Concurrently, Treasury and the IRS issued proposed regulations containing the same rules (other than applicability provisions) and withdrawing proposed regulations published on March 9, 2026.[2]
The March notice of proposed rulemaking provided guidance on making an election to establish an initial Trump Account and reserved additional sections for future guidance addressing contributions, investments, distributions, reporting, and other special rules and coordination with traditional individual retirement account rules. The September regulations expand that initial framework, most notably by providing broad automatic enrollment and comprehensive rules for qualified general contributions.
While section 530A(b)(2)(C)(i) authorizes Treasury to elect to establish an initial Trump Account on behalf of an eligible individual, the preamble to the March proposed regulations identified section 6103 and other legal and operational issues associated with broad automatic enrollment. The September regulations now provide the administrative structure for broad automatic enrollment: separately maintained accounts, the assets of which are pooled through a master group trust. The preamble explains that this structure permits automatic enrollment while protecting return information.
EFFECTIVE AND APPLICABILITY DATES
Treas. Reg. §§ 1.530A-1T and 1.530A-7T apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026 and expire September 30, 2029.
Treasury and the IRS found good cause under the Administrative Procedure Act to issue the temporary regulations without prior notice and comment “because following notice-and-comment procedures before these regulations take effect would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest.”[3]
COMMENTS AND HEARING
Comments and requests for a public hearing are due by November 30, 2026. A public hearing will be scheduled if requested in writing by any person who timely submits electronic or written comments.
