With Trump Accounts Now Live, Why Financial Literacy is More Important Than Ever

Key Takeaways:

• As of July 4, Trump Accounts are live and accepting contributions. More than 6.5 million families have signed up so far — including over 1.5 million children eligible for the $1,000 Treasury pilot contribution for newborns.
• Financial literacy is the foundation of economic empowerment — now more than ever as families navigate new investing opportunities such as Trump Accounts.
• The SIFMA Foundation launched Family InvestQuest™ (Family IQ), a free digital platform that replicates the Trump Account investing experience to help families build financial confidence as the accounts roll out.
• SIFMA will unpack the latest regulatory developments — including new guidance expected on transferability and employer contributions — during our August 18 Member Briefing on Trump Accounts & IRAs. Register here.

Financial literacy is fundamental to economic opportunity, community resilience, and a strong democracy. Yet, too many Americans don’t have the necessary resources or guidance to make informed financial decisions about saving and investing. SIFMA and the financial services industry are committed to addressing this challenge from the ground up, equipping young people with the education, tools, and confidence to understand the market economy, manage money wisely, and invest for the future. That mission matters more than ever now that Trump Accounts have officially launched, bringing millions of families, many investing for the first time, into the capital markets.

Helping individuals understand how investing works — and how it can support their long-term financial goals — remains an important priority for the financial services industry.

Building Financial Literacy for Trump Accounts: Family InvestQuest™

Family InvestQuest™ (Family IQ) is an unbiased, commercial-free, and cost-free educational investing platform designed to help families and first-time investors build financial confidence as they navigate Trump Accounts and other long-term investing decisions. It builds on the SIFMA Foundation’s 50-year history of providing investor education to more than 24 million individuals.

Family IQ is anchored by a hands-on family investing simulation that reflects the structure of a Trump Account — a $1,000 starting balance invested in an index fund, annual contribution choices, and simulated growth over 18 years — so families can see firsthand how compounding and consistent saving decisions shape long-term outcomes. It’s paired with a beginner-friendly video series, a Learning Hub of short lessons and quizzes on concepts like index investing and long-term growth, and a Resource Center connecting families to the Foundation’s other programs, including the Summer Stock Market Game™ and SMG IQ.

For firms fielding client questions about Trump Accounts, Family IQ is a resource worth sharing. It gives families an accessible way to understand how the accounts work, whether they have not yet opened an eligible Trump Account or already have one and need additional financial education. As Trump Account enrollments continue, financial education will be essential to helping them navigate that opportunity and build confidence participating in the financial system.

What’s New Since Launch

Since our May blog, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) have moved quickly to fill in the operational picture for Trump Accounts, including:

• DOL’s Technical Release 2026-02 addressed ERISA treatment of employer contributions, giving firms clarity on how most Trump Account arrangements will be treated.
• FINRA’s guidance exempted Trump Accounts from Rule 3210, easing account-opening friction for associated persons.
• Treasury’s Revenue Procedure 2026-25 established a gift tax safe harbor, sparing most contributing donors from new filing requirements.

Upcoming, we are expecting proposed guidance to soon be issued on  transferability, eligible investments, and employer contributions, among other issues.

SIFMA’s Ongoing Engagement

Trump Accounts remain a meaningful opportunity to build long-term saving and investing habits from an early age. SIFMA will continue working with Treasury and other regulators, alongside our member firms as implementation continues, and will keep members updated as new guidance is issued.

Register for SIFMA’s Member Briefing on Trump Accounts & IRAs

SIFMA will unpack all of these developments in greater detail — and what it means for your firm — at a Member Briefing on Trump Accounts & IRAs on August 18 at 1:00 pm ET. I’ll be joined by Lindsay B. Jackson, a Partner at Morgan Lewis, alongside SIFMA’s Vice President of Retirement Policy Nicole Swift, to cover what firms should know about transfers, portability, eligible investments, and the eventual conversion of Trump Accounts to traditional IRAs, with a dedicated audience Q&A. SIFMA members can register for the briefing here.