The Bloomberg Intelligence ETF analyst suggested Warren Buffett could direct Berkshire Hathaway wealth to the child investment program, though current rules limit the accounts to cash contributions invested in a low-cost S&P 500 fund.
Bloomberg Intelligence senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said Warren Buffett could consider Trump Accounts as a destination for his planned Berkshire Hathaway stock giveaways, arguing the child investment program could help narrow wealth gaps, expand financial literacy and preserve Buffett’s investing legacy. Buffett, 95, has said he plans to dispose of all his Berkshire shares, worth about $140 billion, by the end of 2034 and on July 14 donated nearly $6 billion in Berkshire stock to his four family foundations while excluding the Gates Foundation for the first time since 2006. Trump Accounts launched on July 4 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and provide a $1,000 Treasury deposit for eligible children born between 2025 and 2028, with families able to add up to $5,000 a year. The money is placed by default in the SPYM S&P 500 index fund, and Robinhood and BNY were selected to run the app and accounts. Balchunas said stock gifts could avoid capital gains tax and cited Michael and Susan Dell’s $6.25 billion pledge, which provides $250 each to about 25 million children in lower-income ZIP codes. The proposal faces legal constraints because the accounts currently accept only cash and are limited by Congress to U.S. index funds with fees below 0.1%, meaning any move to allow direct stock donations would require new legislation.