PFD doubles last year's amount

The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) will be $1,884 this year, more than double last year's amount.

According to a press release issued by Gov. Sean Parnell, 510,721 Alaskan's will have the funds deposited directly into their bank accounts and another 88,186 will receive the funds via a paper check. Both will be distributed Oct. 2.

In total $1.1 billion will be paid to Alaskans this year, reflecting a fund balance that has increased some 71 percent since 2009, the year of the Great Recession. That increase represents a recovery from the losses associated with the economic downturn in 2009.

The PF...