Alaska dividend, energy check payout will be $3,284

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska residents will receive $3,284 as part of a combined payout that includes the annual dividend from the state’s oil-wealth fund and a special energy relief payment.

The amount was announced during a livestream broadcast on Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s Facebook page Thursday. Prior estimates indicated the combined payout would be around $3,200.

There is a yearly application process and residency requirements to qualify for a dividend. Dividends traditionally have been paid using earnings from the Alaska Permanent Fund. Lawmakers in 2018 began using fund earnings to also help pay for government and sought to limit how much can be withdrawn from earnings for both purposes. The amount going to the dividend this year represents half the authorized draw.

The energy relief payment, meanwhile, was intended by lawmakers as a one-time benefit to help residents with high energy costs.

The dividend portion of the payout was calculated at $2,622 and the energy relief portion at $662, Joe Felkl, a spokesperson with the Department of Revenue, said by email.

Dunleavy’s office said checks will begin going out to those who requested payments by direct deposit starting Sept. 20 and for others starting in early October.