It seems every week there is another billionaire making headlines, and today, it's Michael and Susan Dell.
On Tuesday, December 2, the Dell Technologies Inc. CEO and his wife announced that they would be donating $6.25 billion to fund investment accounts for at least 25 million American children.
The massive pledge will go toward funding "Trump Accounts," which will provide parents an investment account to manage on behalf of their children. Here's what to know about the donation, and what to know about the couple themselves.
© Getty ImagesThe six-billion dollar donation
The "Trump Accounts" towards which the Dells' donation is going were proposed as part of Donald Trump's controversial "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" — which made more than $1 trillion in cuts, the largest in U.S. history, to programs that many rely on for health care, adequate nutrition and education, and student loans, and funds tax cuts for the ultrawealthy and corporations — and are set to launch in 2026.
The Treasury Department is set to fund $1,000 for every "Trump Account" for all U.S. citizen children born between January 2025 and January 2029, and the Dells' donation will go toward children ages 10 and under who were born before the cut-off for the Treasury's funding. The accounts restrict the children from accessing the funds before they are 18, and their use is limited to education, home buying, or retirement savings, among other similar purchases.
"If there's one investment that never stops growing, it's investing in children. They are our future," the couple said in a statement. "From our years of experience in supporting education, health and financial stability programs, we know that this program will give young Americans more than a savings account. It will give them momentum. It will give them confidence and opportunity."
© Getty ImagesSusan and Michael's family life
Susan (née Lieberman) and Michael met on a blind date in 1988, and tied the knot the following year in Austin, Texas, where they still live today.
Ten years after their wedding, they founded the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, through which they have donated $2.9 billion to date through grant making, mission investments, scholarships and more towards children's issues and community initiatives in the United States and abroad.
Per the foundation's website, Susan, chair of the organization, is a successful fashion entrepreneur, founding three fashion labels, including the luxury brand Phi, which operated from 2004 to 2009. She is also an accomplished athlete, and has competed in elite marathons, triathlons, and the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawai'i.
Susan and Michael are parents to four children, three daughters and a son, Kira Alexa, Juliette, and Zachary.
© Getty ImagesMichael's background and net worth
Michael, 60, is originally from Houston, Texas, and briefly attended the University of Texas before dropping out at age 19. He started selling upgrade kits for personal computers in the early 1980s, capitalizing on the direct-to-consumer model and customizable build-to-order PCs, which eventually became the Dell Computer Corporation, and by 27, he had become the youngest CEO of a company ranked in Fortune magazine's list of the top 500 corporations.
Today, Dell Technologies has a market capitalization of approximately $90 billion, while Michael himself, per Forbes, has a net worth of $149.6 billion, making him the 10th richest person in the world.
