Alaskans have until 11:59 p.m. Monday, March 31, to file for this year’s Permanent Fund dividend, whether they file online or mail a paper application to the PFD office.
But if they mail the application, it absolutely positively must be postmarked by March 31. Anything dropped in the mail after that date will be rejected.
Last year’s dividend was $1,702, though this year’s amount — which will be set by legislators during the budget-writing process this spring — likely will be at least several hundred dollars less. The state is facing a combined budget deficit of more than $600 million this year and next year, mainly due to lower oil revenues.
The dividend is paid from the same general fund revenues as all other public services. Investment earnings from Alaska’s 48-year-old oil-wealth savings account, the Permanent Fund, provide the single largest source of money for the state general fund.
As of Monday, March 24, close to 540,000 Alaskans had applied online for their PFD, the application method of choice for about 90% of people, according to the counter on the Permanent Fund Division website.
Last year, the state paid PFDs to 624,489 Alaskans, down from the record year of 644,959 in 2011 as the population has been flat or slightly down in recent years as more people leave the state than new residents move north.
To apply for this year’s dividend, which will be paid out in early October, online filers can go to pfd.alaska.gov.