Have Any Children Born After Jan. 1, 2025? Claim Their Free $1,000.

“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1, ESV)

Quick updates from last week:

• The student loan autopay deadline we discussed was moved to Dec. 31, 2026. The 1-point rate reduction still runs through June 30, 2028.
• The SBA loan changes took effect Oct. 1, with more paperwork required.
• An October Fed rate hike no longer looks likely after a weak September jobs report.

Question of the week: When the door looks closed, what does an owner do?

The answer: an owner trusts, moves, and builds with God.

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1. Trust

Everything in the news this week can make you feel behind and like there’s no place to go. Home prices are insane, rates are their highest in years with that, and the job market needs workers but for some reason you’re not one of them. Psalm 37 tells us to:

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!” (Psalm 37:1, ESV)

When we connect this to the news, it doesn’t say it isn’t real, but it does say we can’t let it rule us. When your purpose is His glory, there’s always a way forward. It may not look like what anyone else has tried, but it’s still worth giving it a shot.

There’s a story in Mark 2 I come back to when a door looks closed and I needed this big time this week.

“And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.'” (Mark 2:3-5, ESV)

Notice three things.

They hit a wall. The crowd blocked the door, and the normal way in was closed.

They tried something nobody had tried. They went through the roof. Nobody in that house had seen it done, and they did it anyway.

It took more than one man. Four friends carried him, and Jesus saw their faith. That’s what mentors, parents, coaches, and youth pastors do for a young steward: they carry us to Jesus.

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” (Psalm 37:5, ESV)

Waiting on the Lord isn’t waiting around. It’s moving in faith while we trust Him with the outcome. It’s 100% no if you never try, and at worst, 99.9% if you do. But all we need is a chance which comes easier when we trust, because miracles require motion.

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2. Move: Claim It

I think this should be the biggest story in personal finance for young Christian parents this week.

What a Trump Account is

Trump Accounts are tax-advantaged investment accounts for American children under 18. They work like a custodial version of a traditional IRA. On Oct. 1, Treasury completed automatic enrollment, so every eligible child under 18 with a valid Social Security number now has an account.

Whatever you think of the name, the mechanics are what matter. Having an account isn’t the same as owning it, a parent or guardian first has to claim it.

The rules at a glance

• Who can contribute: Anyone can contribute (parents, grandparents, mentors, friends), and there’s no earned income requirement.
• Annual limit: Generally $5,000 per year, with employer contributions capped at $2,500 and counting toward that limit.
• Investments: Limited to low-cost funds with expense ratios below 0.10%.
• Withdrawals: Not allowed before age 18. After that, traditional IRA rules generally apply, which means taking money out before 59½ usually triggers income tax and a 10% penalty unless an exception applies.

Who gets the free $1,000?

The one-time $1,000 Treasury contribution is for children born from 2025 through 2028 who are U.S. citizens with a Social Security number. If your child was born before 2025, they have an account, but no seed.

How to claim (official steps)

1. Download the official Trump Accounts app (iOS or Android). The Treasury says this is how you claim your child’s account. Get the link from TrumpAccounts.gov, not from a search result or a text message.
2. Verify your identity and your relationship to your child.
3. Review your child’s information and make sure it’s right.
4. Accept the account terms.
5. Confirm the seed. The Treasury says eligible children must have their account claimed to receive the one-time $1,000. The seed is also tied to an IRS Form 4547 election. After claiming, check that your child’s account shows the seed as set up.

Once it’s claimed, family members, friends, and employers can contribute.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.” (Proverbs 13:22, ESV)

You’re not just saving for a child, you’re laying an early TIYL of their legacy.

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3. Build

Here’s what the bond market is doing.

The baseline: Treasury yields are the baseline for everything. The official 10-year Treasury yield was 5.28% on Oct. 2, up from 4.19% on Jan. 2. Mortgage rates tend to follow the 10-year note.

For buying a house, it hurts. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate reached 7.28% last week, the highest since November 2023.

Here’s what that looks like on a $300,000 loan (my calculation, principal and interest only):

Rate 7.28% Payment: $2,053, Rate: 6.00% Payment: $1,799.

That’s $254 more a month, or roughly $3,000 a year, for the same house.

For investing in Treasuries, it helps. When yields are high, new buyers lock in more income from the safest borrower there is. You can buy directly at TreasuryDirect.gov, but one honest caution: if yields keep rising, the market value of bonds you already own can fall if you sell early. Choose a time that you can hold until maturity to get your stated yield.

3 ways this hurts a young steward trying to buy a home:

1. The payment on the same house jumps.
2. You may qualify for less house than you planned.
3. Waiting can tempt you to stretch later and overpay.

3 ways to keep building while you wait:

1. Build up your down payment and credit now.
2. Put your waiting money to work. Short-term Treasuries can pay more than a typical savings account while you wait.
3. Look for properties that do not require you to date the rate and marry the house. If rates fall, you may be able to refinance, but never count on it.

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” (Psalm 37:7, ESV)

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Your Moves This Week

1. Trust: Write down one thing you’ve been fretting over this week. Pray over it and listen for the next step.
2. Move: If you’ve had a child since Jan.1 2025, claim their account today through the official app and collect the free $1,000. If you never contribute to it, it will still grow for you to hand to them when they’re 18.
3. Build: Once you receive your next step, execute.

Wait on the Lord.

The L.Y.T. Framework: A Christian Guide to Financial Stewardship releases on LinkedIn this month! Comment LYT and I’ll message you the day it’s live.

Purely educational content and not to be considered personalized financial advice.