Although thousands of Alaskan residents are excited to receive their $1,702 Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) payment, some citizens will be saying goodbye to their $1,702 stimulus payments. Since the state’s annual economic benefit has since its inception provided support to eligible residents, adjustments to eligibility rules will mean that a large group of beneficiaries will be excluded from receiving these checks starting in May 2025.
Understanding the eligibility criteria for $1,702 Payments
The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) has always been Alaska’s way of sharing the state’s oil and gas wealth directly with its residents. The fund was created in 1976 with the aim of sharing a portion of its investment income each year with qualifying residents. This year, each eligible recipient will receive $1,403.83 as a base dividend, plus an energy relief bonus of $298.17, amounting to a stimulus check of $1,702.
Alaskans will need to meet specific residency and legal requirements to qualify for the 2025 PFD:
- Citizens would have to be residents of Alaska for the entire 2024 calendar year and must have the intention of remaining in the state permanently.
- Citizens would have to have lived in the state for at least 12 consecutive months prior to January 1, 2025.
- Citizens must be physically present in Alaska for at least 72 consecutive hours in the last two years.
- Citizens must not have applied for residency in another state during the qualifying period.
- Citizens must have no felony convictions and not more than two misdemeanor convictions during the 2024 calendar year.
- All qualifying residents must have filed an application between January 1 and March 2025 through the official PFD site
All citizens who meet the eligibility criteria and have applications with an “Eligible–Not Paid” status by May 7, 2025, will receive their payments on May 15, 2025. Any additional batches will be processed in June.
Who stops receiving payments in May 2025?
According to the Alaska Department of Revenue, some residents don’t meet the eligibility critieria. So, while many Alaskans are anticipating payments some citizens will be left out entirely. The group of citizens who will stop receiving payments can be classified according to one of the following categories and as such will be officially disqualified from receiving the check.
Alaskans who will not receive the 2025 PFD include:
- Individuals claimed as dependents on someone else’s tax return.
- People without a valid Social Security Number.
- Individuals with felony convictions or more than two misdemeanor convictions during the 2024 calendar year.
- People who were not required to file a tax return, typically due to low income or lack of qualifying status.
The exclusions of these people are part of the efforts of the Alaska Department of Revenue to preserve the integrity of the fund and make sure that only citizens rooted in Alaska and those who have Alaska’s best interest in mind get rewarded.
The reason why this exclusion matters
The exclusion of Alaskans for PFD payments this May reflects a broader policy objective. By preventing citizens with recent and many criminal convictions as well as those who do not participate in the tax system from getting stimulus checks is the way for the state to protect the fund from abuse and a way to give preference to citizens who are committed to Alaska.
The PFD is as such a symbol of Alaskan identity and the idea is to ensure that the right people receive this fund solidifying citizen’s trust in this program. Alaskans must always be aware of payment dates and eligibility.
Why the PFD matters in Alaska’s economy?
By providing $1, 702 payments to individual households, millions get injected into Alaska’s local economy. In rural areas in Alaska, these stimulus checks act as a financial lifeline.
The PFD remains a sense of pride for Alaskans who need to remain vigilant and aware of the changes to eligibility status as this could affect their future payments. Alaskans who are on the list can surely look forward to these stimulus checks in May. Those who did not qualify for these payments this year need to understand the rules in order to qualify next year.
