Helping Families Get Every Dollar They’re Eligible for

A key part of Code for America’s mission is helping families access all the benefits for which they’re eligible. We believe it’s important for families to have the facts and know what their options are, especially for benefits and services designed with children in mind.

Starting July 4th, 2026, the federal government will deposit $1,000 into new investment accounts for young kids—if their families sign up. These investments will go into 530A accounts, otherwise known as Trump Accounts. 

Any child under 18 who has a Social Security number may benefit from opening an account, though only those born on or after January 1, 2025 are eligible to receive the $1,000 investment. That money gets invested in the stock market, and will likely grow over time. Then, when the child turns 18, they can use it for eligible expenses like higher education. 

The problem is that more than half of eligible children are not enrolled as of late June. And we know that people with low income, who are already less likely to file taxes, are more likely to be missing out.

Reaching these families is critical to getting them involved. That’s why we built a free guide to 530A investment accounts on our GetYourRefund platform. 

For years, we’ve been running GetYourRefund, a free tax filing assistance service designed to help people with low income file their taxes and claim the benefits for which they’re eligible. We’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people access tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the country’s largest benefit for workers, and the Child Tax Credit, one of the most significant investments in ending child poverty in America’s history. 

We know from programs like these that billions of dollars get left on the table because families aren’t aware, don’t know how to apply, or worry that applying will affect their eligibility for other benefits. Often, these are the families with the lowest incomes, who stand the most to gain from participating. 

In order to get money into the pockets of the people who need it most, there needs to be accessible, free tools that allow them to get questions answered and easily engage in the application process.

Our 530A guide is specifically designed to help families understand this new type of account and answers questions like these:

• Who is eligible to open an account?
• How do the accounts work, where is the money invested, and when will funds be available?
• How do you open an account, and what IRS forms are required to do so?
• How can money be used when the child turns 18?
• How does a 530A account compare to other childhood savings accounts like 529 college plans?
• How will opening a 530A account impact enrollment in other public benefits?

We built this guide because we believe that every child deserves every dollar for which they’re eligible—whether that’s through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Summer EBT, or something like 530A accounts. 

Here’s a message from Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria on why we’re helping families learn more about 530A accounts.