to $2,500 per year. Over 70 companies, including Uber, Intel and Nvidia, have agreed to make contributions for employees' children.

Eligibility is limited to children born between Jan. 1 2025 and Dec. 31 2028; most children will rely on private contributions rather than the Treasury's seed payment. The accounts, structured as IRAs with a withdrawal restriction until age 18, can be claimed and managed through an official app available on major mobile platforms and via a web portal.