Good news for families with young kids: the government is handing out $1,000 to jump-start investment accounts for children, but you have to claim it yourself.

• A new type of IRA, called a Trump account, opens July 4th, 2026, and the government puts in $1,000 to start.
• The free $1,000 only goes to US-citizen kids born between 2025 and 2028 — older children don't qualify.
• It is not automatic; parents have to sign up at trumpaccounts.gov or file the IRS form to get the money.
• Parents can add up to $5,000 a year, and the money is locked in conservative index funds until the child is an adult.
• The catch: it works like a retirement account, not a piggy bank — early withdrawals get taxed and hit a 10% penalty unless used for college or a first home.

Outlook: Families with kids in the 2025–2028 window should claim the $1,000 after July 4th, but the account stays locked up and grows slowly for decades before anyone can touch it.