OVER 600,000 Americans can soon expect to see checks of $1,000 in a new wave of benefit payments.
The money comes from Alaska‘s Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD).
The payments for 2025 are $700 less than 2024’s (stock photo).[/caption]
Applications are open from January 1 to March 31 (stock photo).[/caption]
The amount issued to Alaska residents this year is $1,000, which is noticeably less than last year’s which came in at $1,702.
Payments will be distributed on October 2 for PFD applicants who filed electronically and requested their money be directly deposited.
Those who have an “Eligible-Not Paid” status on October 13 will have their payments distributed on October 23.
WHO’S ELIGIBLE?
In order to be eligible to receive the money, you must be a resident of Alaska for at least one calendar year.
Eligibility requires that an individual has not claimed residency in another state or country.
If you were out of state for over 180 days, it’s required you were absent on allowable absence.
Some instances of allowable absence include receiving secondary or post-secondary education full time, serving on active duty as a U.S. armed forces member, serving as a member of United States
Congress, receiving medical treatment, providing for a family member and settling the estate of a deceased family member.
There is only a short amount of time each year for residents to apply.
Applications open January 1 and must be filed by March 31, otherwise, applications after that date are rejected.
PFD applications are open to children and adults, with specifications.
An eligible sponsor must file an application before the issuing of the dividend in order for the child to be eligible.
There are also eligibility requirements surrounding incarcerations and convictions.
If you were incarcerated or sentenced due to a felony conviction during the PFD qualifying year, you are ineligible for the funds.
Those who were “incarcerated at any time during 2024 as the result of a misdemeanor conviction in Alaska if convicted of a prior felony or two or more prior misdemeanors since January 1, 1997,” are also deemed ineligible.
Recent PFD Payouts
Here are a list of the recent Alaska PFD payouts compared to this year’s $1,000.
- 2024: $1,702
- 2023: $1,312
- 2022: $3,284
- 2021: $1,114
- 2020: $992
- 2019: $1,606
- 2018: $1,600
Of the 666,213 applications received in 2024, only 624,489 were paid out.
This 2024 payment consisted of a base benefit of $1,403.83 and an energy relief bonus of nearly $300, coming in at $298.17.
Residents are able to check their application status using the “myPFD” website.
PFD HISTORY
The program was initially added to the Alaska Constitution in 1976, with the first legislation enacted in 1980, which provided residents $50 for every year of residence in Alaska since 1959.
The highest payment Alaskans have received from the PFD took place in 2022, with a dividend amount of $3,284.
Another high payment came in 2015 with residents receiving $2,072.
