Why one of world’s richest men is donating $6.25 billion to support ‘Trump Accounts’ for US children
A major tech CEO is donating 4.2 percent of his net worth
Michael Dell and his wife Susan are donating a record-breaking $6.25 billion to help American children.
Dell earned his $148 billion fortune founding Dell Technologies from his Austin, Texas dorm room in 1984.
Today, he ranks as the 9th richest person in the world, as per Forbes's December 2025 rankings.
This means that the couple's $6.25 billion donation to the so-called Trump Funds for children works out as 4.2 percent of Dell's total net worth.
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Their pledge is set to become the largest donation ever made to US kids, non-profit group Invest America has said.
The Trump Account donations will help encourage millions of American families save for their children's futures.
"It’s designed to help families feel supported from the start and encourage them to keep saving as their children grow,” Dell told CNBC News.
"We know that when children have accounts like this, they’re much more likely to graduate from high school, from college, buy a home, start a business and less likely to be incarcerated."
What is a Trump Account?
Ushered in by Donald Trump's controversial One Big Beautiful Bill is a new federal program dubbed Trump Accounts.
From July 4 2026, parents of children under the age of 18 will be able to open government-aided savings accounts, with money invested in low-cost US stock index funds.
Children born between 2025 and 2028 will automatically receive $1,000 in their accounts from the government.
Parents can add up to $5,000 a year and employers can add up to $2,500 a year, and this won't impact the employee’s taxable income.
The White House claims that a baby born in 2026 could have $303,800 in their account by age 18, or $1,091,900 by age 28, should parents meet the maximum contribution allowances.
If nothing beyond the government’s initial $1,000 is added, then a 2026 baby will have $5,800 by age 18 and $18,100 by age 28.
How does Michael and Susan Dell's donation come into this?
The Dells' $6.25 billion will be shared among children who are not eligible for the Trump Account's automatic $1,000 booster.
The money will seed investment accounts for up to 25 million minors aged 10 or under, born before Jan 1, 2025, who are not included in the new federal program.
Each eligible child will receive $250.
Dell Technologies said it will match the federal $1,000 for children of employees.
Parents only have to open a Trump Account to automatically receive a grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
“What we hope is that every child sees a future worth saving for it,” he told CBNC.
“You think about the compounding effect of a program like this in 10, 20, 30 years on millions of children. That’s what gets us excited.”
Michael and Susan, who have been married for 36 years, set up their non-profit charity The Michael & Susan Foundation in 1999.
Since, they’ve donated $2.9 billion to programs supporting children’s education, health, and career opportunities.
Topics: Charity, US News, Business, Donald Trump, Net Worth, Money
Ellie Kemp