American babies born this year through 2028 are eligible to receive $1,000 from the government for a new type of account that is aimed at helping families get their children off to a strong economic start.

The so-called Trump accounts, created as part of the tax and spending plan signed into law by President Trump, are structured as a sort of hybrid individual retirement account, financial experts said. The unique twist comes in the form of seed money from the federal government. About 3.6 million babies are born in the United States annually, potentially putting the tab at several billion dollars for each year that the seed money is provided.

The accounts had initially included requirements that encouraged spending the funds before the children reached age 30. But their structure underwent significant changes during negotiations in the Senate.

“It has shifted more to a retirement product,” said Madeline Brown, a senior policy associate with the Urban Institute who studies financial security. That’s somewhat puzzling, she added, since several types of retirement accounts are already available. “It’s hard for me to tell what the goal of this program is,” she said.

Nevertheless, for eligible newborns, the one-time contribution can be a boon, financial experts say. “Who’s going to say no to $1,000?” said Cheryl Costa, a financial adviser in Framingham, Mass.

Policy and tax analysts said that they had been wading through the law’s text and that many details about the accounts, like how they would be opened and funded, awaited clarification from the Treasury Department.