Do You Qualify for the $1,703 Payment? Here’s How to Find Out

How Do You Know If You Are Eligible?

Some Americans just got a $1,703 check in their bank accounts. If you’re wondering what that’s about and whether you could be next in line, here’s the scoop. It’s not a federal stimulus payment, and it’s not random. This money comes from Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend, also known as the PFD. Every year, the state shares some of its oil and resource wealth with residents through these payments.

In 2024, the total amount per eligible person was $1,703. That includes a base payment of $1,440 and an extra $262 energy relief payment. The first batch of payments went out in July. Now, a second round is scheduled for August 21 for people who were marked as eligible but hadn’t yet been paid by mid-July.

Who qualifies?

This isn’t just “free money” for anyone. To receive the 2024 PFD (and future payments like the one expected in 2026), you must:

• Have lived in Alaska for all of 2023
• Plan to remain an Alaska resident indefinitely
• Not have claimed residency in another state or country
• Avoid being absent from Alaska for more than 180 days in 2023 (unless for qualifying reasons)
• Not have any felony convictions or certain misdemeanor criminal records

There are other technical details, too, like needing to have been physically present in Alaska for at least 72 consecutive hours during the qualifying period.

If you didn’t qualify this time or never applied, there’s still a chance to get in on next year’s payment. The application window for the 2025 PFD, which would be paid out in 2026, opens on January 1 and closes on March 31. That gives you a solid three months to see if you meet the requirements and get your application in on time.

The easiest way to check your eligibility or apply is through the Alaska Department of Revenue’s Permanent Fund Dividend Division website. If you’ve already applied and want to check your payment status, there’s a tool called myPFD on the same site that lets you do exactly that. The official site is pfd.alaska.gov.

Bottom line, if you live in Alaska or are planning to move there and stick around, this annual payment can be a real bonus. But you’ve got to meet the criteria, and you’ve got to apply during the right window. It’s not automatic. With the next application period just a few months away, now’s a good time to check where you stand and be ready when January rolls around.