Young, Gerstner in Indy Star: How Trump Accounts give Indiana kids a financial head start

WASHINGTON - The following essay by U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Brad Gerstner was published by The Indianapolis Star on September 22, 2026.

How Trump Accounts give Indiana kids a financial head start | Opinion

A Hoosier native who helped create Trump Accounts is now putting $250 into the program for 140,000 of the state's youngest kids.

By Todd Young and Brad Gerstner

While America celebrated its 250th birthday this summer, millions of American children received a new opportunity to own a stake in the country's next 250 years.

On July 4, Trump Accounts went live and families gained access to a new investment tool to build long-term financial security for their children. Under the program, every American child under 18 is eligible for an account, and newborns will receive $1,000 in seed money from the U.S. Treasury.

Today, a gift from Brad will give many Hoosier kids $250 toward that future.

As native Hoosiers and the sons of small business owners, we understand how a modest investment can compound over time and positively shape the trajectory of a person's life. And we both believe that in America all children can rise higher than their parents.

This is why Brad started the idea behind Trump Accounts and why Todd worked tirelessly to turn it into law as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

There is an important difference between teaching a child about the American economy and giving a child a stake in it. Trump Accounts do both. From an early age, children can watch their savings grow alongside American businesses and learn firsthand the value of investment, ownership and compound growth.

In addition to the seed investment for newborns, children of all ages can receive contributions from family, friends, employers and philanthropists. These contributions are placed in a low-cost investment fund that tracks a broad index of American companies, allowing children to share in the long-term growth of the U.S. economy.

The power of starting early can be significant. At a hypothetical 7% annual return, a $1,000 investment made at birth would grow to roughly $3,400 by age 18, even if no additional contributions were made. If a family added $500 each year, that nest egg would grow to be around $20,000.

The child has legal ownership of the account, but it is managed by his or her parents. They, or other relatives, employers or friends can also contribute to the account (up to $5,000 annually for each account). Additionally, an employer can contribute up to $2,500 pre-tax annually to the Trump Account of an employee or an employee's dependent.

Annual investment earnings within the account are tax-deferred, and, with limited exceptions, funds cannot be withdrawn before the child reaches the age of 18. It provides a real financial head start as the child reaches adulthood and makes big life decisions.

The Trump Accounts app, which was launched in May, provides a simple and secure platform for families to sign up for the program. Over 9 million families have already signed up for Trump Accounts, including more than 1.5 million newborns eligible for the $1,000 pilot contribution from Treasury.

It's simple: Download the app, sign up and claim your child's stake.

This is a huge success story, but there is even more good news for Hoosier children under the age of 4.

Starting this week, Brad is investing $250 into Trump Accounts for children born in 2023 and 2024, who reside in an Indiana ZIP code with a median family income of $150,000 or less.

That means over 140,000 additional Hoosier kids start with real equity.

As a kid from Syracuse, Indiana, Brad received a Lilly Scholarship to attend Wabash College and later a Jump Scholarship to attend IU law school. Indiana bet on him, and now he's betting on the future of Hoosier kids.

Our hope is that additional investors, employers and philanthropists will follow suit and provide similar seed capital to our youngest Americans. Research shows that having assets early in life is linked to better education, stronger financial habits and better choices in adulthood.

Since its founding, America's promise has always been that every person can make a living and move upward, no matter where they start.

Regardless of your financial position today, we encourage every family in Indiana with young children to take advantage of these opportunities and build a brighter future for the next generation.

Todd Young, a Republican, represents Indiana in the U.S. Senate. Brad Gerstner is the founder of Invest America, Trump Accounts and Altimeter Capital.