by Nicholas Kulish at The New York Times
The tech billionaire and his wife hope other philanthropists follow their $6 billion lead in expanding the reach of soon-to-be-created “Trump accounts.”
Michael and Susan Dell announced on Tuesday that they would deposit $250 in individual investment accounts for 25 million children, an amount totaling $6.25 billion. It is one of the largest philanthropic gifts ever to go directly to Americans.
The money expands the number of children who will receive seed money for the investment accounts, known as “Trump accounts.” The federal government will give $1,000 to babies born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. The Dells’ gift extends to children up to 10 years old, though it limits eligibility to those who live in a ZIP code where the median household income is below $150,000.
The federal government is expected to set up the accounts next summer, but many details of how they will work are still to be determined. There is no system in place yet for registering, and it is unclear where the accounts will reside.
Mr. Dell, the chairman and chief executive of Dell Technologies, first made his fortune by selling personal computers directly to consumers rather than through retail outlets. He sees this gift in a similar light.
The Dells hope that other philanthropists, corporations, and…