Michael and Susan Dell are making a historic donation of $6.25 billion to benefit American children.
Michael Dell, who amassed a $148 billion fortune by founding Dell Technologies in his Austin, Texas dormitory in 1984, is now the ninth richest person globally according to Forbes’s December 2025 rankings.
This generous contribution constitutes 4.2 percent of Dell’s total net worth, marking the largest donation ever directed to U.S. children, as stated by the non-profit organization Invest America.
The funds are designated for the Trump Funds for children, aiming to promote savings for children’s futures across American families.
Michael Dell explained to CNBC News, “It’s designed to help families feel supported from the start and encourage them to keep saving as their children grow. 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.”
The new federal initiative, known as Trump Accounts, was introduced through Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. Starting July 4, 2026, parents of minors under 18 can establish government-supported savings accounts with investments in low-cost U.S. stock index funds.
For children born from 2025 to 2028, the government will automatically deposit $1,000 into their accounts.
Parents are allowed to contribute up to $5,000 annually, with employers potentially adding up to $2,500 per year, without affecting the employee’s taxable income.
The White House estimates that a baby born in 2026 could accumulate $303,800 in their account by age 18, or $1,091,900 by age 28, if maximum contributions are met. Without additional contributions, a 2026-born child would have $5,800 by age 18 and $18,100 by age 28.
The Dells’ $6.25 billion donation will be distributed among children not eligible for the Trump Account’s $1,000 boost, creating investment accounts for up to 25 million children aged 10 or younger, born before January 1, 2025, who are not part of the new federal program. Each eligible child will receive $250.
Dell Technologies plans to match the federal $1,000 for employees’ children. Parents need only open a Trump Account to receive a grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
“What we hope is that every child sees a future worth saving for it,” Dell expressed to CNBC. “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.”
Married for 36 years, Michael and Susan Dell established their charitable organization, The Michael & Susan Foundation, in 1999. Since then, they have donated $2.9 billion to initiatives focused on children’s education, health, and career advancement.