Trump Accounts are coming.

And if you’re a tax professional, your first instinct might be:
“Okay, another thing I’ll have to explain 50 times in March.”

That instinct is… understandable.
It’s also the exact trap to avoid.

Because Trump Accounts themselves aren’t complicated.
But explaining them live—over and over again—absolutely is.

This article isn’t about the politics or the technical weeds.
It’s about something much more practical:

How do you handle Trump Accounts with clients without adding 15–20 minutes to every eligible appointment?

Let’s break it down.

First: A Quick, Plain-English Overview (So Clients Don’t Ambush You)

Trump Accounts are a new type of savings account created under federal law to encourage long-term investing for children.

At a high level:

• They’re available for children under age 18 who are U.S. citizens with Social Security numbers
• Families can contribute up to $5,000 per year
• Children born between 2025 and 2028 may be eligible for a one-time $1,000 government contribution
• Contributions aren’t deductible
• Earnings are taxable when withdrawn
• Accounts are optional and require an affirmative election

That last point matters more than you might think.

Because anything that requires an affirmative election eventually becomes a client conversation.

And that’s where things get messy.

The Real Risk Isn’t Compliance—It’s Calendar Creep

Trump Accounts won’t apply to every client.

But they will apply to:

• Clients with children under 18
• Especially families with newborns and younger kids

Let’s do some quick math.

Say:

• 30% of your client base is eligible
• Each Trump Account conversation takes 15 minutes

If you see 300 clients during tax season, that’s:

• 90 clients × 15 minutes = 22.5 extra hours

That’s nearly three full workdays spent explaining the same thing.

Not planning.
Not advising.
Explaining.

So the question becomes:

Do you want Trump Accounts to be a value-add—or a time tax?

You Have Three Ways to Handle Trump Accounts With Clients

Let’s be honest. Most firms will default to one of these three approaches.

Option 1: Ignore It Until Clients Ask

This looks like:

• No proactive communication
• No preparation
• Trump Accounts come up mid-meeting

Pros: 

• Zero upfront effort

Cons

• Clients are confused
• Conversations run long
• You’re always reacting

This is the “hope for the best” strategy.
It rarely ends well.

Option 2: Explain Trump Accounts During Appointments

This looks like:

• You explain the rules live
• Clients ask follow-up questions
• Decisions get deferred

Pros

• High-touch
• Feels thorough

Cons

• Appointments run long
• Staff repeats the same explanation
• Bottlenecks form fast during peak season

This works at low volume.
It breaks at scale.

Option 3: Pre-Plan and Foam the Runway (Recommended)

This looks like:

• Clients learn about Trump Accounts before meetings
• Clients make a decision before meetings
• Only edge cases require live discussion

Pros

• Shorter appointments
• Fewer follow-ups
• Better client experience
• Scales cleanly

Cons

• Requires upfront setup

This is the strategy modern firms are moving toward—because it respects time on both sides.

What “Foaming the Runway” Actually Looks Like

Foaming the runway means preparing clients so the conversation is mostly over before it starts.

Here’s how firms are doing that.

Step 1: Segment First (Not Every Client Needs This)

Trump Accounts don’t apply to retirees.
They don’t apply to clients without kids.

So the first move is segmentation:

• Clients with children under 18
• Clients with children born 2025–2028
• Everyone else never sees Trump Account messaging

If you’re explaining Trump Accounts to the wrong clients, you’re creating unnecessary friction.

Step 2: Pre-Educate Clients (On Their Time, Not Yours)

Instead of explaining Trump Accounts live, firms are using short, plain-English education ahead of time.

This can be:

• A blog article
• A newsletter section
• A short FAQ

The goal isn’t to turn clients into experts.
The goal is familiarity.

So when Trump Accounts come up, clients think:
“Oh yeah, I already read about that.”

Example language firms are using:

“You may see references this year to ‘Trump Accounts,’ a new optional savings account for children. We’ll ask about this in your annual intake so you can decide if it applies to your family.”

Simple. Calm. No urgency.

Step 3: Capture the Decision Before the Appointment

This is the biggest time-saver.

Instead of asking during the meeting, firms include Trump Accounts in their annual intake process.

Clients are asked:

• Do you have children under age 18?
• Were any children born between 2025 and 2028?
• Would you like us to elect a Trump Account, decline, or discuss before deciding?

Now the firm knows—before the appointment:

• Whether it applies
• Whether the client wants it
• Whether a conversation is actually needed

Most clients will choose yes or no without discussion.

That alone eliminates the majority of explanations.

Step 4: Use Written Authorization (So Nothing Gets Re-Explained)

For clients who opt in, firms use a simple written authorization acknowledging:

• The election is optional
• Contributions aren’t deductible
• Earnings may be taxable
• IRS guidance may evolve

This replaces:

• Verbal explanations
• Follow-up emails
• “Just to confirm…” messages

Clean. Documented. Done.

What This Saves (Beyond Time)

Yes, this approach saves time.
But it also does something else:

It repositions your firm.

You’re no longer:

• Reacting to social media tax trends
• Explaining new rules mid-appointment

You’re:

• Anticipating client questions
• Structuring decisions
• Running a modern, proactive practice

Clients notice that—even if they can’t articulate it.

Our Recommendation (If You Want the Short Answer)

If you’re deciding how to handle Trump Accounts, here’s the simplest guidance:

• Don’t ignore them
• Don’t explain them live to everyone
• Do pre-educate, pre-decide, and pre-authorize

Trump Accounts are optional.

But your time isn’t.

Final Thought

Every tax season brings something new:

• New credits
• New elections
• New planning opportunities

The firms that struggle are the ones that treat each change as a one-off conversation.

The firms that scale treat change as a process problem—not a people problem.

Trump Accounts are just the latest example.

Handle them once. Not 100 times.