In short
GiftGrows makes a free gift page for a child. Instead of another toy, family and friends open the page and give money to the child's Trump Account, a new federal investment account for kids. They give on the official site, where the gift goes straight into the account, or send the money to the parent to deposit.
One small thing to open is plenty: a board book, a photo book of the family, or something to wear.
For a gift that lasts, many families ask for something toward the baby's future, on one page they share.
There is no right amount. A card on its own is a complete gift.
First birthday gifts that aren't toys
The gifts that last are the ones the family keeps: books, photos, letters, and time together.
- A board book they'll chew, then read, then ask for again.
- A photo book of the people who love them.
- Something to wear next season, one size up.
- A day out together: the zoo, the aquarium, or the park with the good swings.
- A letter for them to open when they're older.
- A gift toward their future, on their page.
No-gifts wording for a first birthday invitation
Type your baby's name and every line fills in. Copy the one that sounds like you.
Every line below fills in as you type. What you type stays on this screen. [link] is where your kid's page link goes.
No gifts, please. We just want to celebrate [Name]'s first year with the people who love them most.
One small gift to open is plenty. If you'd like to give [Name] a head start, here is their page: [link]
In lieu of gifts, we're starting something for [Name]'s future. If you'd like to add to it, here's how: [link]. Your being there is gift enough.
Instead of a gift, bring your favorite children's book with a note inside. We'll read them to [Name] for years.
One little candle, one year of fun, no presents needed for our little one. If you'd like to give something that grows as they do, [Name]'s page is here: [link]. Thank you!
How much to give for a first birthday
There is no rule, and a card on its own is a complete gift. Two published numbers show how wide the range is.
What people say a kid's birthday gift costs
- $15–$30is the range Evite suggests for a birthday gift for a child’s friend.
- $83.03is what adults in Empower’s survey called the going rate for a kid’s birthday gift.
- Halfof U.S. adults in Empower’s survey said they don’t know the right amount to give.
Sources: Evite, Kids’ birthday gifting etiquette, Empower, Going Rate study (2,202 U.S. adults, August 19–21, 2025)
A gift that grows with them
A Trump Account is an investment account for a child. A baby born in 2025 through 2028 may also get a one-time $1,000 from the Treasury, if a parent asks for it.
Family and friends can add to the account once a parent claims it, so a first birthday can be its first gift from them.
A Trump Account is a tax-deferred investment account for a child: tax on its growth waits until money comes out.
The IRS describes it as a new kind of traditional IRA, the ordinary individual retirement account, with extra rules while the child is young. Growth is not taxed each year while it stays in the account. A child can have one even if they do not qualify for the $1,000 Treasury deposit.
Some children can receive a one-time $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury.
The child must be a U.S. citizen, born from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028, with a valid Social Security number. Opening the account does not include this deposit. A parent still has to ask for it on IRS Form 4547, the form for the $1,000, which can be filed in the Trump Accounts app. Treasury says the account has to be claimed before the deposit can be received. It does not count toward the $5,000. A child born in another year does not get this deposit and can still have a Trump Account.
Parents, family, friends, and the child can all contribute.
The program says anyone can contribute to a claimed account, up to the shared yearly cap. The child does not need earned income for those childhood contributions. Employers, charities, and state or local governments can also contribute under their own rules.
Sources: Trump Accounts, Instructions for Form 4547, Trump Accounts overview, Contributions FAQ, Treasury automatic enrollment, October 1, 2026, Claim an account, Make a contribution
Make the page for the first birthday
Claim your baby's account first, then make one free page with their first name, the occasion, and a note from you. The invitation links to it, and everyone who wants to give something that grows has one place to do it.
What a GiftGrows page is
A free web page a parent makes for their kid and shares as one link. It is not the account. It points to it, and it is optional.
- The child's first name and the occasion, with a photo if the parent adds one.
- A button to the official site, where a gift goes straight into the child's Trump Account.
- Other ways the parent adds: Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Zelle, Wise, or Revolut.
- Plain answers about the account, with links to the official sources.
- Notes from the people who give, kept for the child, if the parent turns them on.
A new page is private until the parent shares it.
How it works
Official app or website
No fee · not GiftGrows
Claim your child's account
Treasury has already opened a Trump Account for every eligible child under 18. A parent claims it, and only then can anyone add money. This is the account that holds and invests the gifts.
You get the account's share link.
giftgrows.com
Free · optional
Make a GiftGrows page
Paste the share link and add your kid's first name, the occasion, and any other ways to give. You can start before you claim. Until the link is in, the page says the gift is coming soon.
You get one link for everyone.
Family and friends
Anyone in your kid's life
They open the link and give
The main button opens the official site, so the gift goes straight into the account. Givers can leave a note for your kid to keep.
Your kid gets money that stays invested.
Where the money goes
Giverofficial linkChild's Trump Accountinvested
GiverVenmo, PayPal, Zelle…Parentparent deposits itChild's Trump Accountinvested
Why a page, and not just your Venmo?
| Just your Venmo | A GiftGrows page | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the gift lands | Your wallet, until you move it | Straight into your kid's invested account, through the official link |
| What givers know | Your handle and an amount | What the account is, the $5,000 yearly limit, and what the gift is for |
| Ways to give | One app | The official link, plus any app you add |
| What your kid keeps | Nothing | Notes from the people who gave, if you turn them on |
A Venmo request still works, and you can put your Venmo on the page too. If only one or two people are giving, the official share link on its own is enough. A page helps when many people give or ask what the account is.
More questions
Can I still bring a little something?
Yes. A small present beside the gift is a lovely idea. The Trump Account is there so the money has a place to grow. The present is just from you.
What is the $1,000 from the Treasury?
It is a one-time deposit from the U.S. Treasury for a U.S. citizen born from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028, with a valid Social Security number. The account being open does not include it. You still ask for it on IRS Form 4547, the form for the $1,000, in the Trump Accounts app or website, and the account has to be claimed before the deposit can arrive. It does not count toward the $5,000. Children born in other years do not get this deposit. They can still have a Trump Account, and gifts from family and friends are how it grows.
Where does the money go?
A gift through the official link goes into the child's Trump Account and is invested automatically, usually within one business day. A debit card usually arrives within minutes and can take up to 30 minutes. A bank transfer can take up to five business days. The official site does not take paper checks, wire transfers, credit cards, or prepaid cards. If you send money to the parent, it goes to the parent, who deposits it into the child's Trump Account.
Official sources
Every fact on this page comes from these pages. Rules can change, so check the official pages before you rely on a detail.
- Trump Accounts www.irs.gov
- Instructions for Form 4547 www.irs.gov
- Trump Accounts overview trumpaccount.com
- Contributions FAQ trumpaccount.com
- Treasury automatic enrollment, October 1, 2026 home.treasury.gov
- Claim an account trumpaccount.com
- Make a contribution trumpaccount.com
- Treasury and IRS guidance (IR-2025-117) www.irs.gov
- Trump Accounts FAQ www.irs.gov
- Link accounts trumpaccount.com
Other sources
The figures and steps on this page that aren't program rules come from these pages. They describe what people say and do.
- Evite, Kids’ birthday gifting etiquette www.evite.com
- Empower, Going Rate study (2,202 U.S. adults, August 19–21, 2025) www.empower.com