Michael Dell asked parents to teach their children about compounding and investing rather than about him, weeks after $250 deposits from his foundation began landing in millions of American children’s accounts.
He was replying to a father who said his kids had received the money. The exchange came in the same week Dell Technologies (DELL) shares climbed 16% and neared $600.
What Michael Dell Told Parents About Compounding
Users revealed their children had received their $250, urging other parents to ensure their children knew Dell’s name and story. Dell replied on Thursday.
“Please teach your kids about investing, compounding, and capitalism, not about me,” Michael Dell responded.
The money comes from a $6.25 billion pledge Michael and Susan Dell made in December 2025. It covers $250 each for up to 25 million children.
Deposits go into Trump Accounts, government-backed investment accounts created by a 2025 tax law. Balances sit in low-cost funds that track the US stock market, and children cannot withdraw before they turn 18.
Dell’s share goes to children under 11 born before 2025, in ZIP codes where median family income is under $150,000. The first deposits reached accounts at the end of August.
The White House has separately weighed tax breaks for billionaires donating stock to the accounts.
Dell Stock Hits a Record as Economists Question Who Gains
Dell closed at $588.40 on Thursday, a record, up 4.5% on the day and 16% across five sessions. Demand for artificial intelligence servers has driven the run.
Of 22 analysts tracked by TipRanks, 15 rate the stock a Buy and none rate it a Sell. Their average 12-month target is $597.53.
Dell’s remarks come as economists question who the accounts actually reward. Darrick Hamilton, an economics professor at The New School, argues they favor families with money to spare.
“Equal access to an investment vehicle does not produce equal capacity to build assets,” Fortune reported, citing Darrick Hamilton.
Hamilton points to 529 plans, the long-running US college savings accounts, where the wealthiest 10% of households hold more than 75% of the money.
He estimates a $1,000 seeded account reaches roughly $4,000 by adulthood if nobody adds to it. Families may contribute up to $5,000 a year.