Yes, we’re serious. This isn’t fake news or a Reddit rumor. It’s Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), a real program that distributes money each year to qualifying residents. The money comes primarily from royalties from oil and other state resources.
Basically, it’s like a giant savings account that benefits the people of Alaska. If you live there and follow the rules, you get a small but juicy portion of this stimulus payments program.
The projected amount for PFD stimulus checks recipents
The most recent payment, in 2025, was $1,702. This figure didn’t come out of nowhere: it’s the sum of a base dividend of about $1,403 and an extra energy bonus of almost $300.
If you were able to get your application approved before June 11, 2025, that little bit of money should already be in your pocket by June 18. Not bad for simply calling Alaska home, huh?
Who can receive these PFD stimulus payments?
Be careful, it’s not for everyone who spends a couple of days in Alaska. To qualify for the PFD for a given year, you must have lived in the state for the entire previous year. For example, for the 2026 payment, you must have been a resident for all of 2025.
Additionally, you must have a genuine intention to stay in Alaska indefinitely, not just for a visit. Declaring residency in another state or country during that period automatically disqualifies you.
Being on the move doesn’t count either. You can’t have been out of state for more than 180 days, unless it’s for a valid and approved reason (such as military service or school). And yes, you even need to have been physically in Alaska for at least 72 consecutive hours at some point in the previous two years.
A criminal record counts, too: serious convictions (felonies) exclude you, and even some minor offenses can complicate things for you if you have a criminal record. Minors born or adopted during a particular fiscal year may receive payment, but must be in the care of an adult legal guardian or parent who meets the aforementioned requirements.
The Permanent Fund Dividend: How money is made
It all started in 1976, when Alaska decided to be smart about its oil. They created the Alaska Permanent Fund through a constitutional amendment. The idea was simple but brilliant: to save at least 25% of the royalties from oil, gas, and minerals extracted on state lands, instead of spending it all willy-nilly.
The goal was to transform these resources, which would one day run out, into a lasting asset for today’s residents and those who come tomorrow.
Today, this fund is a giant. By 2025, it exceeded $80 billion. How did it grow so much? Not just in oil; the fund intelligently invests that initial money in stocks, bonds, real estate, and private equity.
But here’s the golden rule: only what the fund generates (net investment profits) is used to pay dividends. The principal is untouched; it’s protected, and even some of the profits are reinvested to “shield” it against inflation.
Roughly half of the average net income from the last five fiscal years, after adjusting for administrative expenses and dividing it among all approved beneficiaries that year, goes to the beneficiaries. So the amount varies: it depends on how the fund performs and how many people apply.
To apply this year, the application window has already closed: it’s always been from January 1st to March 31st each year. Missing these dates means waiting until next year, so mark your calendars.
