Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue by linking to the content below.
With tax season underway, working Americans may soon see a financial windfall, according to President Donald Trump — and he says it’s all thanks to one law.
“Tax refunds this year, due to the ‘BIG BEAUTIFUL’ BILL, are substantially higher than ever,” Trump wrote in a recent post on Truth Social (1). “In some cases, estimates are that over 20% will be returned to the taxpayer.”
Trump also urged Americans to recognize what he described as the benefits of the legislation.
“So when you get your tax refund, think about what a wonderful President you have – NO PAY TAX, NO SOCIAL SECURITY TAX FOR OUR SENIORS, NO OVERTIME TAX, CAR LOAN INTEREST DEDUCTIONS, and MUCH MUCH MORE,” he wrote.
While the message may sound promotional, experts expect refund amounts to trend higher this season. A study by investment firm Piper Sandler shows that refunds could average about $1,000 higher than usual this year — some taxpayers may see refunds of $10,000 or more (2).
Meanwhile, the Tax Foundation estimated that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reduced individual taxes by $129 billion by 2025, noting that refunds “will undoubtedly increase for millions of taxpayers” this season (3).
According to the IRS, taxpayers generally have until April 15 to file their returns (4). Those who file electronically and opt for direct deposit typically receive refunds within three weeks (5).
Still, Trump offered some characteristically simple advice to taxpayers expecting a bigger check.
“Don’t spend all that money in one place!” he wrote.
For many households, this raises an immediate question: What is the smartest way to use a sudden cash infusion?
Whether you’re thinking about shoring up your finances, preparing for uncertainty, or putting that extra cash to work, here are some ways Americans might consider investing their potential windfall.
The US stock market has been a powerful engine of wealth creation. Trump emphasized this force, recently saying that “the only thing that’s really going up big? It’s the stock market and your 401(k)s (6).”
The benchmark S&P 500 has returned 16% in 2025 and has gained about 75% over the past five years.
Of course, consistently picking winning stocks isn’t easy. That’s why legendary investor Warren Buffett argues that most people don’t need to pick individual companies at all to benefit from long-term stock market growth.
“In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is to own the S&P 500 index fund,” Buffett said (7). This approach gives investors exposure to 500 of America’s largest companies across a wide range of industries, providing instant diversification without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.
The beauty of this approach is its accessibility—anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of it. Even small amounts can grow over time with tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change.
Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes: link your cards and Acorns will round each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference—your spare change—in a diversified portfolio.
With Acorns, you can invest in an S&P 500 ETF for just $5 – and if you sign up today with a recurring deposit, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you start your investment journey.
Read more: I’m almost 50 and have no retirement savings. Is it too late to catch up?
Read more: Non-millionaires can now invest in this $1 billion private real estate fund starting at just $10
If a bigger payback is headed your way, allocating a portion in hard assets that have stood the test of time could be a strategic move—especially in uncertain economic environments.
As Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, recently said, “the most important thing is to have a well-diversified portfolio.”
And when it comes to hedging against “bad times,” he repeatedly pointed to one asset in particular: gold.
In an interview with CNBC, Dalio said that “people usually don’t have an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” adding that “when times are bad, gold is a very effective diversifier.”
Gold has long been considered a safe haven. It cannot be printed out of thin air like fiat money, and because it is not tied to any single currency or economy, investors often flock to it during times of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, increasing its value.
Despite a recent pullback, gold prices are up more than 70% over the past 12 months.
Other prominent voices see additional potential. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon recently said that in this environment, gold can “easily” rise to $10,000 an ounce.
One way to invest in gold that also offers significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with Priority Gold.
The Gold IRA allows investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets in a retirement account, thus combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an option for those who want to help protect their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.
When you make a qualifying purchase with Priority Gold, you can receive up to $10,000 in precious metals for free.
You don’t need a massive investment portfolio to start building wealth. Even your spare cash — such as a tax refund — can earn income rather than sitting idle in a low-yielding account.
To get started, a high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your emergency funds, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to cash when you need it.
A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base variable APY of 3.30%, and new customers can get a 0.75% boost in the first three months on up to $150,000 for a total APY of 4.05%. That’s ten times higher than the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC’s January report.
With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic bank transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Additionally, Wealthfront Cash account balances up to $8 million are FDIC insured through program banks.
At the end of the day, everyone’s financial situation is different—from income levels and investment goals to debt obligations and risk tolerance—which means the best move for someone else might not be the best move for you.
If you’re not sure where to start, now might be the right time to connect with a financial advisor through Advisor.com.
Advisor.com is an online platform that matches you with vetted financial advisors tailored to your unique needs. They can help you tailor a strategy to your particular financial situation, whether you’re looking to grow your wealth, diversify beyond stocks, or plan for long-term financial security.
Once you’re paired with an advisor, you can book a free, no-obligation consultation.
Join over 250,000 readers and be the first to receive the best stories and exclusive interviews from Moneywise – clear information curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
We only rely on verified sources and credible third-party reports. For details, seeeditorial ethics and guidelines. @realDonaldTrump (1); The Wall Street Journal (2); Fiscal Foundation (3); IRS (4), (5); NTDs (6); CNBC (7)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. Offered without warranty of any kind.