The $1,000 Newborn Account: How Babies Born 2025–2028 Claim It

For the first time, the federal government is seeding an investment account for newborns: a one-time $1,000 deposit for U.S.-citizen children born from 2025 through 2028. The program (officially the Trump Account Contribution Pilot Program, created by the 2025 tax law) went live in July 2026 — roughly four million accounts opened in the first weeks. If your baby qualifies, this is the easiest $1,000 your family will ever claim.

Who qualifies

Child born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028.
U.S. citizen with a Social Security number.
No income limits on the $1,000 pilot deposit itself — this isn't a low-income program.

How to claim it (three ways)

With your tax return — new Form 4547 ("Trump Account Election") filed with your federal return.
Online — through the official program site (linked from irs.gov).
At the hospital — since July 2026, many hospitals can enroll the baby during birth registration, alongside the Social Security paperwork. Ask before discharge.

Either way, the prerequisite is the baby's Social Security number — request it with the birth-certificate paperwork at the hospital (it arrives by mail in a few weeks).

What the account actually is

It's an IRA-style account invested in a U.S. stock index fund. The government's $1,000 is the seed; families can contribute up to $5,000 per year on top, and employers can add up to $2,500 as a benefit. The money grows invested until the child is an adult, with withdrawal rules similar to retirement accounts.

Fine print worth knowing: the program is new and some mechanics are still being finalized in regulations — treat any secondhand claims about withdrawal taxation or exact rules with caution and verify on the official page before making contribution decisions.

Should you add your own money to it?

Claim the free $1,000 no matter what. Whether to put additional savings there versus a 529 plan depends on your goals — 529s keep tax-free treatment for education and often add a state tax deduction. We compare the two in our 529 vs. newborn account guide.

See every program your family qualifies for — matched to your state and income.

See every benefit your baby qualifies for

Sources: 2025 tax law (OBBBA) provisions; IRS proposed regulations and enrollment statistics (mid-2026). Program mechanics may be refined in final regulations — confirm on irs.gov before filing.