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Yes, a Trump Account $250 deposit is real, and your child can get it even if they were born before 2025 and miss the $1,000 government seed. If your child is 10 or younger and you live in a ZIP code where the median household income is under $150,000, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is funding this separate $250 deposit into eligible Trump Accounts, no extra application required beyond opening the account.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The $250 comes from a private $6.25 billion pledge by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, not the federal government (U.S. Treasury, White House, December 2025).
- To qualify, a child must be age 10 or younger and live in a ZIP code where the median household income is below $150,000.
- Kids born before January 1, 2025 don’t get the $1,000 federal seed, but they can still get the $250 Dell deposit if their ZIP code qualifies.
- Kids born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 can get both deposits, the $1,000 federal seed and the $250 Dell gift, for $1,250 total, if they live in a qualifying ZIP code.
- The gift is capped at the first 25 million eligible, activated accounts, so opening the account, not just being eligible on paper, is what actually triggers the deposit.
What Is the Trump Account $250 Dell Foundation Deposit?
Trump Accounts are the child savings accounts created under Section 530A of the 2025 tax law (the One Big Beautiful Bill, or OBBBA). In December 2025, Michael and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion of their own money to fund an additional deposit for children who would otherwise miss the government’s $1,000 seed, according to a U.S. Treasury announcement and NPR’s reporting on the gift. The Dell Foundation’s contribution is a private charitable gift, not a federal program, and it funds a one-time $250 deposit for up to 25 million children nationwide.
The gap matters because the federal $1,000 seed only goes to children born in a specific four-year window. The Dell gift was designed to reach families who would otherwise get nothing extra, mainly older kids and lower- and middle-income households.
Does Your Child Qualify for the $250?
Two conditions, both required: your child must be age 10 or younger, and your home ZIP code’s median household income must be below $150,000. Unlike the $1,000 federal seed, which is tied strictly to birth year (January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028), the Dell deposit is tied to your child’s current age and where you live, not when they were born. That difference is what makes it available to older kids who missed the $1,000 window entirely.
According to NBC News, the gift is expected to reach nearly 80% of children age 10 and under, across roughly 75% of U.S. ZIP codes. In plain terms, most families with a kid in this age range will qualify, but it is not universal, and higher-income ZIP codes are excluded by design.
Can Your Child Get Both the $1,000 and the $250?
Yes, if they were born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 and also live in a qualifying ZIP code. The two deposits come from different sources, one federal, one private, and are not mutually exclusive. A newborn who checks both boxes could start their Trump Account with $1,250 in seed money instead of $1,000.
| Detail | $1,000 Federal Seed | $250 Dell Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Source | U.S. Treasury (federal program) | Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (private gift) |
| Who qualifies | Born Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2028 | Age 10 or under, ZIP median income under $150,000 |
| Older kids (born before 2025) | Not eligible | Eligible if age 10 or under and ZIP qualifies |
| Cap | No stated cap tied to eligible births | First 25 million activated, eligible accounts |
How Do You Check If Your ZIP Code Qualifies?
Be careful here. Several third-party websites advertise “Trump Account ZIP code eligibility checkers,” and we can’t verify the accuracy or intentions behind all of them. As of July 2026, Treasury has not published its own standalone public ZIP-lookup tool.
The safest way to find out is to open, or log into, your child’s official Trump Account at trumpaccounts.gov or the official app. If your ZIP code qualifies, the $250 shows up as a deposit once the account is active.
If a site asks for your child’s Social Security number or your banking details before telling you whether you qualify, treat that as a red flag and back out. Our guide to Trump Account scams covers the tactics to watch for during this rollout.
How Do You Claim the $250?
You don’t file anything separately for the Dell deposit. If your child was born before 2025, open their Trump Account starting July 4, 2026, at trumpaccounts.gov or through an authorized custodian; no Form 4547 is required, since that form only claims the $1,000 federal seed. If your child was born 2025 through 2028, file Form 4547 as usual to claim the $1,000, and the $250 gets checked and deposited automatically if your ZIP code qualifies. Either way, see our full step-by-step guide to opening a Trump Account for the exact process.
Is the $250 Guaranteed, or Could It Run Out?
It’s a private pledge with a stated cap: the first 25 million eligible, activated accounts. Because this is charitable money rather than a federal entitlement, the exact rollout pace, timing, and what happens once the cap is reached are up to the Dell Foundation, not Congress. As of July 2026, deposits appear to be rolling out in phases, similar to the federal $1,000 seed, so if the $250 hasn’t shown up yet in an eligible account, that alone isn’t necessarily a problem. Treat it as a bonus on top of the account rather than money to count on until it actually lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every child born before 2025 get $250?
No. Only children age 10 or younger who live in a ZIP code with a median household income below $150,000 qualify, and only up to the first 25 million eligible, activated accounts.
Is the $250 from the government or a private donor?
It’s private. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation pledged $6.25 billion to fund these deposits. It is separate from the federal $1,000 seed that Congress created for children born 2025 through 2028.
Can my newborn get both the $1,000 and the $250?
Yes, if they were born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 and you live in a qualifying ZIP code. The two deposits are not mutually exclusive.
Do I need to apply separately for the $250?
No. Opening or activating your child’s Trump Account is what triggers the eligibility check, and the deposit lands automatically if you qualify.
How do I know if my ZIP code qualifies?
Check directly inside your child’s official Trump Account at trumpaccounts.gov or the official app once it’s active. Be skeptical of third-party “eligibility checker” sites, especially any that ask for your child’s Social Security number upfront.
Bottom Line
If your child is 10 or younger and lives in a ZIP code with median household income under $150,000, they can get a $250 deposit from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, even if they were born before 2025 and miss the $1,000 federal seed. Newborns born 2025 through 2028 in a qualifying ZIP code can get both, for $1,250 total. Confirm eligibility inside the official app, not a third-party site, and don’t count on the money until it actually shows up in the account.
Last updated: July 7, 2026. Program details sourced from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the White House, and NPR/NBC News reporting on the Dell Foundation’s December 2025 pledge. Trump Accounts are a new program; rules and rollout timing may change. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or tax advice. Check trumpaccounts.gov or talk with a qualified professional before making decisions for your family.
