A baby bonds bonanza

Baby bond fever is catching on. In recent years, states like Connecticut have been experimenting with giving newborns government-seeded accounts that grow tax-free until they are 18. Now, President Trump's signature tax and spending bill will give a thousand dollars to every U.S.-born baby through 2028. On today's show, what are baby bonds and could they help tackle wealth inequality? <br /><br /><strong>Related: <br /></strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1197956583" target="_blank">Baby bonds, proportional representation, and no left turns</a> <br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/05/1197961671/could-cash-payments-ease-recessions" target="_blank">Could cash payments ease recessions?</a> <br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/05/20/1197964748/generational-wealth-housing-rural-america" target="_blank">Building generational wealth in rural America</a> <br /><br /><em>For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org" target="_blank"><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. <br /><br />Fact-checking by Cooper Katz McKim. Music by </em><a href="https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><em>Drop Electric</em></a><em>. Find us: </em><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>TikTok</em></a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/" target="_blank"><em>Instagram</em></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money" target="_blank"><em>Newsletter</em></a><em>. </em><br /><br />See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>