If you live in Alaska, you’re about to get a nice payment that most other states can’t match. The Permanent Fund Dividend, a promise the state makes each year, sends every eligible resident a check, and this August it’ll be Stimulus Payment $1,702. With prices for everything going up, that cash is arriving just in time for a lot of households.
The Alaskan Edge: Consistent Cash While the Rest of the Country Waits for More
While the nation hasn’t seen a federal stimulus check in a while now, Alaskans just keep getting their yearly dividend. The program kicked off in 1980 and parks the state’s oil and natural-gas royalties right in the wallets of the people.
Here’s how it works: the money that flows in from our natural resources is enough that, after paying expenses, the state deposits a chunk into a special investment fund. The earnings from that fund then turn into cash for people. Some states hand out food, others might give loans—Alaska just sends the check, and it’s become a part of life.
Because the fund’s income drops and grows with oil prices and investment results, the payment isn’t a fixed amount. The very first PFD in 1982 was $1,000, and over the years it’s gone higher and lower. The idea is to turn the state’s finite resources into something lasting for residents, and it’s worked for more than 40 years.
This year’s dividend comes with a $1,440 base payment plus an $262 energy relief bonus for a total of $1,702. The extra energy bonus acknowledges that remote communities and extreme weather make energy bills a serious concern in Alaska.
Payment Schedule: August Dividends Are Coming
If you live in Alaska and are counting down, pay attention: the state has a clear payment schedule. Anyone marked “Eligible-Not Paid” as of August 13 will see options in the mail or deposit on August 21, 2025. Unpaid folks as of September 3 will get payments by September 11.
The first big batch for people who applied online and chose direct deposit will go on October 2. A second large batch, for online and check payments, will happen on October 23.
Worried about your check or direct deposit? Just head to the state’s PFD website. The “myPFD” tool shows live updates so you can see if your application went through and what’s happening with your payment.
Eligibility Requirements: Who Can Get the Dividend
Around 600,000 Alaskans are usually the ones who see this dividend in their mail or accounts. But to get the check, you need to meet certain criteria. Though it sounds strict, these rules help make sure the funds go to people who really live in Alaska.
To apply, you need to show that you lived in Alaska the whole year of 2024, without picking a new home anywhere else. You also have to prove that you spent a full 72-hour stretch in Alaska during 2023 or 2024, plus you can’t be away for more than 180 days during 2024.
People serving a felony sentence in the past year, or who are in jail for any felony or misdemeanor, can’t apply – the rule is about making sure the money goes to Alaskans who are building our community.
More States Offer Payments Like Alaska’s
Alaska’s is the longest-running state dividend, but other states are rolling out plans that give out money like one-time or repeat economic checks. In Mississippi, the Magnolia Mother’s Trust pays $1,000 each month to poorer families headed by women. California’s Abundant Birth Project does the same. In Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota, new programs hand out 500to1,000 each month to residents who qualify.
These options show that giving families money directly can help when times are tough, and they’ve come along since federal stimulus checks have wrapped up.
What exactly is the Permanent Fund Dividend?
It’s the yearly cash payment Alaska residents get that comes from the state’s earnings on oil and natural resources.
What will the 2025 PFD check total?
This year it’s 1,702:that’smadeupof1,440 from the regular dividend and an extra $262 energy relief bonus.
When will the checks go out?
Payments will start on August 21, 2025, then there will be more on set days in September and October.
How can I see if my payment is on track?
Head to the official PFD website and click on the “myPFD” link to check the status of your application and see if you qualify.
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