Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are the most commonly asked questions we recieve concerning this website and the Permanent Fund. Is there a question that you would like to see added to this list? Contact us with your suggestions today.

Questions:

1. How is the total value of the fund computed and how is it updated for this web site?
   
   
2. How do you calculated the individual value?
   
   
3. Why are the counters which display the total value of the fund moving?
   
   
4. What assumptions are used to determine the growth rate of the fund?
   
   
5. Why are e-mail addresses collected?
   
   
6. Can e-mail addresses be removed from the list maintained by this website?
   
   
7. Do you have banners available so that I can link to your website?
   
   
8. Where do I get information on the status of my enrollment in the dividend program?
   
   
9. What's the difference between public records, publicly available information, and non-public information?
   
   
10. Can I opt out public records databases?
    

Answers

1. We use the actual information provided by the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation displayed at: www.apfc.org. We up date our site with current values quarterly.
   
   
2. We simply divide the total value of the fund by the most recent number of eligible Alaska residents. These figures are provide by the Alaska Department of Revenue and the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation. We adjust the number of applicants once each year, after the number is updated by the Alaska Department of Revenue.
   
   
3. The counters are moving at a rate we believe to be a fairly close estimate of the Permanent Fund growth over the coming year.
   
   
4. We assumed that the fund will grow at a rate of at least 6% per year simple interest. This is a number we believe to a fairly conservative rate over the life of the fund.
   
   
5. We collect emails for the sole purpose of providing you with important information on the Fund. We do not in any manner, distribute your email to anyone else. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information regarding the practices of this web site.
   
   
6. Yes, we provide an easy 'opt out' option on our site. Using the same form that was used to submit your e-mail address, you can select 'unsubscribe' to permanently remove your e-mail address from our mailing list.
   
   
7. There are several banners that you can add to your website. One of them is shown here - click on it for more information on how you can add MyPFDCheck.com banners to your web site.
   
   
8. You can visit the MyPFDCheck.com PFD Eligibility Page to see if the Alaska Department of Revenue has your information on record. Alternatively you should visit the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend website for futher information.
   
   
9. These terms refer to the source of the information. The following definitions have been agreed by various information industry and government groups:

   Public Records are compiled by various public offices and agencies with the intent and for the purpose of being made publicly available. Examples of public records include real estate records, lien filings, business entity filings (such as corporate registrations), lawsuit information and court dockets, court decisions, and birth, marriage, divorce and death records.

   Publicly Available Information generally originates with the individual himself or herself and is provided in the course of routine business transactions such as ordering telephone service, placing catalog orders, making retail purchases, and joining book clubs. Published telephone numbers, household demographics, street addresses, and church and school alumni directory information all fall within the category of publicly available information. Information contained in newspapers and magazines (such as news reports and birth, death and marriage notices) is also considered to be publicly available.

   Private or Non-Public Information is not generally available from public records or commercial sources. Non-public information includes information that is protected from disclosure by law or by custom, such as medical records, employment records, tax returns, and personal financial records.

10. No. Public records, by law, must be available from the official public records office to anyone who requests them. Accordingly, because individuals cannot opt out of public records databases generally, MyPFDCheck.com does not offer individuals the opportunity to opt out of the public records database found on this web site. In order for any database of public records to be useful, the databases must contain all of the information in the public records offices. Our data files must accurately reflect the underlying public records, and we do not remove or suppress any information that is both accurate and publicly available. For example, if a bank is going to lend money to a company, it has to be certain that a search of the public records databases will reveal all of the previous encumbrances against the company so that it can effectively evaluate the risk involved in making the loan.
    If you have a compelling privacy or security issue, you may wish to contact the official custodians of those public records that contain sensitive information about you, such as the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Program, to determine how to remove your information from the public record. (The process of having public records sealed typically requires a court order.) This process will ensure that the information is not available from the public records custodian, MyPFDCheck.com, or any other information provider.