Got a Trump Account Notice With Your Baby's Social Security Card? Here's What It Means

Last reviewed: October 20, 2026

What is this notice?

Social Security has started mailing information about Trump Accounts along with newborns' Social Security cards. Most parents ask for their baby's Social Security number at the hospital, and the card arrives in the mail a few weeks later. The notice tells you your child may be eligible for a $1,000 contribution from the U.S. Treasury and points you to TrumpAccounts.gov and the official Trump Accounts app.

Social Security announced these mailers on July 3, 2026. The news that they are now going out comes from a Fox Business report on October 20, 2026. We haven't seen a copy of the notice ourselves.

Is it real?

Yes. Trump Accounts were created by the 2025 tax law (the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill," which the government now also calls the Working Families Tax Cuts). The IRS, the Treasury and Social Security all have official pages on it.

But scammers copy anything with "$1,000" in it. Our advice:

• Only sign up at TrumpAccounts.gov, through the official app linked from that site, or through your own IRS.gov online account. Type the address yourself instead of clicking a link in a text or email.
• The Treasury says there is no cost to open an account. Anyone asking for a fee to "release" or "claim" your $1,000 is not the government.
• Don't give your child's Social Security number to someone who calls, texts or messages you about this out of the blue.

Who gets the $1,000

Your child qualifies for the one-time $1,000 Treasury contribution if they:

• Were born January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028
• Are a U.S. citizen
• Have a valid Social Security number

Each child can get it only once. Older children (under 18) can still have a Trump Account, but they don't get the $1,000.

How to sign up

Signing up is called making an "election." It's done with IRS Form 4547, and there are a few ways to send it:

1. Online at TrumpAccounts.gov or in the official Trump Accounts app, which the notice points to.
2. In your IRS online account. Sign in to IRS.gov with ID.me and submit Form 4547 there. The IRS says it takes 5 to 10 minutes. You'll need your child's Social Security number, date of birth and address.
3. With your tax return. Form 4547 can go in with your e-filed return. Many parents already did this with their 2025 return.

After you sign up, the Treasury (or a company working for it) sends you information to activate the account. You confirm your identity and finish opening it. The $1,000 goes in after the election is made and the account is opened.

Usually a parent signs up. A legal guardian comes first if there is one, and the IRS rules also allow an adult sibling or grandparent in some cases.

Already filed Form 4547 with your taxes?

Then you've already signed up, so don't file it again. A child can have only one Trump Account election. Watch for the activation information from the Treasury, and you can check the status of your election in your IRS online account.

How the account works

• It's your child's money. The account is in the child's name. A parent or other custodian runs it until the child turns 18.
• It's invested, in funds that track the S&P 500 or a similar index of mostly U.S. stocks. The value can go up or down.
• Family can add money, but don't have to. Parents, relatives and others can put in up to $5,000 a year in total. Deposits could start July 4, 2026. The limit will rise with inflation after 2027.
• Employers can chip in. An employer can add up to $2,500 a year for an employee's child. That counts toward the $5,000 and isn't taxable income to the employee.
• The money is locked until 18. Generally nothing can come out before January 1 of the year the child turns 18. After that, the account generally follows the same rules as a traditional IRA.

Some private donors, such as Michael and Susan Dell, have announced gifts to certain children's accounts. We haven't confirmed who qualifies for those, so check TrumpAccounts.gov.

Questions we're still watching

Official guidance is still being written. As of October 20, 2026:

• Deadline: We haven't found an official deadline to sign up for the $1,000. There's no reason to wait.
• Your own deposits: We haven't confirmed how money families add will be treated at tax time, so we aren't saying whether it's deductible. Ask us before you count on a tax break.

We'll update this page as the IRS and Treasury publish more.

Official sources

• TrumpAccounts.gov (U.S. Treasury)
• IRS: Trump Accounts (how to submit Form 4547 online)
• IRS: Instructions for Form 4547
• Social Security: July 3, 2026 announcement on newborn enrollment
• IRS and Treasury guidance (Notice 2025-68)

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