Trump Accounts Set to Launch in July 2026, Giving Every American Child a Tax-Advantaged Investment Account

A new federal program called Trump Accounts is set to launch in July 2026. The program creates tax-advantaged investment accounts for every U.S. citizen under the age of 18, with the stated goal of making every American child a shareholder and building financial literacy from an early age.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Financial Literacy and Education Commission are coordinating outreach efforts. Federal agencies have been encouraged to integrate information about the accounts into existing financial education programs.

The accounts are designed to give children real-world investing experience. Families can contribute funds that grow tax-advantaged over time, similar in concept to a Roth IRA but available from birth.

The launch comes as financial literacy data continues to show significant gaps. A 2025 TIAA Institute survey found that U.S. adults answered only 49 percent of basic personal finance questions correctly, a figure unchanged since 2017. FINRA's National Financial Capability Study found that only 27 percent of Americans passed a seven-question quiz on financial concepts.

Disparities in financial literacy track closely with race and gender. Black and Hispanic adults, women, and younger generations score lower on average than white and Asian adults, men, and older generations.

The OCC's Financial Literacy Digest for Spring 2026 highlighted the Trump Accounts program alongside other federal initiatives, including the FDIC's Money Smart curriculum and the SEC's Investor.gov platform.

Critics of the program have raised questions about funding mechanisms and whether the accounts will reach families who need them most. Supporters say universal enrollment from birth is the best way to ensure no child is left out.