Gov. Joe Lombardo is making sure Nevada's foster kids get signed up for their Trump Accounts. Every child in Nevada born between 2025-2028, including foster kids, will get a $1,000 head start.
Nevada stands alongside 24 other states giving foster kids this very real shot at a stronger future.
A quick refresher on Trump Accounts: These accounts are like a piggy bank the government starts for a kid, except this piggy bank grows over time because it's invested, kind of like a retirement account.
Every American child born between 2025 and 2028 gets $1,000 to start. The money sits and grows until the kid turns 18. Then they can use it for things like college, a first home, or starting a business.
For foster kids, this is a game changer. Most of these kids grow up without much of a financial safety net, if they have one at all.
A Trump Account gives them something to stand on when they age out of the system.
Nevada is now one of 25 states that have set up Trump Accounts specifically for kids in foster care.
Of those 25 states, 24 have Republican governors. Wyoming just joined the list too. Only two states with GOP governors, Alaska and Vermont, haven't signed on yet. We'll be watching to see if they get on board.
Hawaii found a clever way to make sure older foster children get something in their account, too.
Democratic Governor Josh Green worked with the U.S. Treasury and Secretary Scott Bessent to line up private donors. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation is covering kids 10 and under, and a local foundation is stepping up for kids 11 through 17.
That means every foster kid in Hawaii, even those born outside of the 2025-2028 window, ends up with money in the bank. It's a good reminder that not everything has to be a partisan fight; when people want to work together, they can find a way.
I have firsthand experience as a foster parent. I know what these kids need, and what don't get, because I've seen it myself. A Trump Account is exactly the kind of thing that could actually help when they turn 18 and get sent out on their own.
Nationwide, this program keeps growing. Americans for Tax Reform has been tracking it all, and the list is now up to 91 different companies, foundations, and states that have pledged support.
Some critics have voiced concern over the government handing out investment accounts at all, saying families should save on their own without Washington's help. Others worry about how the program gets paid for down the road.
But when you're talking about foster kids specifically, kids who often start life with practically nothing, it's hard to argue against giving them a financial head start.
The government already invests time and money helping them reach adulthood. A thousand dollars invested at birth can grow into a lot more over 18 years. Maybe that money will give some of these kids the boost they need to make it.
Nevada did right by its foster kids. Now let's see if Alaska and Vermont catch up.
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