How to open or activate a Trump Account
File Form 4547, check its status, activate the account, and make your first contribution.
Before you start: what you'll need
- Your child's Social Security number (required, no SSN, no account)
- Your child's date of birth and legal name as it appears with the SSA
- Your own SSN or ITIN and a government ID, since you'll be the custodian until they turn 18
- Optionally, bank details if you want to set up contributions right away
Not sure your child qualifies for the $1,000 seed or the Dell $250? Run the eligibility checker first; it takes 30 seconds.
Step 1, Choose how to file Form 4547
Enrollment begins with IRS Form 4547, and there are three ways to submit it: through the official federal portal, through the official mobile app linked from that portal, or through your IRS online account. Each route sends the election to the IRS for processing; the account still needs to be activated after approval.
Step 2, Complete and submit the form
The form asks for your child's identifying information, your information as the responsible party, and your relationship to the child. Enter each legal name exactly as it appears on the relevant Social Security card. Online filing includes identity verification with a government ID and live selfie. A single Form 4547 covers up to two children; submit another form for additional children.
Step 3, Check the IRS election status
Sign in to your IRS online account and go to Forms → Trump Accounts. If the election is processing, wait for the next message. If it says unable to process, open the related IRS notice before filing again. Common causes include a name, birth date, or SSN mismatch; the child turning 18 during the current calendar year; or an account already opened by another authorized person. Follow our Form 4547 troubleshooting guide for the correct next step.
Step 4, Activate the account
After the IRS approves the election, watch for instructions from [email protected]. Use the official Trump Accounts app or web experience to finish activation. The identifying information you enter must match Form 4547. If you filed the form with your 2025 tax return and have not received instructions yet, check the election status before submitting a duplicate.
Step 5, Claim funding and set up contributions
The $1,000 federal pilot contribution is deposited after eligibility is confirmed and the account is activated. Other eligible gifts may require an in-app claim or follow-up step, so do not assume every award is automatic. If an approved account does not show its funding, use the deposit status checklist. At launch, deposits are invested in SPYM, an S&P 500 ETF; Treasury says four additional low-cost U.S. index ETFs will become selectable in the coming months.
Parents, grandparents, employers, and others can contribute, subject to the combined $5,000 annual limit. Recurring monthly contributions are optional. Play with the numbers in the growth calculator, find a budget with the contribution maximizer, or check the employer and sponsor list before deciding how much of your own money to add.
Deadlines and fine print
530A accounts, created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and officially marketed by the federal government as "Trump Accounts," launched on July 4, 2026, and enrollment is open now. Two dates matter: you must enroll your child by the year before they turn 18, and ordinary withdrawals are blocked until January 1 of the year they turn 18. After that, the account follows traditional IRA rules. Review the withdrawal rules and use the tax estimator before taking money out. Official instructions live at IRS.gov and Treasury.gov; where anything here differs from official guidance, official guidance controls.
Prepare once, then keep a clean record
Before you begin, gather the child’s Social Security card, legal birth date, citizenship information, and your own current identity records. Decide which adult will act as the responsible party so two people do not submit competing elections. Use a private device and the official portal; do not send full Social Security numbers or identity documents by ordinary email.
Save the filing confirmation, election status, activation message, and first account statement in one secure place. Record which deposits are federal, personal, employer, or philanthropic because they may follow different limits or claim processes. If the status stalls, note the exact message and date before contacting support. That evidence makes it easier to distinguish an IRS election problem from activation or funding delays.