Independent & educational — not affiliated with the IRS or U.S. Treasury. The official site is trumpaccounts.gov. Not financial advice.
Trump Account Planning

● Accounts opened July 4, 2026 · $1,000 federal seed · §530A

What your child's Trump Account becomes, from birth to retirement.

This planner models the full life of your child's Trump Account: the $1,000 federal seed, your monthly contributions, decades of market growth, and the age-18 conversion that shapes the final result. Every figure appears in both future dollars and today's dollars — the real number. Move the sliders to match your family.

Monthly contribution

$417/mo $5,004/yr
Annual cap $5,000/yr (~$417/mo), across all contributors; indexed after 2027.
Chart horizon
18 (max)
One-time · born 2025–2028
Assumptions
10.0%
The S&P 500 has historically averaged about 10% a year before inflation — the usual long-run benchmark.
3.0%
22%
At 18, it becomes their…
Roth is usually smarter: taxed now, tax-free later.

Projected value at age 65

$22.61M Account value — nominal, future dollars
$3,310,389 Purchasing power in today's dollars

Left as a traditional IRA, a 22% tax on withdrawal leaves $2,585,002 in today's dollars.

Contributions $91k Purchasing power $3.31M Nominal growth $19.30M

Contributions vs. growthBalance from birth to age 65

Contributions Account value Purchasing power

The gap between account value and purchasing power is inflation quietly eroding future spending power.

Both measures, at each milestone

Account valuenominal · future dollars
Purchasing powerin today's dollars
At age 18account vests as their IRA
$256k
$151k
At age 65left invested to retirement
$22.61M
$3.31M

Educational estimate, not financial advice. Purchasing power in today's dollars discounts each future year by inflation to reflect what the balance actually buys; the account value is the nominal future-dollar balance.

Reading your projection

What shapes the number you see

A Trump Account moves through three phases that decide what it's ultimately worth. Here's what each slider is doing — and why the today's-dollar and after-tax views are the ones to plan around.

01 — Inflation

Today's dollars, not only future dollars

A balance decades away is quoted in future dollars. The planner discounts every year by your inflation rate so you can also see what the money buys in today's terms. The shaded band on the chart is exactly that difference.

02 — Tax

It's a traditional IRA, so gains are taxed

After 18 it follows traditional IRA rules: withdrawals are ordinary income. Family contributions return tax-free, but the $1,000 seed and any employer dollars don't create basis — they're fully taxable on the way out, along with all growth.

03 — The age-18 lever

Convert to a Roth at 18

When the child has little income, converting pays a small one-time tax, then the account compounds tax-free for decades. Flip the exit toggle to see how much it moves the spendable result — typically the most valuable decision in the account's life.

What it holds

What a Trump Account is invested in

By law a Trump Account can hold only low-cost funds that track broad U.S. stock indexes, with fund fees capped at 0.1% a year. On July 1, 2026 the Treasury named the launch lineup: every contribution starts in one default fund, with the choice to move into the others expected in the coming months.

Default at launch

SPYM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF

Where every contribution is invested to begin with — broad S&P 500 exposure at a fee the Treasury describes as well below the statutory cap.

Four more options · electable in the coming months

IVViShares Core S&P 500 ETF
VTIVanguard Total Stock Market ETF
SPTMSPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF
ITOTiShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF

Until allocation choice opens, all contributions remain in the default fund. Source: U.S. Treasury — Investment Lineup for Trump Accounts (July 1, 2026).

Where it fits

Trump Account vs. the accounts you already know

A Trump Account isn't a 529 replacement. For most families it's a complement. The quick version:

Feature Trump Account 529 Plan Custodial Roth IRA
Best for General long-term wealth College & education Retirement (needs child's earned income)
Annual limit $5,000/yr combined (incl. up to $2,500 employer) Up to gift-tax limits (much higher) Up to child's earned income
Free money $1,000 federal seed (born 2025–2028) Some state match programs None
Tax on withdrawal Ordinary income (it's a trad. IRA) Tax-free for qualified education Tax-free in retirement
Investment options Low-cost U.S. index funds only Plan's fund menu Nearly anything
Earned income required? No No Yes

Several Trump Account details remain subject to forthcoming IRS guidance. For pure college savings, a 529 still generally wins on tax treatment and state deductions.

Plain answers

Trump Account questions, answered straight

How do I open one and add money?
Trump Accounts opened on July 4, 2026, so contributions can now be made. You make an election to open the account through the IRS (Form 4547 or the trumpaccounts.gov portal), and the Treasury deposits the $1,000 seed for eligible children.
Is a Trump Account a good way to save for my kids?
It's a strong piece of the puzzle, not a silver bullet. The $1,000 federal seed is free money for eligible children, and decades of compounding do the heavy lifting. But it's a traditional IRA — growth is taxed as ordinary income on withdrawal, and the money is generally locked up until 18. For college specifically, pair it with a 529; for full flexibility, add a custodial account. Use the calculator above to see what it becomes for your child in today's dollars.
Who gets the free $1,000?
U.S. citizen children born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 with a Social Security number, once an election is made on their behalf. There's no income limit. Children outside that birth window can still have an account — they just don't receive the seed.
How much can be contributed each year?
A combined $5,000 per year across everyone contributing for the child (indexed after 2027) — it's a shared ceiling, not $5,000 each. An employer can contribute up to $2,500, which counts inside that $5,000. Government and qualifying charitable contributions sit outside the cap.
What return rate should I assume?
There's no official rate — Trump Accounts hold broad U.S. index funds, and long-run stock returns have historically averaged around 10% a year before inflation. The planner defaults to that 10% nominal figure and then discounts by inflation separately, so the "today's dollars" number reflects a realistic ~7% real return — in line with the market's long-run inflation-adjusted history. Forward-looking estimates are often lower, so slide it down for a more cautious range rather than betting on a single number.
What can a Trump Account be invested in?
By law, only low-cost funds that track broad U.S. stock indexes, with fees capped at 0.1% a year. At launch every contribution goes into the default fund — the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) — with four more index ETFs (IVV, VTI, SPTM, ITOT) becoming selectable in the coming months.
Is this better than a 529 for college?
Usually not, for college specifically. A 529 offers tax-free qualified education withdrawals and often a state tax deduction. A Trump Account is taxed as a traditional IRA. Many families use both — the 529 for school, the Trump Account for general long-term wealth.
When can the money be withdrawn?
Generally not before the year the child turns 18. After that, standard traditional IRA rules apply, including a 10% penalty on withdrawals before age 59½ — with the usual exceptions, like qualified higher education or a first home.