For residents of the 49th state, the turn of the seasons doesn’t just bring a dramatic shift in daylight; it also heralds the arrival of an annual financial event that is uniquely Alaskan. In a matter of weeks, the state will begin distributing its 2025 Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), their very own stimulus checks program.
The initiative sends direct shares of the state’s mineral wealth that has been a cornerstone of life here for decades. This isn’t a federal stimulus; it’s a birthright funded by oil revenues, a tangible benefit for choosing to build a life on the nation’s final frontier.
This year, that check will be a generous $1,702 for every eligible man, woman, and child who’s eligible to claim this benefit.
Mark Your Calendars: PFD Stimulus Payments Start Soon
The confirmed amount brings a sigh of relief to families grappling with some of the highest costs of living in the United States, particularly for essentials like fuel and food. For many, the PFD is as a powerful year-end savings tool, a down payment on a reliable vehicle, or a buffer against soaring home heating bills.
The total distribution is a blend of two components: the core dividend of $1,403.83 from the investment earnings of the Alaska Permanent Fund, and an additional $298.17 specifically earmarked as an “Energy Relief Refund.”
The Alaska Department of Revenue has outlined a clear, staggered schedule for the disbursement of funds, a process designed to ensure an orderly flow of payments. The first wave is set for September 11, 2025, for all applicants whose status was marked “Eligible-Not Paid” by September 3.
Subsequent distributions will follow on October 2 for those qualifying by September 18, and a final round on October 23 for those becoming eligible by October 13.
The state continues to advocate for direct deposit as the swiftest and most secure method to receive funds, with money appearing in accounts on the specified distribution dates. Paper checks will be mailed on those same days, though residents should anticipate a standard mailing delay.
How to Be Eligible for PFD Stimulus Checks
Securing this payment is contingent upon meeting strict residency requirements designed to ensure the dividend goes to full-time Alaskans. Eligibility for the 2025 PFD required an individual to have lived in Alaska for the entirety of the 2024 calendar year with the intent to remain indefinitely.
The rules also mandate a minimum physical presence—at least 72 consecutive hours within the state during 2023 or 2024—and limit absences to under 180 days unless for exempt purposes like military service, medical care, or education.
A clean legal record, free of felony convictions in 2024, was also mandatory. The application window, a critical annual ritual, slammed shut on March 31, 2025, requiring each household member to have a separate application filed online at pfd.alaska.gov.
Beyond the application, the deadline for updating vital information like bank account details or mailing addresses passed on August 31, 2025, a necessary step to prevent delays in the fall disbursement. Recipients should also note that while the PFD is free from Alaska state income tax, it is considered taxable income on federal IRS returns for the tax year 2025.