Learn About Section 530A Accounts
Plain-English answers to the questions every parent has about Trump Accounts, Form 4547, and growing your child's $1,000 head start.
Taxes
Does a 530A Affect FAFSA and Financial Aid?
How a Section 530A Trump Account is reported on the FAFSA, how it affects expected family contribution, and how it compares to 529 plans and UTMAs.
7 min
Taxes
530A Tax Rules
How Section 530A Trump Accounts are taxed — contributions, growth, withdrawals, kiddie tax, FAFSA impact, and what shows up on your tax return.
9 min
Comparison
530A vs. 529 vs. UTMA: Which to Open First
Three-way comparison of the Section 530A Trump Account, 529 plan, and UTMA — tax treatment, control, flexibility, and which to prioritize.
9 min
Comparison
Section 530A vs. 529 Plan
Side-by-side comparison of Section 530A Trump Accounts and 529 plans — taxes, flexibility, contribution limits, and financial-aid impact.
9 min
Investing
Best Fund for Conservative Parents
If you want a less volatile 530A portfolio than a pure stock index fund, here's a short list of options — target-date funds, balanced funds, and bond-heavier mixes.
9 min
Investing
The Best Funds for a 530A
A short list of low-cost index funds that work well inside a Section 530A Trump Account, with expense ratios, exposures, and the trade-off for each.
10 min
Program updates
7 Common Form 4547 Mistakes — And How to Fix Each
After helping thousands of parents file Form 4547, these are the most common mistakes we've seen — and simple fixes for each.
4 min
Strategy
530A Contribution Limits Explained
Complete breakdown of Section 530A contribution limits, who can contribute, and how to max out your child's tax-free compounding.
9 min
Basics
Do I Qualify? Eligibility Guide
Every Section 530A eligibility requirement in detail, plus the edge cases — adoption, multiple births, pending citizenship, SSN timing, and more.
10 min
Strategy
Can Grandparents Contribute to a 530A?
Yes, grandparents can contribute to a grandchild's Section 530A account. Here's exactly how it works, including gift tax implications and strategies.
5 min
The Math
How much could my child have at 18?
The math behind a 530A Trump Account: what small, consistent contributions actually grow to over 18 years at 6%, 7%, and 8% average returns.
8 min
Product
How Seedling Works
Seedling automates contributions to your child's Section 530A Trump Account. Here's exactly what we do, what we don't do, and how the money flows.
7 min
Filing
How to File Form 4547
Complete walkthrough of IRS Form 4547 — every section, how to submit, what to expect after filing, and the mistakes to avoid.
9 min
Trust & Safety
Is my child's money safe?
Exactly how a 530A Trump Account is protected: the custody chain, SIPC insurance, regulatory oversight, and what happens if Robinhood or BNY Mellon fails.
7 min
Taxes
The Kiddie Tax and a 530A
The kiddie tax doesn't apply inside a Section 530A. Here's why, what the kiddie tax actually does, and how 530A tax treatment compares to UTMA and custodial brokerage accounts.
7 min
Filing
I Missed the April 15 Deadline — Now What?
How to file Form 4547 after April 15: mailing addresses, processing timelines, and what changes if your child is already months old.
7 min
Strategy
How to Roll Over a 530A
Step-by-step guide to transferring a Section 530A Trump Account from Robinhood to Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, or another brokerage — including ACAT fees, timelines, and tax treatment.
10 min
Comparison
Section 530A vs. UTMA: Which Is Right?
Compare Section 530A Trump Accounts and UTMA custodial accounts: tax treatment, control at 18, financial aid impact, and how they stack.
8 min
Product
Seedling Pricing
Seedling has one flat monthly price. No percentage-of-assets fee, no hidden charges, no upsells. Here's exactly what it costs and what's included.
4 min
Strategy
Should I Keep My 530A Account at Robinhood?
When to stay at Robinhood, when to roll over to Fidelity, Vanguard, or Schwab, and what the actual dollar difference looks like over 18 years.
8 min
Program updates
Six Months In: What We've Learned About the 530A Program
A look back at what's actually happened since the Section 530A Trump Account program launched, and what we're watching for in the months ahead.
4 min
Getting Started
Trump Account for a Newborn: First Steps
What to do in the first weeks of a newborn's life to claim the $1,000 Section 530A Trump Account deposit and start the 18-year compounding clock.
7 min
Strategy
Understanding Index Fund Expense Ratios
Why a 0.015% vs. 0.04% fee matters over 18 years of tax-free growth — and when it actually doesn't.
7 min
Basics
What Happens When My Child Turns 18?
How a Section 530A account transitions to the child at 18: tax treatment, legal transfer, withdrawal rules, and the most common paths for the money.
9 min
Important
What Happens If I Do Nothing?
The real cost of not filing Form 4547 — what your child loses, what they don't, and how to catch up if you've already missed a year.
7 min
THE BASICS
What is a child's investment account?
It's exactly what it sounds like: an investment account in your child's name, that grows over time, that they get access to when they're older.
4 min read
Basics
What Is a Section 530A Account?
Plain-English explainer of the Trump Account program: who qualifies, how the $1,000 deposit works, and what happens at age 18.
8 min
Safety
Where Your Child's 530A Money Lives
Your child's Section 530A Trump Account is held at Robinhood, with BNY Mellon as custodian, insured by SIPC. Here's exactly what that means.
8 min
Program updates
Why We Built Seedling
Why we built Seedling, what we publish, and how to make sure you don't miss the next important 530A deadline.
3 min