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In 2025 they committed $6.25 billion to put $250 into the Trump Account of each of 25 million American children. The deposits were finished on Oct. 9, 2026. Most of their other giving goes into their own foundation and a donor-advised fund, largely as Dell Technologies stock.
2025, per the Chronicle (excludes the $6.25B) · as of 2025
Private impact
Unknown — not yet documented
Unknown is not zero.
How they give
Mostly into their own Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and a donor-advised fund, which then make grants over time.[15][22]
Much of it as Dell Technologies stock rather than cash. In October 2025 Michael Dell gave 3.5 million Class C shares: 2.3 million to the foundation and 1.2 million to their donor-advised fund.[9][19]
The Trump Accounts gift is different. $250 goes straight into each child's account and is invested in a U.S. stock index fund until the child turns 18. It does not pass through a charity's grants.[1][4][7]
Funding source for the $6.25B: not fully disclosed. A spokesperson said it comes from the Dells' own charitable funds, not the Dell Foundation.[8]
The math
Every number is footnoted. Where we did the arithmetic, the note shows it.
≈ $6.25B (deposits complete)[7][6][1]Invest America: all deposits made as of Oct. 9, 2026. The figure is our math (25M × $250). The foster-care reserve is still pending, and the exact amount deposited is not published.
Paid at 10 million children
≥ $2.5B[1][6]Over 10 million children funded by the week of Oct. 5, 2026 (10M × $250).
Remaining
Foster-care reserve (size not published)[1]Expected next year.
$2.85B → $3.3B[15][16][17]Through 2024 → through Dec. 31, 2025. Forbes counts money that reaches charities. The $6.25B was not yet paid at the 2025 cut-off.
Into their own foundation and DAF
$1B (2017) · ~$976M (2023) · ~$1.5B (2024) · $975M (2025)[20][21][22][23]Chronicle Philanthropy 50 years. The Chronicle counts money moved into the Dells' own foundation and donor-advised fund in the year it's given.
Foundation pass-through vs. reaching charities
In: $1.5B + $0.5B DAF (2024) · Out: $308M grants (2024)[15][19]Forbes' lifetime total rose only $208M in 2024, even though $2B+ went into the foundation and DAF. Money sits in the foundation until it is granted out.
All-time commitments (donor-reported)
$10B[18]Not itemized by the donor. We do not add it to the figures above.
Where the money comes from
Funding source not publicly disclosed in detail
No source says whether the $6.25 billion came from cash, stock sales, or stock gifts. Below is everything the public record shows. None of these filings is tied to the Trump Accounts by any source.
Michael Dell gave 1,150,000 Class C shares to the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and 1,200,000 shares to their donor-advised fund (Form 4, gift, $0 price).[9]
He gave another 1,150,000 Class C shares to the foundation (Form 4).[9]
He sold 6,253,968 Class C shares at $159.907, about $1.0 billion (Form 4). This was before the Dec. 2 pledge.[10]
A Dells spokesperson told Forbes the money is coming through the Dells' own charitable funds, not the Dell Foundation.[8]
The foundation filed notice to sell 2,682,335 shares (market value $1,248,117,298). The shares had been gifts from Michael Dell.[11]
Deposits began. CNBC cites a Dell Foundation spokesperson; the sources don't explain how that fits with the 'not through the Dell Foundation' statement.[5][8]
The foundation filed notice to sell 2,459,804 shares (market value $1,248,104,549), also gifts from Michael Dell.[12]
We checked EDGAR: Michael Dell has filed no Form 4 for Dell Technologies stock since Oct. 10, 2025.[25]
Cash deposits into investment accounts (underlying funding not disclosed)
Status
Completed: deposits made as of Oct. 9, 2026 (foster-care reserve pending)[7][6]
Channel
The Dells' own charitable funds (per spokesperson), via the federal Trump Accounts system and Invest America[8][4]
Recipient
About 25 million U.S. children born 2016–2024 in ZIP codes with median family income of about $117,300 or less, plus children on military bases[1][7]
Date
Announced 2025-12-02 · deposits 2026-08-31 to 2026-10-09[2][5][7]
As of
9 October 2026
What it means: Each child gets $250, invested in a U.S. stock index fund and locked until age 18. Families can add to it. The money goes straight to children, not to a charity that grants it later.
Scope: Single commitment deposits completed. Period: Announced Dec. 2, 2025 · deposits Aug. 31 – Oct. 9, 2026. As of: 2026-10-09.
Sources
[1] S01Michael and Susan Dell: 25 Million Reasons to Dream BigMichael & Susan Dell (onedell.com) · checked 2026-10-11“Last December, we made a commitment: $6.25 billion to put $250 into the Trump Accounts of 25 million children across America. As of today, over 10 million of those children have $250 invested in their accounts.”Donor's own statement of the commitment, progress, eligibility, and a foster-care reserve expected next year (page dated as of Oct. 9, 2026).
[3] S03Landmark Dell Gift Supercharges Trump Accounts for America's KidsThe White House · 2025-12-02 · checked 2026-10-11“a historic $6.25 billion charitable commitment from the Dells … the first 25 million American children age 10 and under living in ZIP codes with median incomes below $150,000 will receive an additional $250.”Original eligibility at announcement (later changed to a $117,300 ZIP threshold after auto-enrollment).
[6] S06$250 May Already Be in Your Child's Trump Account. See if Your ZIP Code QualifiesInvestopedia · 2026-10-09 · checked 2026-10-11“Michael Dell said at the White House on Wednesday that the money had already been deposited into 10 million accounts. … A spokesperson for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation confirmed to Investopedia that the deposits were completed on Friday.”Progress (10M accounts) and completion (Friday, Oct. 9, 2026).
[7] S07Check Eligibility for Michael & Susan Dell's $250 Trump Account ContributionInvest America · checked 2026-10-11“All deposits were made as of Friday, October 9. … Funding was provided starting with eligible children in the lowest-income families and continued to higher-income families until 25 million accounts had been funded.”Program operator's statement that deposits are complete; final ZIP threshold $117,300.
[8] S08Is It Deductible? The Tax Rules Around The Dells' $6.25 Billion Contribution To Trump AccountsForbes (Kelly Phillips Erb) · 2025-12-05 · checked 2026-10-11“A spokesperson for the Dells confirmed that the money is being contributed through the Dells’ own charitable funds, and not through the Dell Foundation.”Only public statement found on the funding channel. Forbes blocks automated checks; quote taken from the search index, human check pending.Source check: pending (site blocks automated checks). Quote from search index.
[9] S09SEC Form 4, Michael S. Dell (filed Oct. 3, 2025)U.S. SEC EDGAR · 2025-10-03 · checked 2026-10-11“Represents a gift of 1,150,000 shares of Class C common stock to the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and a gift of 1,200,000 shares of Class C common stock to a donor-advised charitable fund established by the reporting person and his wife.”Stock gifts on Oct. 1 (2,350,000 shares) and Oct. 2, 2025 (1,150,000 shares), price $0 (gifts).
[10] S10SEC Form 4, Michael S. Dell (filed Oct. 10, 2025)U.S. SEC EDGAR · 2025-10-10 · checked 2026-10-11“Class C Common Stock 10/09/2025 S 6,253,968 D $ 159.907”Open-market sale on Oct. 9, 2025, before the pledge. No source links it to the pledge.
[11] S11SEC Form 144, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (June 2, 2026)U.S. SEC EDGAR · 2026-06-02 · checked 2026-10-11“Michael & Susan Dell Foundation … Class C … 2682335 … 1248117298 … 06/02/2026 … Acquired as a gift to private foundation … Michael S Dell”Notice of proposed sale by the foundation of shares Michael Dell gave it. A notice, not proof of sale; not linked by any source to the Trump Accounts.
[12] S12SEC Form 144, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (Sept. 3, 2026)U.S. SEC EDGAR · 2026-09-03 · checked 2026-10-11“Michael & Susan Dell Foundation … Class C … 2459804 … 1248104549 … 09/03/2026 … Acquired as a gift to private foundation … Michael S Dell”Second foundation sale notice. Not linked by any source to the Trump Accounts.
[13] S13Dell Technologies (DELL) Stock Price HistoryStockAnalysis (S&P Global Market Intelligence data) · checked 2026-10-11“586.06 +11.51 (2.00%) At close: Oct 9, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT”Share price used for the stock math.
[14] S14Michael Dell profileForbes · checked 2026-10-11“$281.9B Real Time Net Worth as of 10/11/26”Net worth used for the % math. Real-time figure; it moves with the stock.
[15] S15America's Most Generous Philanthropists 2025Forbes Australia (Forbes list) · 2025-02 · checked 2026-10-11“Michael & Susan Dell … Lifetime giving: $2.85 billion, + $208 million vs. year ago … In 2024 the Dells put another $1.5 billion into their foundation and at least another half billion dollars into their donor-advised fund; they declined to specify how much the DAF disbursed in 2024.”Forbes lifetime giving through 2024, and the foundation/DAF inflows that Forbes did not count as giving.
[16] S16FULL LIST: Six of 12 richest Americans make top 25 biggest givers in the USTribune Online (republishing Forbes 2026) · 2026-02 · checked 2026-10-11“Michael and Susan Dell have donated an estimated $3.3 billion over their lifetime, focusing on education and economic stability.”Forbes 2026 figure via a republisher; Forbes original blocks automated checks.Source check: secondary. Queued for a better primary or independent source.
[17] S17Michael & Susan Dell GiveRateGiveRate · checked 2026-10-11“$3.3B in lifetime giving … Lifetime giving through Dec. 31, 2025 (Forbes, Feb. 2026)”Confirms the $3.3B is Forbes' figure through Dec. 31, 2025.Source check: secondary. Queued for a better primary or independent source.
[18] S18Our GivingMichael & Susan Dell Foundation (dell.org) · checked 2026-10-11“Michael and Susan Dell's Giving $10 Billion committed to changing lives Since 1999”Donor's own all-time commitment total. Not itemized; we do not add it to other figures.
[19] S19Sign of the Times? The Dells Grow Their Foundation by a Cool $5 BillionInside Philanthropy · 2025-01-22 · checked 2026-10-11“a bundle of cash and stock gifts worth $3.6 billion, followed by a $1.4 billion donation last year … The Dell Foundation issued $308 million in grants in 2024 … grantmaking, which has hovered around $120 million a year since 2020.”Money into the foundation vs. grants out of it.
[21] S21Philanthropy 50 reveals America's biggest donors of 2023The Chronicle of Philanthropy · 2024-03-05 · checked 2026-10-11“The Dells awarded nearly $976 million to their charitable funds, which distribute gifts to a wide array of charities.”Philanthropy 50: 2023, No. 3.
[22] S22Philanthropy 50 reveals America's biggest donorsThe Chronicle of Philanthropy · 2025 · checked 2026-10-11“Total 2024 giving by Hastings and Quillin ($1.6 billion), the Dells ($1.5 billion), Buffett ($1.14 billion), and Chan and Zuckerberg ($1.11 billion) was directed to foundations, their own or a family member’s, or to donor-advised funds.”Philanthropy 50: 2024, No. 3.
[23] S23Bloomberg again named top philanthropist, despite being outspent by Dells and ScotteJewishPhilanthropy · 2026 · checked 2026-10-11“since it is not yet clear if the donation will be given to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Chronicle of Philanthropy said that it could not count the commitment as a philanthropic donation. Instead, the Dells ranked fifth for $975 million in recognized charitable donations.”Philanthropy 50: 2025, No. 5; the $6.25B was excluded.
[25] S25Michael S. Dell: Form 4 filings indexU.S. SEC EDGAR · checked 2026-10-11“Filings after Oct. 10, 2025 (Nov. 20, 2025; Dec. 19, 2025; Mar. 24, 2026; July 28, 2026) are for MSD Investment Corp. and 5C Lending Partners, not Dell Technologies.”Checked Oct. 11, 2026: no Michael Dell Form 4 for Dell Technologies stock after Oct. 10, 2025.
Identity and updates
Identity-claim verification is not live. Use the intake form to add sources. Eligible recognition does not depend on a claimed profile. Public update history in this edition is the 2026-10-11 research preview.