Shareholder FAQs

CIRI contributes 3.5% of the previous year’s ending Shareholders’ equity balance attributable to CIRI to the Distribution Fund of the CIRI Settlement Trust. Quarterly payment amounts can be found in Qenek. 

Shareholder Distributions and Elder Distributions are made in March, June, September and December. 7(j) Resource revenue payments are made to eligible Shareholders in April.  

Whether you receive a check or participate in direct deposit, any time your address changes you must either update your address in Qenek or send a signed address change request to the Shareholder Relations Department. You must also keep your address updated with the Postal Service. If your CIRI mail is returned as undeliverable, distributions will be held, interest-free, and you do not qualify to participate in any prize drawings until your address is updated. 

When you participate in the direct deposit program, funds are electronically transmitted to your account on the same day checks are mailed to Shareholders without direct deposit. There is no need to wait until your check arrives in the mail, and no need to make a trip to the bank. 

You can establish or update your direct deposit by filling out the Authorization for Direct Deposit Form; attaching proof of account ownership (such as a preprinted voided check, deposit slip, bank statement or letter from your financial institution confirming the designated account); and returning the form and proof of account ownership to the Shareholder Relations Department. 

Only original Shareholders are eligible for Elders Distributions, provided they meet the following criteria:  

• Are living individuals 65 years old or older.  

• Are original CIRI Shareholders.  

• Either own at least one share of CIRI Common Stock or gifted all of their CIRI Common Stock before July 31, 2003.  

Eligible Shareholders who are turning 65 and want to receive payments from the CST Elders Fund do not need to do anything other than to keep a current mailing address on file with CIRI Shareholder Relations and, if they wish to have their payments directly deposited, maintain up-to-date direct deposit information with Shareholder Relations. Because receiving Elders Fund payments may cause some Elders to exceed income or asset limits for certain federal or federally-assisted welfare programs, Elders may opt out of receiving the payments by completing an Opt-Out Form. Provided they still meet the eligibility requirements, those who opt out may later opt back in, but they are not eligible to receive missed back payments. 

Funds disbursed through the CIRI Settlement Trust Distribution Fund and the CIRI Settlement Trust Elders Fund are nontaxable and those payments are not reported to the IRS. This includes all distributions and Elders payments approved since September of 2019. For those Shareholders who receive resource revenue payments, prizes or taxable estate settlements, IRS form 1099s will be mailed no later than Jan. 31 of each year.  

Every year, each of the 12 Alaska-based regional corporations contribute 70% of its net resource revenues to a pool of funds. Those total funds are redistributed to each of the regional corporations based on the number of original enrollees to each corporation under ANCSA. Upon receiving its allocation of resource revenue funds, CIRI retains 50% for reinvestment and operating expenses, and 50% is divided among at-large Shareholders and village corporations for those Shareholders holding village-class shares. The amount of the payment is announced late March of each year. 

Because checks can be cashed for up to 90 days after issuance, CIRI is unable to reissue lost or missing checks until the end of the 90-day period. After 90 days, Shareholders can request a replacement check either through Qenek or by completing a Check Reissuance Request Form, which can be found on the Forms, Records and Gifting page. Upon confirmation that the check is still outstanding (after the 90-day period), a replacement check will be issued.

The cards will not specify the Alaska Native blood quantum. If a Certificate Degree of Indian Blood is needed, Shareholders and Descendants should continue to apply to the Bureau of Indian Affairs at 3601 C Street, Suite 1258, Anchorage, Alaska, 99503, telephone 907-271-4477, toll-free 1-800-645-8465, email akenrollment@bia.gov or fax 907-271-4085. 

Having Shareholder status with an ANSCA regional corporation, such as CIRI, or of an ANCSA village corporation does not mean the Shareholder is enrolled to a tribe. Conversely, an individual who is enrolled in a tribe may not necessarily be enrolled as a Shareholder of an ANCSA regional or village corporation. 

There are several tribes within the Cook Inlet region: 

Chickaloon Village Traditional Council.  

Kenaitze Indian Tribe.  

Knik Tribal Council.  

Native Village of Eklutna.  

Native Village of Tyonek.  

Ninilchik Traditional Council.  

Salamatof Tribe.  

Seldovia Village Tribe.  

Enrollment rules vary from tribe to tribe. Generally, an individual is most likely to qualify for tribal enrollment in the village where their family comes from, but that is not always the case. Those interested in further exploring tribal enrollment should contact tribes directly to learn about the qualifications and requirements for enrollment.   

Additional resources: 

Tribal enrollment information.  

Genealogy resources.  

CIRI offers many opportunities for Shareholders to win prizes. Some of these opportunities include: 

• Signing up for e-newsletters. 

• Having a current direct deposit instruction on file.  

• Accessing Qenek accounts within the last quarter (Shareholders and Descendants).  

• Have a valid email address on file for confirmed Descendants.  

• Participate in youth educational incentives (Shareholders and Descendants).  

• Participate in weekly trivia contest. 

• Vote at Annual Meeting.  

• Receive electronic communications (GreenLink).  

In addition, keep an eye out for pop-up prizes from time to time!  

Shareholder Relations Department 

907-263-5191 phone. 

800-764-2474 toll-free (for Shareholders/Descendants). 

907-279-8836 fax. 

Physical: 725 E. Fireweed Lane, Suite 800, Anchorage, AK 99503. 

Mailing: P.O. Box 93330, Anchorage, AK 99509-3330. 

Email: shareholderrecords@ciri.com.