Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, will deposit $250 into the individual investment accounts of 25 million American children, in a $6.25 billion philanthropic commitment as part of the Trump administration’s Invest America initiative.
The initiative, known as “Trump Accounts,” was created this year under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. The US Treasury will deposit $1,000 in investment accounts for all children born between 2025 and 2028.
Invest America accounts are expected to open on July 4 of next year, but details about how they will operate are still unknown. The funds, which must be invested in an index fund that reflects the performance of the broader stock market, will be available from age 18 for education, job training, purchasing a first home or starting a business.
“We believe this effort will expand opportunities, strengthen communities and help more children take control of their future,” the Dells said in a statement Tuesday. Shares of Dell, which is not affiliated with the couple’s foundation, rose about 3%.
Following the promise, Trump wrote in capital letters on his Truth Social page: “Two great people, love Dell!”
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The Dells said the funds are primarily intended for children up to age 10, but that older children could benefit if the funds remain available after initial enrollment.
They will deposit money into the accounts of children who live in ZIP codes where the median household income is $150,000 or less, according to a Dell spokesperson. Since its creation in 1999, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation has donated approximately $2.9 billion to charities, primarily focused on education.
The couple’s commitment to contribute $6.25 billion to Invest America comes from other charitable funds and not from their foundation. Michael Dell, who founded the company with $1,000 in his freshman dorm room at the University of Texas, is worth nearly $150 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires list.
The Investment Company Institute, a Washington trade group that represents the world’s largest asset managers, wrote to the Treasury on Oct. 29, urging it to create a “robust, competitive market for account trustees and custodians,” rather than choosing a single provider for the program.
A competitive marketplace is key to the program’s long-term success, as it incentivizes vendors to promote accounts and provide important educational information, the group said. In a statement issued Tuesday, ICI reiterated that stance and also called for “flexibility in eligible investments.”
Several other industry groups and asset managers, including BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and Ameriprise Financial, have also been lobbying Trump’s accounts, according to public records. The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
With information from Reuters
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