Trump accounts, baby bonds, and more: Reflections on cash for U.S. families

In February, Susan and Michael Dell made headlines for donating $6.25 billion to a new federal initiative creating savings accounts for children, known as Trump Accounts. It’s one of the largest charitable gifts in U.S. history and a rare example of private funding backing a public cash policy.

But will they work? And how do they compare to baby bonuses—cash given directly to parents when a child is born?

In this episode of No Strings Attached, GiveDirectly’s U.S. Country Director Dustin Palmer joins policy writer Leah Libresco Sargeant and moderator Jeremy Ney (American Inequality) to unpack what this moment means. They explore:

• Why timing matters: cash for moms at birth vs. cash for young adults
• What the evidence shows from programs like RxKids
• How to weigh tradeoffs and design choices as cash policy evolves in the U.S.

This is a recording of a live panel hosted by American Inequality.

Learn more about GiveDirectly's programs giving cash to moms in Michigan: https://www.givedirectly.org/flintstudy2025/