How to open a Trump Account, step by step

Updated July 8, 2026 · Program opened July 4, 2026

Opening a Trump Account is free, takes about 10 minutes online, and for children born 2025–2028 it banks an automatic $1,000 federal deposit. Here's the exact process — including the parts the headlines skip, like which email address the real confirmation comes from.

Who can open one

Any U.S. citizen child under 18 with a valid Social Security number is eligible. A parent or legal guardian makes the election. The account must be opened before the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 17. The $1,000 federal deposit is only for children born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 — older children can still open an account and contribute, they just don't get the free deposit.

What you'll need

Your Social Security number and your child's
An ID.me account (the identity-verification service the IRS uses) — if you've ever signed into an IRS Online Account, you already have one
About 10 minutes

The three ways to file Form 4547

The election is made on IRS Form 4547 (Trump Account Election), and there are three routes:

Online through your IRS account (fastest). Sign in at irs.gov/trumpaccounts with ID.me and submit the electronic Form 4547. One form covers elections for multiple children.
With your federal tax return. Attach Form 4547 to an e-filed return — sensible if you're filing anyway, but you wait on your return's processing.
Paper by mail. Slowest; only worth it if you can't verify online.

Step by step (online route)

Go to irs.gov/trumpaccounts and sign in — or create an account — with ID.me.
Complete Form 4547 with your information and each child's name, SSN, and date of birth.
Finish the identity-verification step. Once verified, the form submits to the IRS automatically.
Wait for processing. The real confirmation comes by email from no-reply@trumpaccounts.treasury.gov and as a notification in the official Trump Accounts app.
Follow the activation instructions in that email to activate the account at trumpaccounts.gov or in the app.
Optionally, set up contributions — up to $5,000 per child per year, and your employer may be able to add up to $2,500 tax-free.

Scam check: enrollment is free and only happens through .gov sites. Legitimate emails come from @trumpaccounts.treasury.gov — nothing else. Nobody legitimate will call you, charge an "activation fee," or ask for your child's SSN by email or text.

What happens after activation

For eligible 2025–2028 births, the $1,000 federal deposit lands after activation — no contribution required. Money in the account can only be invested in low-cost funds tracking a broad U.S. stock index until the child turns 18, and nothing can be withdrawn before then (the full rules are in our withdrawal guide).

Want to see what the account could actually be worth? Run your numbers in the Trump Account calculator — it handles the $1,000 deposit, employer contributions, and inflation-adjusted results.

Educational content, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Process details from IRS Form 4547 instructions (Rev. December 2025), irs.gov/trumpaccounts, and the U.S. Treasury's July 2026 launch announcement; verify current steps at official sources before acting.