Residents receive yearly payments from the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) Program, which is financed by the profits from oil investments.
It was established in 1982, is exclusive to the United States, and is regarded as a “collective inheritance” for natural resources. It has fluctuated between $1,312 in 2023 and over $2,000 in prior years.
To handle surpluses from its petroleum industry, Alaska created the Permanent Fund in 1976. The Permanent Fund was established six years later to disburse profits to locals.
According to state law, the fund does not deal in crude oil directly; rather, it deals in international investments. Socioeconomic circumstances are not necessary for payments.
What is the proposed amount of the PFD stimulus check?
Applicants must have lived in Alaska for the full previous year in order to be eligible for the PFD. Absences for military, medical, or educational purposes are acceptable.
Family applications can be used by minors. Eligibility is revoked for those incarcerated or serving a criminal sentence during the eligibility period. Every year on March 31st, the application process closes.
According to state data, the PFD gives rural households between 3% and 8% of their yearly income. The fund will surpass $75 billion by 2024. Lawmakers are arguing over whether to fund infrastructure or individual payments first.
The Senate suggests $1,000 for 2025, while Governor Mike Dunleavy suggests $3,900. A $1,400 compromise is being negotiated by the House of Representatives.
The Senate Finance Committee’s $1,000, the House of Representatives’ $1,400, and Governor Dunleavy’s $3,900 are the three sums vying for the 2025 PFD.
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The disparity is a reflection of conflicting priorities: direct return of oil revenues versus fiscal sustainability. In order to prevent depleting state reserves, analysts anticipate an agreement closer to $1,400.
The PFD is reported to the IRS but is not subject to state taxes. Nine percent of payments were set aside for educational savings in 2023.
One piece of legislation aims to tie future contributions to the fund’s average earnings over the previous five years. Another suggests setting aside 25% for a “universal basic income,” but it makes no real headway.
The Alaska PFD amounts from 2014 to 2023 are shown in bullet points below, along with the inflation-adjusted amounts for 2023:
| Year | PFD Amount | Adjusted Amount |
| 2023 | $1,312 | $1,312 |
| 2022 | $3,284 | $3,284 |
| 2021 | $1,114 | $1,114 |
| 2020 | $992 | $992 |
| 2019 | $1,606 | $1,606 |
| 2018 | $1,600 | $1,600 |
| 2017 | $1,100 | $1,100 |
| 2016 | $1,022 | $1,022 |
| 2015 | $2,072 | $2,072 |
| 2014 | $1,884 | $1,884 |
Is there a chance that the PFD stimulus check program will end?
By 2030, payments exceeding $1,500 per year could exhaust reserves, the Alaska Department of Revenue cautioned. For the fund to retain its true value, a minimum return of 5% is needed.
Investments produced 6.8% in 2023, but volatility is exacerbated by changes in international markets.
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The PFD has disbursed $28.3 billion since 1982. $1,780 is the average inflation-adjusted payment. 84% of those who qualified for the benefit did so in 2022.
According to the Alaska Public Policy Institute, 21% of the people in areas like Bethel and the North Slope use the funds to pay for essential services.
