# Trump Accounts close Dec. 31, and your employer counts toward the cap

> Company deposits and paycheck deferrals share the $5,000 limit, so check your benefits before you top up a child's account.
- Title: Trump Accounts close Dec. 31, and your employer counts toward…
- Summary: Company deposits and paycheck deferrals share the $5,000 limit, so check your benefits before you top up a child's account. Before you max out a Trump…
- Keywords: trump accounts, personal finance, employee benefits, taxes, small business, business, finance, Trump, Accounts, close, Dec, employer
- Source: CNBC — https://cnbc.com/2026/09/15/trump-accounts-employer-benefits.html
- Author: Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Jessica Dickler
- Published: 2026-09-15T18:31:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: trump accounts, personal finance, employee benefits, taxes, small business, business, finance
## Dec. 31 is the cutoff
Families have until Dec. 31 to make 2026 Trump Account contributions. Employers offering the benefit through direct deposits or paycheck deferrals face the same date.
## Overfunding gets expensive
Company deposits and your own deferrals both count toward the yearly cap. Go over and you owe 6% a year on the excess until it's removed, plus 100% of its earnings when withdrawn.

> You want to make sure you don't overfund it
## What counts toward $5,000
The 2026 limit covers deposits from family, companies and others. The $1,000 Treasury seed for kids born 2025 to 2028 and gifts like Dell's $250 grants sit outside it.
## The rules aren't final yet
Treasury and the IRS released proposed regulations in August. Public comment is open, and an October hearing comes before the rules are locked in.
## Two ways employers can pay
A company can deposit up to $2,500 per employee, tax free for the worker but still hit by payroll taxes. Or it can run pre-tax paycheck deferrals into the account.
## Few employers are signing up
Officials pitch it as a cheap perk for hiring and keeping staff. But a Mercer poll of about 350 employers found only 4% planned a contribution program in 2026 or 2027.
## Self-employed can't pay their own kids
Sole proprietors, partners and owners of more than 2% of an S corporation can't treat deposits to their own children's accounts as tax-free employer contributions.

> The answer is no.
## Plans must treat staff fairly
Employers need a written plan, employee notices and reporting. Non-discrimination rules also block the tax break if contributions favor owners and top earners.

> It's very similar to any other type of employer plan
## Key takeaway

Before you max out a Trump Account for 2026, add up what your employer puts in, because going over the $5,000 limit costs 6% a year plus all earnings on the excess.