AMERICANS can get their hands on state-administered stimulus checks worth $1,702 in the coming days.
To get hold of the money going out later this month, all you need to do is check your status online.
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During the pandemic, the government handed out three rounds of direct relief payments in an effort to boost economic activity and provide financial relief to Americans.
Although the federal government has stopped providing economic impact payments, cash-strapped Americans can still get their hands on some free money via state-run programs.
For example, residents of Alaska are eligible to receive annual checks via the state’s Permanent Fund Dividend, or PFD.
The Alaska Legislature established the program in 1980 as a way to manage profits from the state’s oil and natural resources.
Yearly payments began going out to Alaskans beginning in 1982, when the first check was $1,000.
This year, eligible residents are being sent payments worth $1,702 from the 2024 PFD, with the checks based on factors including oil prices and the fund’s investment performance.
Alaska PFD vs stimulus
The PFD payment is a bit different than the stimulus check Americans received during the pandemic.
The PFD is made to residents of a specific region from the earnings of a permanent or sovereign wealth fund.
Alaska has a sovereign wealth fund called the Alaska Permanent Fund, established in 1976.
It is funded mainly through the revenue produced from Alaska’s oil and gas reserves.
Every year, part of the funds are distributed to Alaskan residents as dividends.
The $1,702 payment is comprised of $1,440 from the fund in addition to a one-time energy relief bonus worth $262 due to high oil prices.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
To determine when you will see your PFD check hit your bank account, check your status on the official PFD website.
Alaskans with applications from 2024 and the prior year in the “Eligible-Not Paid” status as of August 13, 2025, will see their money distributed in the next few days on August 21, 2025.
Dividend applications from last year and the prior year that haven’t been paid on September 3, 2025, will be sent out next month on September 11, 2025.
Applications from 2025 and the previous year sitting with the “Eligible-Not Paid” status as of September 18, 2025, will be distributed on October 2, 2025.
This marks the first mass payment for this year, which includes applications filed online with a valid direct deposit.
Applications from 2025 and the previous year with the “Eligible-Not Paid” status on October 13, 2025, will see their checks sent out on October 23, 2025.
This second mass payment for 2025 will be comprised of all applications paid by check or direct deposit.
Are you eligible?
Approximately 600,000 state residents are handed a check from Alaska’s PFD annually, with several eligibility requirements in place to receive the money.
For example, individuals must have lived in Alaska throughout the full 2024 calendar year to qualify for the 2024 PFD payment.
Alaskans must also not have claimed residency in another state or country or received benefits tied to the claim since December 31, 2023.
Additionally, applicants must not have been convicted of a felony in the past 12 months or been incarcerated due to a felony or misdemeanor to be eligible for the check.
Alaskans also must not have been absent from the state for over 180 days in 2024 and must have spent at least 72 consecutive hours in Alaska at some point during 2023 or 2024.
STILL WAITING FOR A CHECK?
If you still have not received your 2024 PFD payment, there are several steps you can take to ensure you get the money you are owed.
Alaskans should first visit the state’s Department of Revenue PFD website and use the “myPFD” tool to verify their application status, checking if their application is in the “Eligible – Not Paid” status or if they still need to complete their application.
Ensure that your mailing and physical address, phone numbers, and email are accurate, and update this information through the online portal if there are any errors and you filed electronically.
Alaskans will be able to see how their dividend is being disbursed via their online account in addition to any deductions that may have been applied to their check.
For those who opted for direct deposit but have yet to receive their payment, check with your bank to see if the money was deposited into a different account or if the deposit was rejected for any reason.
If the scheduled payment date for your application has already passed and you have not been sent your PFD money, you can get in touch with the PFD division by visiting one of their offices, mailing documents, calling, or emailing [email protected].
Check out if you are eligible for these other payment opportunities.
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