Home / Kids & College / Dell $250 Trump Account
Dell $250 Trump Account Deposit: Who Got It and How to Check
Michael and Susan Dell put $250 into the Trump Accounts of about 25 million children. Here's who qualified, how to check your ZIP code, and what to do if you can't find the money.
The short answer
Children born from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2024 got $250 if they live in a ZIP code with a median family income of $117,300 or less, or on a US military base. It was deposited automatically, with all deposits made by October 9, 2026. You don't apply for it. To see it, claim your child's Trump Account in the official Trump Accounts app.
Quick check
Dell $250 eligibility rules
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birth date | January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2024 (about ages 1 to 10 in 2026) |
| ZIP code | Median family income of $117,300 or less, using Census ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates |
| Military bases | Eligible children living on a base qualify, whatever the ZIP's income |
| Your own income | Not checked. Only the ZIP code's median matters |
| Application | None. Deposited automatically |
| Deposit date | All deposits made by October 9, 2026 |
| Foster care | Funds set aside; contributions expected next year |
How to check your ZIP code
- Go to Invest America's official Dell eligibility checker at investamerica.org.
- Enter the ZIP code where your child lives.
- If your ZIP qualifies and your child was born 2016–2024, the $250 should already be in their account.
The checker uses the ZIP code's median family income from the Census Bureau, which isn't the same as your household income. A family earning $200,000 in a qualifying ZIP got the $250; a family earning $60,000 in a higher-income ZIP did not.
Why the limit changed from $150,000 to $117,300
When the Dells announced the gift, it was aimed at ZIP codes with median incomes under $150,000, for families who signed up. Once the Treasury opened accounts automatically for every child, far more children were in the pool. The total stayed at $250 for 25 million children, so Invest America started with the lowest-income ZIP codes and worked up until the money ran out, which ended at about $117,300.
Signed up before October 1, 2026? If you claimed an account or filed Form 4547 before then, your child stays eligible under the earlier rules. You don't need to do anything else.
How to see the $250
- Download the official Trump Accounts app, or go to trumpaccounts.gov.
- Choose to claim an existing account and verify your identity and your relationship to the child.
- Once claimed, the balance shows in the app. Until you claim it, the money stays invested in a low-cost S&P 500 fund.
Full steps: how to claim a Trump Account.
If you can't find the $250
- Check the birth year. Children born in 2025 or later get the federal $1,000 instead, and children born before 2016 weren't included.
- Check the ZIP code in the official checker. Your child may simply live in a ZIP above $117,300.
- Make sure you've claimed the account. The money is in the automatically opened account until you claim it.
- Contact the Trump Accounts Help Center through trumpaccounts.gov if everything matches and you still don't see it.
What could $250 grow to?
Left alone at an average 7% a year, $250 put in at age 8 could be worth about $490 at 18. Add $50 a month and it could be over $9,000. Try the growth calculator.
Questions parents ask
Do I have to apply for the Dell $250?
No. It was deposited automatically into eligible children's Trump Accounts.
Can my child get both the $1,000 and the $250?
Normally no. The Dell gift is for children born 2016–2024, who were born too early for the federal $1,000, which covers 2025–2028 births.
Is the Dell $250 taxed?
Not while it's in the account. Like the $1,000, it's taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn after 18, along with its growth.
Does the $250 count toward the $5,000 yearly limit?
No. Charity deposits like the Dell gift don't count. See contribution limits.
We moved. Which ZIP code counted?
Invest America says the child must live in a qualifying ZIP code but doesn't explain which address record was used. If you moved recently and think your child was missed, contact the Help Center.
My child is 12. Is there anything for them?
They still have a Trump Account, and family can add up to $5,000 a year. See Trump Accounts for older kids.
Last checked November 11, 2026 against Invest America's eligibility page (current as of October 9, 2026).